A sheet headed 排水管清掃のお知らせ arrives at your apartment. Does someone need to enter your home, and what should you move? Read the scheduled date, your unit’s time window, the places to be cleaned and the contact first. If the notice calls for access to your rooms, arrange to be home or ask the manager about another slot as soon as possible.
Japanese words on the notice
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 排水管清掃 | はいすいかんせいそう (haisui-kan seisō) | Drain pipe cleaning |
| 高圧洗浄 | こうあつせんじょう (kōatsu senjō) | High-pressure cleaning |
| 作業日時 | さぎょうにちじ (sagyō nichiji) | Work date and time |
| 在宅・立会い | ざいたく・たちあい (zaitaku / tachiai) | Be at home / be present for the work |
| 入室 | にゅうしつ (nyūshitsu) | Entry into your apartment |
| 排水口 | はいすいこう (haisuikō) | Drain opening |
| 台所・浴室・洗面台・洗濯機置き場 | だいどころ・よくしつ・せんめんだい・せんたくきおきば | Kitchen, bathroom, washbasin, washing machine area |
| 不在票・予備日 | ふざいひょう・よびび (fuzai-hyō / yobi-bi) | Missed-visit slip / alternate day |
| 問い合わせ先 | といあわせさき (toiawasesaki) | Contact details |
What the workers may clean
Drain cleaning is work on pipes that carry used water away. In one property manager’s description of its work, a nozzle goes through the drains in the kitchen, bathroom (excluding the bathtub), washbasin and washing machine area; shared drain pipes are also cleaned. That scope is an example, not a list guaranteed for your building. Check 作業箇所 (work locations) on your own notice. A drain cleaning notice also does not automatically mean the clean water supply will be shut off. If you received a separate 断水のお知らせ, use our water shutoff guide.
Prepare for the visit
- Confirm access. Find the date, room or floor schedule, and whether 在宅 or 立会い is requested. A building-wide time range may not be the precise arrival time for your unit.
- Make the work areas reachable. Move belongings around the listed drains and clear a path to them. For the kitchen cabinet, Daikyo Astage asks residents to move items enough to see the pipe; a home with a food disposer may need access to a cleaning opening under the sink. See its preparation guidance.
- Ask about a difficult drain. If a washing machine covers the drain, tell the manager before the visit. Its size, hose and position may make safe access impossible; the contractor can assess it. Do not try to shift a heavy machine or disconnect hoses on the assumption that this is required. The property manager explains these limits.
- Discuss a scheduling conflict early. Use the contact printed on the notice. A change may be possible within the work period, but arrangements differ by building. Daikyo Astage advises residents who unexpectedly cannot attend to contact the on-site worker or manager. See its missed-visit guidance and schedule-change answer.
At the door and after the work
Check the visitor against the notice’s company and schedule. If the visit is unexpected or someone asks you to pay for extra cleaning, call your building manager using a number you already know or the one on the genuine notice before agreeing. The Tokyo Metropolitan Sewerage Bureau warns about businesses implying a connection to public sewer work while selling paid cleaning.
After the visit, look for any completion slip and check whether the treated drains flow normally. If you see a leak, backup or a new problem, report it promptly to the manager with the location and time. For wording and photos that help when reporting a home problem, see how to report an apartment repair in Japan.
Useful phrases
- 排水管清掃は、部屋の中に入りますか。 Haisui-kan seisō wa, heya no naka ni hairimasu ka. — Will the drain cleaning require entry into my apartment?
- 当日は在宅が必要ですか。 Tōjitsu wa zaitaku ga hitsuyō desu ka. — Do I need to be home that day?
- 洗濯機の排水口に手が届きません。 Sentakuki no haisuikō ni te ga todokimasen. — I cannot reach the washing machine drain.
- その時間は不在です。別の日にできますか。 Sono jikan wa fuzai desu. Betsu no hi ni dekimasu ka. — I will be away then. Is another day possible?
For a different notice or an everyday household task, use our Living in Japan guide to find the relevant next step.
