Property Rental

HOUSING

Vietnam offers a wide variety of modern apartments, serviced apartments, townhouses and villas in numerous locations throughout the city. They are either furnished or unfurnished. Housing estates can be found near most international schools.

UTILITIES

Utilities are usually not included in the rent. Water, electricity, telephone, internet, cable, management fee (for houses in a compound or an apartment) and garbage collection are billed separately each month. Bills are paid in cash directly to service providers or at the bank.  Most people prefer the convenience of paying them through a bank, which collects a small fee for this service.  Installation/connection of utilities is normally provided by the landlord. Cable television and internet connection varies.  Sometimes the installation is provided by the landlord with monthly charges paid by the tenant. Sometimes installation is the responsibility of the tenant.

DEPOSIT AND ADVANCE PAYMENT

Deposit requirements vary depending on landlords and property condition. Fully furnished properties usually require more deposit. The most common deposit requirement is 2-3 month. This amount will be returned 1 month after the end of the lease terms and after all utilities bills are paid by the tenants. Deposit might not be returned 100% to the tenant if there is proof that the tenant has damaged the premises or its furnishing. The tenant will usually lose the deposit if he/she terminates the lease within the first year unless agreed upon otherwise.

Rent is paid every one, two or three months depending on the different landlords. The most common practice is to pay every 2 months. However, it is often possible to negotiate a lower rent if tenants can offer a larger deposit and/or pre-pay a longer period of rent.

GOVERNMENT TAX

Landlords usually quote prices without rental tax. In order to be provided a rental tax receipt by landlords, tenants have to pay related taxes on top of the rent. These include VAT and the landlord’s personal income tax, about 10% totally. The tax inclusive of all extra charges should be negotiated before signing a lease.