Job Discussion Forums

meeks · Posted: Sun Nov 12, 2006 11:28 pm Post subject: Is single-occupancy enforced?

As mentioned in my earlier post, I am looking into TEFL as a means to support myself while my boyfriend studies in Japan next year. I've begun by comparing what's offered by the major eikaiwa chains (according to each of their official websites) since I was told they might be able to accomodate requests for a particular location. Most posts I've read seem to indicate that actual working conditions at these schools are similar, and vary more by specific branch than by company, so I'm looking at salaries, vacation time, daily schedules...and housing. Since we do not know if my b/f's school would be able/willing to provide housing outside of the dorms, it would be helpful if I could get a job with accomodations we'd be able to share.

NOVA, it seems, does not provide private housing, and ECC does not guarantee it, so we would have to find our own apartment if I work for one of these. AEON and GEOS put their employees in separate apartments, but these are described as "single-occupancy":

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Some employers spy on their teachers.

AEON is infamous for not even letting MARRIED couples stay together.

NOVA, however, has been known to rent to couples. Not sure if those couples were both working for NOVA, though. Their web site may not be complete, so check directly.

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

I have known a number of couples, married and single, that Nova put into their own apartment, but they only do this if both are working for Nova as far as I know. The shared apartments Nova provides aren't really dorms, you have your own room and there is a max of 3 people to an apartment- not like university dorms.

Gaijin house is probably the best bet for you starting out at least- there are decent ones out there if you look around enough.

emypie · Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 4:23 am Post subject:

I work for an ALS and they don't force you to live anywhere. If you want the school to find a place for you and subsidize rent, they will, but if you opt to find your own place, it's not problem. But I can't say if it's the same for other schools -- for example at NOVA do you HAVE to live in a NOVA apt?

I agree with Apsara -- stay in a gaijin house at first, maybe for a month or two, and look for your own place.

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

At Nova you are under no obligation whatsoever to live in a Nova apartment- most people do because they can't afford to pay all the up-front money for their own apartment when they first arrive in Japan. Many move out if they plan to stay in Japan awhile.

meeks · Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 5:53 am Post subject:

AEON does seem to be alone in its insistence on company provided housing, and I had intended to find a separate apartment if no suitable lodgings could be provided, but I had hoped to avoid the (IMO) exorbitant set-up costs associated with independent renting. I just don't see much value in spending what amounts to an extra 4 months or so in rent, when we're only planning to stay for a year. The next step, I suppose, will be to start researching gaijin houses...any recommendations, while I reach for the search button?

Venti · Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 171 Location: Kanto, Japan

meeks,

I hope I'm not explaining something that is already obvious to you, but some eikaiwa companies require newbies to accept responsibility for a company apartment because each foreigner teaching position has an apartment attached to it which is set up by the branch school at which the foreign teacher works. Most new teachers move into an apartments that were occupied by the outgoing teachers. The branch school had previously paid the initial apartment set up costs and, of course, would not want to have to pay them again. But, if an incoming teacher were allowed to rent his/her own apartment without any responsibility for the company apartment, the branch school would have to pay the rent for the unoccupied apartment or dump it. Dumping it wouldn't be so bad if it were 100% guaranteed that the incoming teacher would stay for 1 year or more at that school. If the new teacher blows the contract within 6 months to 1 year, the branch school will most likely have to obtain a new apartment for the replacement teacher and pay all of the start up costs associated with obtaining that apartment. That's why they have the company apartment policy. Some branch schools allow teachers to ditch the company apartment when the manager of that school is convinced that the teacher isn't going to quit anytime soon after doing so.

Other than this, schools usually aren't so uptight about the apartment situation. I don't think that the single occupancy rule would be enforced by anyone at the school. The landlord, however, might be fairly nosy.

callmesim · Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 279 Location: London, UK

At ECC if you're in a relationship, you can get a 2-people apartment. I don't know of anyone who wasn't able to get it. That includes 2 people who got private apartments for themselves and their wives who are Japanese.

meeks · Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 7:43 pm Post subject:

Venti: Are you referring specifically to AEON? From what I've read/been told they're the only ones who don't give employees the option not to rent from them.

callmesim: Were the apartments you're referring to arranged by ECC, or do you mean that they allow employees to rent on their own?

Eva Pilot · Posted: Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:39 am Post subject:

Have fun trying to fit two people into some of the company apartments. Razz

callmesim · Joined: 27 Oct 2005 Posts: 279 Location: London, UK

seastarr · Joined: 22 Sep 2006 Posts: 76

I heard....(I didn't know anyone in this situation who did it, but it would be worth asking about) that Nova will help you find a single person accomadation if you want one....However, considering how much they charge for group and shared apts, you would probably end up paying out the ass if they did do it. My boyfriend and I (we both worked for Nova) had a good sized two bedroom place..we paid about 100000 yen a month. The identical apt next door was 40000 a month. We werent willing to look for other arrangements for the year that we stayed and it probably balanced out with key money, furnishings and the utilities (which we often used a lot for spite). Never hurts to ask. There are some people who will rent to non japanese people too...just takes some hunting..and with Nova, you dont have to stay in their accomadations.

kparise · Joined: 06 Jan 2009 Posts: 7

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

kparise, this is a 2-year-old thread and I have an idea I haven't seen callmesim here for a while. Maybe worth a try though, who knows.

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

Aeon suply an apartment big enough for one person (= 'single occupancy'). How many people you squeeze into it is up to you. If asked, tell them that your b/f is visiting and then everone would be happy.