Construction Still Halted Amid Big Dispute with Sekisui House — “We Just Want to Live in a Normal Home”

This living environment is truly painful

“I trusted Sekisui House and purchased a detached house costing 70 million yen including the land. I had always dreamed of owning my own home. But from the very day we moved in, defects kept appearing one after another—water leaks in the pipes, countless screw holes, bolts left undone, dark stains on the floor—and every time repairs were done, new problems arose. This is the state of our home.”

In her home, where the ceiling on the second floor has been cruelly torn away exposing steel frames and beams, Ms. A-ko, a woman in her 40s, quietly expresses her frustration.

The first part is here: “In Big Dispute with Sekisui House — The Dream Home Breaks Every Time Repair Work is Done, a Heartbreaking Cry.”

In September 2019, Sekisui House sought agreement on repair methods and applied for mediation through lawyers at the court.

“To put it bluntly, the mediation failed. No matter what I pointed out, Sekisui House insisted there is no problem. I saw no willingness to discuss at all. Moreover, when we bought the house, the design staff told us that Sekisui House’s original seismic control system, ‘Hybrid Seacus,’ would be installed, but we later found out it was not. Even during mediation, they would not concede, saying there’s no problem even without the Hybrid Seacus. I’m left doubting and worried about the earthquake resistance of our home.”

The mediation, which lasted about a year, ended without resolution, and repair work remains halted.

“During the repairs, we had to move furniture and belongings from the second floor, so Sekisui House covered the storage costs. But after mediation failed, they contacted us through their lawyers saying they couldn’t cover the storage fees any longer. When we asked them to return our belongings to the house, they still haven’t come back.”

Exhausted mentally and physically by endless dealings with Sekisui House, Ms. A-ko suffered further misfortune.

“My husband passed away suddenly this March at just 53 years old. Before he died, he often said, ‘This living environment is truly painful. I’ve reached my limit.’ He handled communications with Sekisui House while alive, and I believe it took a toll on his health. After work, he would stay up late preparing documents for mediation. Since buying this house, there hasn’t been a single day when my heart felt at peace. Now, I live only on the first floor with our 3-year-old son. I’m not seeking compensation from Sekisui House. I just want to live in a normal house without defects or malfunctions.”

We asked Kenichi Iwayama from the Japan Building Inspection Institute, an expert on defective housing, for his opinion on the trouble between Ms. A-ko and Sekisui House.

“Even if the construction was done by a subcontractor, Sekisui House bears responsibility for repairing the defects that have been found. If repairs require residents to vacate or temporarily remove belongings, it is morally incumbent on Sekisui House to cover those costs. Even major house builders can have problems caused by sloppy construction.”

Regarding whether numerous defects were found in Ms. A-ko’s home, the cause of repeated troubles such as the mistaken removal of a toilet during repairs, and why her temporarily removed belongings have not been returned, Sekisui House responded to FRIDAY’s inquiry as follows:

“As this concerns an individual case and in consideration of the customer’s circumstances, we must refrain from commenting.”

When, if ever, will Ms. A-ko be able to reclaim a peaceful life?

From the June 20, 2025, issue of “FRIDAY”