Things you should ask when renting a property in Hanoi

Nguyen Anh Thu04/02/2020

Finding an apartment for rent in Hanoi is quite difficult for expats as for the language barrier and cultural differences, not to mention the unfamiliar additional according to the law. As a result, before renting anything, renters should ask some questions to themselves, to the landlords and the real estate agents to clarify important things.

The rent, deposits and cost of utilities

First things first, because some listings may be outdated, expats should ask the landlords or the agents to find out the current rents of the properties to make the right decision. If they give you the higher price from listing, just point it out, maybe they would give you a discount. Expats should also consider the utility cost as this can be really high for some urban areas and it can take up a great proportion of your spending.

The security deposits and non-refundable fees

Almost every landlord will ask you to sign in a contract to place a security deposit that worth a month of rent while the non-refundable fees are very rare. Normally, when you move out of the place, these security deposits are used to pay for something you’ve broken during your time or to pay for the electricity and water.

The security deposits and non-refundable fees

The policy of the landlords

There are some policies that you should clarify to decide if you want to settle down at this place, which is the late fee policy, subletting policy and lease termination policy. With the late fee policy, it should not be higher than 5% of your monthly rent. Most landlords are understanding enough to let you sublet the property, but the subletters have to meet the standard screening criteria and can deny unqualified applications of the landlords. About lease termination, the fee is often two or three months worth of rent, but sometimes the lease-breaking tenant may be required to continue paying rent until the landlord finds a replacement tenant. There is some case the tenants have to help the landlords find new renters.

If you are a pet lover, you should make sure that the landlords allow the pet on their properties, as well as ask about the prohibited breeds, pet deposits, monthly fees and so on.

Parking space

Parking space is not quite dense as Hanoi housing and for some residential areas, finding one is very hard. Before renting anything, you should ask the landlords or the real estate agents how far is it from your apartment to the parking lot and how much you have to pay per month for one spot. If there is no available parking basement, expats should consider other options for transportation. For example, you can use the bus or the Skytrain with reasonable fees.

Parking space in apartment buildings

Procedure for submitting a maintenance request and payment

Most of apartments for rent in Hanoi (especially those for expats are fully furnished) are well equipped with electrical devices and fine furniture. Highly convenient as it is, it can cause you much trouble when broken because you will not only pay for the price of the device, you will also have to pay for the maintenance fee. The payment proportion varies upon landlords but the percentage will not be lower than 50%. You would want to clarify the procedure whether you should call for maintenance beforehand or have the landlords call them because if not made clear, it can lead to arguments.

Papers to sign a lease agreement

The Lease Agreement is possible for expats to reside in Hanoi without any ID or papers but this can lead to legal problems both for expats and landlords. The legal frame of each country is different from the other, and the best option is to ask the real estate agents. They will know the best to assist you to collect the papers and make a contract that is most beneficial for you.

All of the above are the things that you should ask the landlords or the real estate agents. If you want to save time, please contact the Alpha Housing team to find your dream home without any difficulty.

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