How contracting works

Start with a casual inquiry — that is enough. Tell us your budget, lease period, and the conditions you want, and a dedicated HeartStay coordinator selects properties that match. You do not have to comb through listing sites yourself; we bring you a shortlist quickly.

We listen carefully to your situation — purpose of stay, length, daily routine — and tune the options together with you. Because you talk with a Stay Coordinator who speaks your language, nothing gets lost along the way.
Consultation is free.

Together with your Stay Coordinator, we narrow the search by purpose, area, safety, and budget. If the room you want is not on our site, do not worry — HeartStay works with partner agencies across Seoul and the metropolitan area and researches additional listings that match your conditions.

At this stage you can visit the property in person and get a detailed walkthrough of the lease terms and fixtures. If visiting in person is difficult, a remote viewing with photos and video is also possible.

There is no separate charge for viewings. ※ For second and later viewings, or long-distance / multi-property tours, we may charge travel and staffing costs. Those costs are refunded if the contract goes through.

Viewings and availability checks only open once the current tenant has given notice, so the room you want may simply not be on the market yet. Searching in step with the period you can actually sign is the most efficient approach. The table below shows the best timing by home type.

Once you find the room you want, we move straight into the contract (reservation) procedure. At reservation you pay the booking deposit and the concierge service fee; the reservation is confirmed after the payment is verified.

The contract takes effect at the moment we receive your payment and transfer the booking deposit to the landlord. Until the booking deposit is paid, someone else can still take the room, so we cannot hold it for you. In Korea, people often reserve a room the same day they like it, so a quick decision matters.

The remaining balance must reach the landlord on move-in day, so please complete every transfer at least one week before you move in.

The only document you need to prepare for the lease is your passport. A visa or alien registration card is not required. If visiting in person is difficult, you can send your ID by messenger and we can still complete the paperwork.

Booking deposit

• Villa / house / officetel: 10% of the security deposit
• Goshiwon / sharehouse: part or all of the security deposit

※ Contract costs vary by property.

Concierge service fee

• Oneroom and above: 100% → 90% of one month of rent (tax separate, promotional rate)
• Goshiwon / sharehouse: ₩400,000 → ₩300,000 (tax included, promotional rate)

Please note: once the booking deposit is paid, it cannot be refunded if you cancel.

Move-in procedure

• Meet your Stay Coordinator
• Sign the lease and settle the balance
• Facility walkthrough and living guide

After you arrive in Korea, you meet your Stay Coordinator at the time and place agreed in advance. Before that meeting we transfer the deposit, rent, and maintenance fee we are holding to the landlord, and at the agency office we go through the lease with you line by line.

What the move-in balance covers

• Oneroom and above: remaining deposit (deposit − booking deposit) + first month of rent + maintenance fee
• Goshiwon / sharehouse: first month of rent

The lease carries the signatures of the landlord, the agency, and you. It is an essential document for alien registration (proof of residence). Once the landlord confirms the balance has arrived, the lease is handed over and you can move in.

After that, you and your coordinator check the room together and we explain how the equipment works, how to sort rubbish, and how to pay rent, maintenance, and utilities — in your language.

HeartStay stays beside you after move-in too. Interpreting, hospital appointments, utility payments, everyday conveniences such as moving, telecom, and insurance — whenever you need it, your Stay Coordinator responds quickly. We do not just find you a room; we manage life in Korea with you.

Concierge service menu

• Rent and maintenance fee payment on your behalf
• Specialist interpreting (medical, administrative, legal)
• Everyday life and sightseeing interpreting
• Korean résumé and cover letter proofreading
• Part-time job and internship programmes
• Shopping proxy service
• Airport pickup and transfer (by car or public-transport guide)
• Telecom setup (Wi-Fi rental, router installation, mobile activation)
• Luggage storage and collection
• Early move-out support
• Secure deposit-return move-out service
• SOS emergency service

※ Paid services. Pricing differs by item.

Notice of move-out

At least two months before the lease ends, you must tell both HeartStay and the landlord whether you are renewing or moving out. Under a law in force since 10 December 2020, notice of move-out for apartments, officetels, villas, and detached houses must be given at least two months in advance. Let us know and we make sure nothing goes wrong with your deposit return.

Short-term leases and goshiwon follow separate rules, and if you give no notice the contract renews automatically. Late notice leaves the landlord no time to find the next tenant, which can delay your deposit refund.

If you renew, the lease is rewritten and the concierge service is extended as well. HeartStay does not charge a separate renewal fee, though the agency may bill a small amount.

Showing the room to the next tenant

Once your move-out date is set, tell HeartStay as early as you can. Your Stay Coordinator checks the room with you and helps find the next tenant. Until one is found, rent keeps accruing and your deposit is not returned until the new tenant pays theirs. Even while you are still living there, the agency will ask for the door code or a viewing slot — tell them in advance which times work and move-out will not disturb your daily life.

Early termination

Early termination is somewhat complicated in Korea, so if something unavoidable comes up, talk to us as soon as possible. There are two routes. First, ask the agency to find a new tenant — this costs roughly ₩200,000–400,000 as a success fee. Second, find a replacement tenant yourself — no agency fee, but you need the landlord's consent and a new lease costs about ₩100,000 to draw up.

You can move out or fly home even if no new tenant is found, but rent keeps accruing for that period and the deposit is only refunded once the next tenant pays theirs. HeartStay keeps supporting you on the financial side even after you have gone home.

• Move-out inspection
• Final settlement
• Deposit return

As a rule, the inspection happens with nothing left in the room. If you have furniture, electronics, or chemicals that are hard to dispose of, tell HeartStay — we collect them safely and handle disposal or recycling for you.

If you are shipping belongings home, EMS at the post office is the most convenient option, and HeartStay also offers a shipping proxy service. Moving within Korea? Ask your Stay Coordinator for a moving quote — if you have only a little to carry, your coordinator can help directly.

The landlord or building manager usually attends the inspection. After it finishes, unpaid utilities and rent are settled, and repair costs may be charged if wallpaper or fixtures are damaged. Those amounts are deducted from the deposit and the rest is returned to your Korean bank account — and if you do not have one, HeartStay helps you sort it out.