Benefits of renting a property with furniture and appliances

What are the advantages of renting a property with furniture and appliances?
I have summarized it in two points below.
1. Reduction in initial costs
2. Save time and effort when moving

Reduced initial costs

Furnished rental properties come equipped with enough furniture and appliances to live in when you move in, so you can reduce the costs of purchasing and moving in furniture and appliances.
Moving costs a lot of money, so not having to pay for furniture and appliances is a big advantage.

Save time and effort when moving

Furnished rental properties come with large furniture and appliances already provided, significantly reducing the hassle of moving.
You may be able to get by with just your personal belongings, and may not even need to hire a moving company.
Also, since you don't have to choose furniture and appliances when moving, it saves you time, so this is a recommended rental property for those who don't have any particular preferences for furniture and appliances.

Actual electricity bills for properties with furniture and appliances

Moving to a property that comes furnished with appliances can greatly reduce the hassle of moving, but how much will the electricity bills cost?
I have summarized it in two points below.
1. Types of home appliances and their electricity consumption
2. Average electricity bill and its factors

Types of home appliances and their electricity consumption

The electricity consumption of appliances generally provided in furnished properties is as follows:
・Air conditioner 300-3000W
・Microwave oven: 1000-1400W
・Electric kettle 900-1300W
・Hair dryer 600-1200W
・Vacuum cleaner 850-1000W
・Warm water washing toilet seat 300-700W
・Washing machine 200-400W
・Refrigerator 100-300W
We can see that things that convert electricity into heat and heat things consume a lot of electricity.
When you take into account factors such as the time of use, air conditioners consume the most electricity.

Average electricity bill and its contributing factors

According to data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' Household Survey (2023), the average electricity bill for a single person was 5,127 yen.
These amounts are averages over the course of a year, but the most expensive time of year is winter.
This is due to higher heating costs, shorter daylight hours and longer hours with the lights on.
Also, although not as much as in winter, electricity bills are higher in summer because the extreme heat every year makes air conditioning necessary.

Specific ways to save on your electricity bill

Below are some concrete ways to save on your electricity bill:
1. How to choose efficient home appliances
2. Electricity usage and saving tips

How to choose efficient home appliances

The electrical appliance that consumes the most electricity is the air conditioner.
Many properties come equipped with air conditioning, so there is usually no need to arrange one yourself, but we do recommend using an electric fan or circulator to reduce the amount of electricity used by the air conditioner.
By using a fan or air circulator to circulate the air in the room, cool and warm air will mix, allowing you to efficiently adjust the room temperature.
Another efficient home appliance is LED lighting.
Many rental properties that come with furniture and appliances also provide lighting, but if the lighting fixtures use incandescent bulbs, you can reduce unnecessary electricity consumption by simply replacing them with LED lights.
When it comes to lighting fixtures, we also recommend installing lights with motion sensors to prevent them from being turned on during unnecessary times.

Tips for using electricity and saving money

To reduce the power consumption of your home appliances, keep the following in mind:
1. Clean frequently
→You can reduce electricity consumption by regularly cleaning things like your TV screen, air conditioner and ventilation fan filters, and organizing the inside of your refrigerator.
2. Switch to energy saving mode
→Air conditioners, refrigerators, heated toilet seats, etc. have energy-saving modes.
You can reduce the amount of electricity used by using the energy saving mode unless you are in a hurry.
3. Unplug after use
→Many households leave microwave ovens, electric kettles, cordless vacuum cleaners, smartphone chargers, and other appliances plugged in even when they are not in use.
Although the amount of electricity you can save is small, be mindful to frequently unplug appliances or use a power strip to reduce standby power consumption.

Points to consider when choosing a property

Below are two points to consider when choosing a property:
1. The importance of checking the age of home appliances
2. The benefits of choosing home appliances with comprehensive energy-saving features

The importance of checking the age of your home appliances

Home appliances are becoming more energy efficient every year.
Many home appliances now consume significantly less power than products from 10 years ago.
The lifespan of a home appliance is said to be about 10 years, and as it deteriorates over time, its power consumption increases, so home appliances that are over 12 years old use more electricity than when they were purchased.
Therefore, be sure to check in advance how long the installed appliances have been used and how used they are.

The benefits of choosing home appliances with energy-saving features

The benefits of choosing appliances with energy-saving features are as follows:

1. You can reduce power consumption → If you can reduce power consumption, you can reduce the amount of electricity used in your home, which will ultimately help you save money on your electricity bill. Be conscious of saving energy, especially when it comes to home appliances that consume a lot of power.

2. Environmental issues can be considered -- In Japan, electricity is mainly generated by burning fossil fuels. Therefore, the more electricity we use, the more carbon dioxide emissions we emit. Using home appliances that reduce energy consumption can reduce the amount of electricity generated, which ultimately helps to consider environmental issues.

3. You may be eligible for subsidies → Depending on the local government, there are systems that provide a certain amount of subsidy when purchasing home appliances. This subsidy may be paid in cash or points unique to the local government. In general, it may be paid if you purchase products that meet energy saving standards or recycle the home appliances you are using.

The conditions for receiving subsidies vary by local government, so please check with your local government's website or office for more information.