UNIT 9
Housing, Home & Garbage Rules
Housing, Home & Garbage Rules
Lesson 4: Talking to the Landlord or Management Company
かんりがいしゃにれんらくしたいです — Getting Help from the Right Person
⏱️ About 25 minutes ／ 📊 Level: Beginner (N5) ／ 🗣️ Speaking + Reading
Before You Start
When you have a problem in your apartment — whether a repair, a question about rules, or a request for someone to visit — you need to communicate with your landlord (大家さん) or management company (管理会社). This lesson gives you the phrases to contact them confidently, arrange a visit, grant entry permission, and ask about building rules.
What you will learn:
- Say you want to contact the management company — 管理会社に連絡したいです
- Say you want to contact the landlord — 大家さんに連絡したいです
- Request an inspection — 確認をお願いします
- Ask when they can come — いつ来られますか
- Ask if they can come today — 今日来られますか
- Give entry permission — 部屋に入っても大丈夫です
- Ask about rules — ルールを教えてください
1. Key Phrases ／ きほんのフレーズ
管理会社に連絡したいです。
Kanri gaisha ni renraku shitai desu.
I want to contact the management company.
大家さんに連絡したいです。
Ooyasan ni renraku shitai desu.
I want to contact the landlord.
確認をお願いします。
Kakunin o onegaishimasu.
Please check it.
いつ来られますか。
Itsu koraremasu ka.
When can you come?
今日来られますか。
Kyoo koraremasu ka.
Can you come today?
部屋に入っても大丈夫です。
Heya ni haitte mo daijoobu desu.
It is okay to enter the room.
ルールを教えてください。
Ruuru o oshiete kudasai.
Please tell me the rules.
2. Phrase Notes ／ ポイント
① 管理会社 vs 大家さん — who do I contact?
管理会社 = property management company — handles maintenance, repairs, and building rules. Most modern apartments use one. 大家さん = landlord — the property owner. In smaller, older buildings, the landlord manages everything directly. Check your contract to see which contact to use for which situation.
② いつ来られますか — the respectful “can you come?”
来られますか is the respectful potential form of 来る (to come). It is the standard, polite way to ask management or the landlord whether they can visit. You can specify the time:
今日来られますか。Can you come today?
明日の午後来られますか。Can you come tomorrow afternoon?
今週中に来られますか。Can you come some time this week?
③ 部屋に入っても大丈夫です — giving permission
〜ても大丈夫です = “It’s okay to 〜.” Use this when management needs to enter for a repair or inspection and you want to give clear permission, especially if you may not be home. You can also add a time window: 午後2時から5時の間に入っても大丈夫です = “You can enter between 2 and 5 PM.”
⚠️ Common Mistake
Don’t say ルールは何ですか (grammatically fine but very blunt). A more natural and polite way to ask about rules is ルールを教えてください = “Please tell me the rules.” The 〇〇を教えてください pattern is versatile — use it whenever you want someone to explain something to you.
Don’t say ルールは何ですか (grammatically fine but very blunt). A more natural and polite way to ask about rules is ルールを教えてください = “Please tell me the rules.” The 〇〇を教えてください pattern is versatile — use it whenever you want someone to explain something to you.
3. Key Words ／ かんけいすることば
🏢 Contacts
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 管理会社 | kanri gaisha | property management company |
| 大家さん | ooyasan | landlord |
| 業者 | gyoosha | contractor / technician |
📋 Useful Action Words
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 連絡します | renraku shimasu | contact / get in touch |
| 確認します | kakunin shimasu | check / confirm |
| 来ます | kimasu | come / visit |
| 教えます | oshiemasu | teach / tell / inform |
4. Conversation Practice ／ かいわ
💬 Conversation 1 — Requesting an Inspection
💬 Conversation 2 — Granting Entry Permission
💬 Conversation 3 — Asking About Building Rules
💬 Conversation 4 — Urgent Request to Come Today
5. Vocabulary ／ たんご
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 管理会社 | kanri gaisha | management company |
| 大家さん | ooyasan | landlord |
| 連絡します | renraku shimasu | contact |
| 確認します | kakunin shimasu | check / confirm |
| 来られますか | koraremasu ka | can you come? |
| 大丈夫 | daijoobu | okay / fine / no problem |
| ルール | ruuru | rules |
| 教えてください | oshiete kudasai | please tell me / please explain |
6. Check Your Understanding ／ クイズ
Think about each question first. Answers and explanations are shown below.
Q1. What does 「管理会社に連絡したいです。」 mean?
A. I want to call the landlord. B. I want to contact the management company. C. Please check the room. D. When can you come?
Answer: B
管理会社に連絡したいです = “I want to contact the management company.” 連絡 = contact. したい = want to do.
管理会社に連絡したいです = “I want to contact the management company.” 連絡 = contact. したい = want to do.
Q2. What does 「確認をお願いします。」 mean?
A. Please repair it. B. Please enter the room. C. Please check it. D. Please tell me the rules.
Answer: C
確認をお願いします = “Please check it.” Use this when you want an inspection. 修理をお願いします = “Please repair it” — use this when you are sure something needs fixing.
確認をお願いします = “Please check it.” Use this when you want an inspection. 修理をお願いします = “Please repair it” — use this when you are sure something needs fixing.
Q3. How do you ask “When can you come?”
A. いつ来ましたか。 B. いつ来たいですか。 C. いつ来られますか。 D. いつ来ますか。
Answer: C
いつ来られますか = “When can you come?” This is the polite potential form. 来られます = can come (respectful). Use this when speaking to management or the landlord.
いつ来られますか = “When can you come?” This is the polite potential form. 来られます = can come (respectful). Use this when speaking to management or the landlord.
Q4. What does 「部屋に入っても大丈夫です。」 mean?
A. Please enter the room. B. Do not enter the room. C. It is okay to enter the room. D. Can you enter the room?
Answer: C
部屋に入っても大丈夫です = “It is okay to enter the room.” The 〜ても大丈夫です pattern = “It’s okay to 〜.” Use this to give management clear permission to enter.
部屋に入っても大丈夫です = “It is okay to enter the room.” The 〜ても大丈夫です pattern = “It’s okay to 〜.” Use this to give management clear permission to enter.
Q5. What does 「ルールを教えてください。」 mean?
A. Please follow the rules. B. Please tell me the rules. C. What are the rules? D. Are there rules?
Answer: B
ルールを教えてください = “Please tell me the rules.” 〇〇を教えてください is a polite and versatile way to ask anyone to explain or inform you about something.
ルールを教えてください = “Please tell me the rules.” 〇〇を教えてください is a polite and versatile way to ask anyone to explain or inform you about something.
Q6. What is the difference between 大家さん and 管理会社?
A. They mean the same. B. 大家さん = technician; 管理会社 = landlord. C. 大家さん = landlord; 管理会社 = management company. D. 大家さん = tenant; 管理会社 = owner.
Answer: C
大家さん = the property owner / landlord. 管理会社 = the management company that handles day-to-day operations. Check your contract to know which to contact for which situation.
大家さん = the property owner / landlord. 管理会社 = the management company that handles day-to-day operations. Check your contract to know which to contact for which situation.
7. Match the Meaning ／ れんしゅう
管理会社に連絡したいです。 → ______
大家さんに連絡したいです。 → ______
確認をお願いします。 → ______
いつ来られますか。 → ______
今日来られますか。 → ______
部屋に入っても大丈夫です。 → ______
ルールを教えてください。 → ______
Choices: A. When can you come? B. Please tell me the rules. C. I want to contact the management company. D. It is okay to enter the room. E. Can you come today? F. I want to contact the landlord. G. Please check it.
Answers: 管理会社に連絡したいです = C ／ 大家さんに連絡したいです = F ／ 確認をお願いします = G ／ いつ来られますか = A ／ 今日来られますか = E ／ 部屋に入っても大丈夫です = D ／ ルールを教えてください = B
🚀 Mini Mission
Today’s mission: Practise the full management company call in Japanese.
Role-play a phone call with your teacher — one is the resident, one is the management company:
エアコンが動きません。修理をお願いします。／ 確認をお願いします。／ いつ来られますか。／ 部屋に入っても大丈夫です。
📘 Review ／ まとめ
In this lesson you learned how to communicate with your landlord or management company for inspections, repairs, and building rules.
管理会社に連絡したいです。(Contact management.)
確認をお願いします。(Please check it.)
いつ来られますか。(When can you come?)
部屋に入っても大丈夫です。(Entry is okay.)
確認をお願いします。(Please check it.)
いつ来られますか。(When can you come?)
部屋に入っても大丈夫です。(Entry is okay.)
💡 The key sequence: describe the problem (Lesson 3) → request repair or check → ask when they can come → give permission to enter. These four steps cover almost every management situation you will face.
FAQ
Q. Where can I find the management company’s contact number?
It is usually on your lease contract (契約書), on the bulletin board (掲示板) in your building’s entrance, or on a sticker near your front door or fuse box. Save it in your phone when you move in — you will need it when problems occur.
Q. Can I contact management by LINE or email instead of by phone?
Many management companies in Japan now accept contact by LINE, email, or a web form. This can actually be easier as a non-native speaker — you can take time to compose the message clearly. Check your contract or ask: LINEで連絡できますか (“Can I contact you by LINE?”).
Q. What if I can’t be home when management comes to inspect?
Say: 留守ですが、部屋に入っても大丈夫です (“I will be away, but it is okay to enter the room”). Management companies in Japan are professional and trustworthy — this is a completely normal and accepted arrangement, especially for routine repairs and inspections.
🏠 Practice with a real teacher
Want to Practice with a Teacher?
Communicating with your landlord or management company is a real-life necessity. Try a free trial lesson and role-play the full contact conversation with a professional teacher.
Online or in-person — both available on request.