[Ranking of Reasons People Could Not Dispose of Household Belongings Left in Vacant Homes] Survey of 171 People with Experience | 株式会社AlbaLink Press Release

The Problem Property Buyout Pro service operated by 株式会社AlbaLink conducted a survey of people who owned vacant homes and had not made progress disposing of the belongings in them. The survey was conducted from 30 September to 5 October 2026, with 171 valid responses. The gender breakdown was 93 men and 78 women, and respondents ranged from their 20s to those aged 60 and over. The source must be credited when using the survey results.

The top reason respondents could not dispose of belongings in vacant homes was that it was too much work, at 46.8%, followed by the cost, at 25.1%, and the time required, at 22.8%. The work involved the complexity of sorting, organising and removing the belongings, while costs included bulky-waste collection, service fees and travel costs for accessing properties located far away.

The type of belonging that respondents had the most difficulty disposing of was furniture, at 39.2%, followed by home appliances at 29.8% and Buddhist altars at 25.1%. Large, heavy furniture and home appliances make transport and disposal more difficult. Sentimental value and properties located far away were also obstacles to disposal.

The most common concern about leaving belongings in a vacant home was being unable to sell the vacant home, at 26.3%. Many respondents said that progressing with disposal would make a future sale easier. The most common planned disposal method was having a contractor collect the belongings, at 35.1%, followed by disposing of them as rubbish at 29.2% and selling as much as possible at 28.7%.

Overall, the survey confirmed a tendency for disposal to become more difficult when sentimental belongings remain, while people balance the effort, time and cost involved. Depending on the circumstances, combining contractor collection with self-disposal may help preserve asset value and facilitate a future sale.