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Name, address and phone number.
Bit out of order in a one sided story.

To take the high road is one of the best ways to avoid bad experiences.

heny wrote:

Dear friends,

I only would like to share about my experience in Ho Chi Minh. I have been working in Vietnam for more than 1 year. During my stay, I rent a room in Phu Nhuan District, at Nguyen Trong Tuyen Street. It is owned by an old lady living with her daugther. I know this place from an agent.

As usual, I have to give 1 month deposit when the first time I came to this place and signed the contract. Normally, a landlord would maintian a good service and keep a good relationship with the tenants, so they will be willing to stay longer in that place. While, this lanlord  was doing in reverse. I have been noticing that she's trying to make the tenants feel uncomfortable, so they will break the contract by stepping out from the house on their own.. During my 1 year stay in that house, I have many housemates come and go not more than 2-3 months, sometimes, even less than 1 month. At the beginning, I didn't realize this is the way she is to the tenants, until my time is coming few days ago.

She's been trying to create a situation that made me feel so uncomfortable and my privacy was being disturbed all the time during my stay in her house. I didn't care much, because when I came back from office, I feel tired already, made me don't want to argue. The way she talked either verbal or through a text is always irritating. I tried to ignore when she often entered my room while I was in the office during day time.

As I'm going to leave Vietnam and go back to my country by the end of October 2012, so as to show a respect as a tenant, I explained to her 2 months ago. She said that in October, I didn't have to pay rental fee for that month, and she would take it from the deposit that she kept and we made agreement at that time.

In September, she tried to create another situation. She repaired the ceiling in my bathroom and asked me to pay for the fixing cost. Then, another day she asked me to pay the whole 1 tube gas, even I only cook very simple cooking and took only 15 minutes max and I started to talk to her and she was saying a very horrible words to me about this. Then she called my office, checking about my status and I was so annoying and the most unacceptable thing was she got mad with one of my colleagues without any reason. Of course, I didn't want to involve any person in the office for my personal issue, which for me is very ridicules. I said to the landlord that's not a good way  and she got mad at me. She started to throw some of my things I stored in the kitchen, but still I didn't care about it. A week before end of September, suddenly the power of my room was cut when I got back from office. At the beginning, I was wonder if the electricity was off, but I saw the kitchen light was on, the landlord room was on, too. Then I saw the power switch was in off position for my room only. Without saying anything, I turned it on and went back to my room. It seems what I was doing that I didn't care about what she did to me, made her angry. Seems, she really wanted me to break the contract and leave by my own.

My contract was end on 2nd October. On the 1st, she texted me that I have to pay the rental fee for October and she wanted to keep my deposit. I said to her if we had made agreement that she would take my deposit as my October rental fee. She couldn't accept what I said and she sent me many text to my handphone. At that time I was visiting my friend and having dinner with them, so I didn't pay much attention to it. She kept disturbing me with many text and several were in Vietnamese which finally I understood that she's attacking me with bad words and asked me to leave the house.

Well, finally I decided to leave that hell on the 3rd of October. I was packing until late at night and she's waiting me outside with very anger face. Before I left, I asked my deposit back, she said that my contract was end on 1st October, so she will deduct deposit for 2 days rental fee staying in her house, while actually only 1 day. For me, it's not about the money, but the way she treated me, made me didn't want to leave my every single cent for that woman. She didn't expect that I kept the lease contarct she gave to me. So, when I showed it to her, she was angry and said that she will only deduct 1 day rental fee from the deposit. She put a frown and anger face and looked at me as if I was a criminal. Phew...I think, finally I can get out from that hell and I feel so release. Since I am not staying in her place and don't have any relation with her anymore, she suppose not making my colleage afraid because of her call to my office. I couldn't report this to the police, but I am feeling uncomfortable with this situation.

The only reason I share this experience is because I don't want any other person, either expatriat or Vietnamese to have same experience as me. 12 months patience is more than enough to witness her unbelievable behavior.

Thank you for reading this forum and I do hope this will be usefull information, so all of us will be careful to choose the place to rent. Vietnam is a nice country, I like it, just this has to be my chapter in this country.

Warm regards,
Heny

PS. The agent is very nice guy and helping me so much during my difficulty with that lady. But finally, he is "bo tai trung cam".

Don't accept this treatment - she is one of the rip off agents that people with their ear to the ground and finger on the pulse know of.

First of all - the agent. Get him involved. Mention you are asking him prior to going to the Cong An, who have a great deal of control - and don't bother with the local office, where she most likely pays money, go the to Quan office - they don't usually see Foreigners, except in handcuffs.

Writing is the key, the VN government looooves paper and they keep it religiously. They will likely keep a copy in her local file - first paragraph VN, second English version of first para.

Write it in short, formal English and if you don't have a VN friend use Google Translate.

Holding the deposit and disappearing is not that unusual - there were two women looking for a USD$5,000 deposit refund but the guy took off.

Post both her name and address and the agents name and address. I'll copy it elsewhere. Publicity is the only thing that stops these bums.

People should always communicate with their LL in writing.

Do you have receipts for all the monies you have paid this woman? This is proof.

By NOT reporting this to police you are aiding her in her crimes. She had no sympathy for YOU so why the hell are you giving her yours?

I suspect, from your writing style,you are not from the West. You should act like a Westerner, get noisy. Report the matter to the Human Resources office in your company, so if she does anything they already know the story rather than learning it first from her.

I couldn't report this to the police, but I am feeling uncomfortable with this situation. Not reporting it makes it so easy to happen all over again - with her keeping security deposits.

they dream becomes the nightmare. a lot of stress. wish you luck. how much a tube of gas these days?

Hi Heny
follow the way of 'Jaitch' commented, that is the correct and prof; way to tackle them.
Wish you be happy

It's always good to complain to the police. If she behaves like this regularly with other tenants, it's possible she didn't register the contract with the police, and this means she wouldn't have paid tax on it. She can get into a huge amount of trouble for that.

It's bad to hear about your story. If I know this sooner, maybe I can help you to talk to her or ask the police to talk to her, because I live near by that street.

For the next time, if you want to back to Vietnam and need the help, you can ask me. I will help you with my best, even my English is not good, but my Vietnamese is enough good to help you.

That's why I'm not ask any deposit at my place! They'll stay if they feel happy and can move out immediately if they don't like.This is force me alway treat good to my tenant.
That landlady is particular. Thanks for your sharing!
Good luck!

I feel sorry to hear that, why not have address and phone here for people avoid this bad service ?

Anyway you can deal with landlord to have best service before contract, i think

We used to do house service before, there was no deposit ...it`s still fine, don`t count on agency here as my friend`s experience...

Dear Henry
so sorry about the way one  vietnamese  women treat you. this is the good lesson for everyone notice. you should note the address of the terrible house for many people know to avoid renting.
good luck to you