Leasing advice in Vietnam

Take a friend… get a local member of staff to help. Best advise our team can give. They will be able to go look and pre check out options and do offer some of your own. The web is full of rentals.

Do your homework… there are many websites and we hope you use our websites to check out the completion. Many landlords can communicate well with you and welcome an email to ask questions. PS while Google translate is not perfect for Vietnams it’s a great start if your questions are simple. I normally use both languages in communications or just English if not sure.

Have a budget… but it could be best to keep it to yourself. Some rental offerings that our team have visited were shown at US$1,200 and US$2,500 per month so go back to our first point. Do your homework.

Know what you’re getting… like anywhere else get the terms in writing and good estimate of costs in the building as some service charges are high. Ask for copies of previous notices. Check with the building manager.

Leases are basic… this is advantageous as the lease forms are simple to read. Don’t forget to include a re-location clause so you can vacate giving fair notice such as 30 days with no penalty. If you need to move jobs its easier. Offer to provide a letter to the landlord from your company as a courtesy.

Know the law… that’s where it’s hard there are no tenant protections and landlords have given people a day or 2 notice to vacate. So check out the landlord and make sure your happy with the property and be prepared to move if and when need. That said we know of many tenants who have resided in residences for years upon years. Just be prepared is what we are advising.

Check out the location… look for any vacancy land and new construction as they can and will operate 7 days and 7 nights. Our expiate team members recommend adding a construction clause to vacate should it become unbearable and it does.

Facilities and amenities… they may cost extra as the facilities are retained normally by the developer so ask questions is it free or not.

Check for pets… many buildings don’t allow animals but policing of this is lapse but do get a pet clause in your agreement. Rent a villa is best as the landlord.

Serviced residence vs. Private rentals in Vietnam… there are many great serviced residence complexes across Vietnam so do look at these as an all-inclusive offering and they can take away the stress of all the little detail you may miss in the private sector. Do check blogs and forums on quality of management and services. Check reviews and make sure they meet your requirements. 

Sometimes good advice is hard to accept but if you are an active landlord maybe some of these tips might help you when renting to a foreign individual or company. Rents in some areas have tightened as supply grows and that does not appear to be easing soon. Also many more foreign people are entering the Vietnam rental market.

Be punctual… if you book a time with the prospective person who wants to pay you money then be on time. It’s a great start to a great relationship.

Keep it clean… the presentation of your property is scrutinized by many tenants and while you offer to clean it up before they move it. There is nothing better than seeing the finished product.

Think about fixtures… Ovens are oddly enough hard to find so if you are planning to rent to a foreign party then they may want an oven. Yes it’s an extra expense but as I have experienced it’s an item they will pay more for such as security and mosquito blinds.

Do your math… there is good chance that the tenant has done months of homework before coming or has a local party to assist them so overstating rents may not help. Foreign buyers will make a decision fast if they see what they like. So don’t lose a great tenant over a silly listing price. Tip: offer an all-inclusive rent including services and power costs that’s a real winner as they don’t have to worry.

Put in in writing… make up an information sheet to give to the prospective tenant it will give them a sense of relief to see you are serious and informative. It will allow tenants to make a faster assessment of what you offer when all the reams and conditions are clear. Our team can help you with this thorough our listing platform.

Fix it fast… we know in many cases a landlord fixes problems and breakdowns fast but the opposite also happens so don’t ignore this and fix it fast. Many countries have tenant protection laws and landlords are obligated to repair. So it’s a shock to them when you may say no or weeks pass.