Is the Credibility of Apartment Reviews Reliable? About Measures Against Damage Caused by Word-of-Mouth Rumors

“Condo Review” is an information-providing site where you can view various detailed information about real estate, including reviews. It can be very helpful when buying or renting a property.

On the other hand, many people may wonder about the credibility of the content.

For property owners, there can be disadvantages such as potential tenants or buyers hesitating to sign a contract for the property after reading defamatory reviews, which can lead to reputational damage.

In this article, we will explain the credibility of “Condo Review” and measures against reputational damage caused by reviews and the like.

What is Mansion Review?

Mansion Review[ja] is a condominium information provision site operated by One of a kind inc.[ja] Its strength lies in the vast amount of data and rich content it offers.

Not only can you view past sales and rental prices of condominiums and apartments nationwide, but you can also check the current fair price of the target condominium. In addition, you can confirm property reviews, overviews, images, and map information, making it a useful reference for those searching for a property.

On this site, properties are evaluated based on a deviation value, and you can also view rankings within each region. For property owners, they offer free appraisals during sales and rentals.

Reputation of Condominium Reviews

The reputation of condominium reviews varies among users.

• “I was glad to find out that there was a discrepancy between the amount proposed by the real estate company and the actual asset value for the sale of my condominium.”
• “When I was about to purchase a condominium, I was made to feel rushed by the real estate company. Thanks to the condominium reviews, I found out that the property they said was a good deal was actually overpriced.”
• “The user reviews are realistic and helpful in making purchase decisions.”

These are some of the high ratings that have been received.

It seems that the condominium reviews have been particularly highly rated for their ability to alleviate concerns about relying solely on real estate companies for information regarding both purchases and sales, and for their ability to provide a better understanding of the actual situation and broaden options.

On the other hand,

• “The notation that you will be redirected to HOME4U for a bulk appraisal is unclear.”
• “The reviews of the condominium I plan to sell are terrible, and I can’t accept them.”

There have also been some low ratings.

Credibility of Condominium Reviews

Condominium reviews are a service that allows you to verify excellent information based on both numerical data calculated by big data and AI, and real information from resident reviews.

Data derived from “Big Data x AI” calculates information from various angles such as sales information, price fluctuation history, real estate market trends, and economic conditions, and predicts future prices based on accumulated information over the past 10 years. This vast and detailed data is in high demand in the real estate industry and seems to have gained trust from many companies.

Given that users can obtain the best strategy from abundant information, it can be said that the credibility of the data is high.

However, regarding the reviews posted by residents, there may be some that are questionable in terms of credibility, as they may include personal opinions and unfounded speculation.

Reputational Damage Considered in Condominium Reviews

The role of reviews in condominium evaluations is to “provide information about the condominium that can be referenced during real estate transactions”.

However, there may be instances where critical reviews about the property are posted. Reviews are largely subjective, and it is inevitable that they will include not only the good aspects but also the bad ones.

Of course, it is not permissible to infringe on privacy or to defame specific properties or individuals. In the “posting manners” of condominium reviews, it is clearly stated that the following types of posts are inappropriate:

• Attacks, defamation, criticism of condominiums, individuals, regions, and companies
• Posting rumors whose truth is unknown

Review stating “The quality of the residents is low, so the noise at night is terrible”

For example, consider a case where a review states, “The quality of the residents is low, so the noise at night is terrible”.

This post clearly falls under criticism of the residents, and it is difficult to provide objective evidence to assert that “the quality of the residents is low”. Stating something definitively that can change depending on personal impressions and perceptions can unfairly hurt the residents.

Even the sensible people living in that property may be thought of as having bad manners by their neighbors, and such posts are considered inappropriate.

Review stating “The management by the caretaker and the real estate management company is not thorough”

Also, reviews such as “The management by the caretaker and the real estate management company is not thorough” can potentially be criticism of the real estate management company and the caretaker.

Claiming that “the management is not in place” becomes criticism based on groundless speculation. Such reviews can lead to reputational damage to the management company, and there is a risk that this post could significantly damage their social credibility.

How to Remove Violation of Terms of Service Reviews from Condominium Reviews

If you want to remove a review that constitutes defamation, first apply for removal to the site.

You need to request removal from the contact form of the condominium review site.

Select “4. About Post Removal Request” and fill in the necessary details.

From the Condominium Review Contact Screen[ja]

However, just because you requested removal does not guarantee that it will be removed.

The site operator will review it, and reviews that they deem unnecessary to remove will not be removed.

There will be no report on whether the requested item was removed or not, so if it remains unremoved after a certain period of time from the request, it can be assumed that the operator deemed it unnecessary to remove.

When requesting removal, remember that there is a higher chance of success if you communicate that it violates the prohibited items in the terms of use.

For example, for a post like “I can’t live comfortably because I can hear the voice from next door due to the thin walls,” it’s not like you actually measured and compared whether the walls are thin or not.

It can be said to be a post not based on facts, and it is likely to fall under “2. Posting or sending content to this service that cannot be verified as true.”

Also, if you made a review like “There are many foreigners, so the manners of taking out the trash are not in place” even though there are no foreigners living there, it simply lies and is likely to violate “1. Posting or sending content to this service that contradicts the facts.”

How to Request the Removal of Condominium Reviews through Legal Proceedings

If a condominium review is illegal, it is common to claim defamation and request its removal.

However, for defamation to be established in a review, it is necessary to point out facts that damage the social credibility of the other party in an environment where an unspecified number of people can view it.

These facts must be false. If it is recognized that what was pointed out is true, or there is a legitimate reason to believe it is true, defamation will not be established.

For example, in the case of a post saying, “I found the resident of room 202 peeping into another room,” it can be considered a review that lowers social credibility as it corresponds to a violation of the Minor Offenses Act. If this fact is not true, there is a very high possibility that defamation can be established.

Removal by Provisional Disposition

When requesting the removal of illegal content through the courts, it is common to file for a provisional disposition.

A provisional disposition is a quicker and simpler procedure than a lawsuit. It can reach a conclusion in as little as one month, and the court will issue a removal order to the website.

As it is crucial to remove the relevant reviews as quickly as possible to prevent the spread of reputational damage, there is an increasing number of cases opting for swift action through provisional dispositions.

However, even if you do not go to court, it is necessary to make legal claims, such as what rights have been infringed and why it can be said that they have been infringed. It is difficult for those without legal knowledge to make such claims on their own, so we recommend consulting a lawyer.

Identifying Posters through Provisional Dispositions

If the content is so terrible that it actually causes some damage, you may not be satisfied with just deletion and may want to claim damages against the poster.

In order to file a lawsuit for damages against the poster, you need to know their name and address.

Not only can you request the removal of reviews, but you can also identify the poster of defamatory reviews by using provisional disposition procedures.

First, you ask the site operator to disclose the poster’s IP address.

If your request is granted and you can obtain the poster’s IP address, then you make a disclosure request to the provider.

If the disclosure request to the provider is granted and the poster’s name and address information is disclosed, you can then file a lawsuit for damages against the poster. For more details on the procedure, please refer to the article below.

Process for Claiming Damages Against Malicious Review Posters

If the poster can be identified through a request for disclosure of sender information, it is possible to claim damages against the poster through the sending of a certified mail or through litigation.

Generally, even after the poster has been identified, you would continue to engage a lawyer to handle the sending of certified mail, the initiation of litigation, and the handling of court dates during the litigation process.

Before Hiring a Reputational Damage Control Firm: Beware of Illegal Non-Attorney Activities

When hiring a firm to handle reputational damage control, it is important to ensure that the firm’s actions do not constitute illegal non-attorney activities.

There are areas in negotiations with site administrators and in deletion provisional dispositions that cannot be handled by slander control firms or judicial scriveners other than attorneys, and there is a risk that they may constitute illegal non-attorney activities.

Also, caution is needed with so-called “forum stuffing” services (making a large number of posts to make old threads unviewable).

Forum stuffing activities, such as making a large number of meaningless posts, may constitute the crime of business obstruction, and instructions for stuffing may constitute the crime of incitement to business obstruction.

Conclusion: Consult a Lawyer for Troubles Caused by Word-of-Mouth

In this article, we have discussed the reputational damage caused by condominium reviews and how to deal with it.

Furthermore, it is essential to seek the help of experts with knowledge of the internet for the removal of defamatory reviews. We recommend consulting with a lawyer who is experienced in dealing with online defamation.

Introduction to Our Firm’s Measures

Monolith Law Office is a legal office with high expertise in both IT, particularly the internet, and law. In recent years, overlooking information related to reputational damage and slander spread on the internet can lead to serious harm. Our firm provides solutions for managing reputational damage and online crises. Details are provided in the article below.