Free on-Line consultation for "mismanaged vacant houses" to begin on May 15 Also started development of AI for judging unmanaged vacant houses.

The Association of Vacant House Managers (located in Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yuji Yamashita), which operates a qualification system for vacant house management specialists, will offer free on line consultation regarding "unmanaged vacant houses" newly established by the revision of the Special Measures Law.

In conjunction with this, we have developed an "AI for judging unmanaged vacant houses" in collaboration with Vacant House Management Company Partners, and will continue to actively address the problem of vacant houses, which is expected to increase in the future.

Vacant House Managers Association Official LINE: https://lin.ee/UOELuE6

Vacant House Managers Association Official LINE

Background

According to the statistical survey of housing and land released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications as of October 2023, the ratio of vacant houses to the total number of houses in Japan reached a record high of 13.8%. The number of vacant houses has also increased by 510,000 over the past five years to 9 million, both of which are record highs.

Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications Number of Vacant Houses and Vacant House Rate - National (1978-2023)

In response to the growing problem of vacant houses, the centerpiece of the revised Special Measures Law for Vacant Houses, which went into effect in December, is the "vacant house with defective management" system, which increases taxes by approximately six times. Vacant houses that are deemed "mismanaged" are subject to the same property tax as vacant land, and the tax rate is approximately six times higher.

The government will provide guidance and recommendations for "mismanaged vacant houses" that have damaged roofs or exterior walls, or have weeds or trees growing on them, and are highly likely to become "specified vacant houses" if left unattended.

However, it is often difficult for the general public to understand what constitutes a "mismanaged" vacant house, and for those who have left their parents' home vacant, it has become a burden on them and a concern for their children as well.

■About Free Consultation

Since its establishment in 2014, the Association of Vacant House Managers has been working on the issue of vacant houses for 10 years and has produced more than 1,000 vacant house managers.

With the recent revision of the Act on Special Measures for Vacant Houses, a new system has been introduced that increases property taxes by approximately six times if a property is certified as a "mismanaged vacant house.

However, this certification requires a comprehensive judgment of the surrounding conditions, urgency, and other factors. This time, we will utilize the official line of the Association of Vacant House Managers as a tool for free consultation on whether or not your family home has the potential to be certified.

■What is the AI for determining unmanageable vacant houses?

Until now, there has been a system under which taxes are increased approximately six times for "specified vacant houses. However, the problem is that it is difficult for people to judge vacant houses, which are personal assets, and there is a heavy administrative burden.

This time, utilizing information gathered through free consultation via the official LINE and the on-site experience accumulated by Vacant House Management Company Partners over the past 17 years, we are simultaneously developing an "AI for judging vacant houses that are mismanaged" that will determine whether they are "mismanaged" through fair judgments and quantification by AI.

Future Development

We will provide consultation on whether a property is mismanaged or not based on images taken of the exterior of the family home and areas of concern by adding friends to the official LINE of the Vacant House Managers Association.

While initially confirming and judging with human eyes, we will let the AI learn from these images and eventually realize the judgment of "vacant houses with mismanaged properties" by the AI.

Outline of the Association

Association name: Vacant House Managers Association

Representative: Yuji Yamashita

Location : Minato-ku, Tokyo

Establishment : July 31, 2014

Vacant House Managers Association URL ： https://www.akiyakanrishi.org

Vacant House Managers Association official line : https://lin.ee/UOELuE6

■Company Profile

Trade name ：Yamashita Kensetsu Ltd.

Representative ： Representative Director Yuji Yamashita

Vacant House Managers Partners URL： https://www.akiyakanrisha.net/