Name: Vietnam Real Estate SCAMS are Getting Worse in 2026! (Shady Deposit TRAPS!)
Uploaded: 2026-02-02T00:52:28.000Z
Duration: 16 min 6 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

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Renting a condo in Vietnam may be a great deal for foreigners when they first move here, most foreigners are not losing money on the rent because the rent is too high.

It happens before you even move in, before you unpack, before you find a light switch, before you realize that the ocean view or the river view is technically true.

If you hang your head out the window and you squint a little bit, welcome to Vietnam where the people are friendly, the food is amazing, and

your security deposit can vanish like it just got a job offer in Singapore.

In fact, a recent survey shows that over 70% of expats face rental fraud issues.

With security deposit at the top of the list and with the new housing laws coming out last year, sky scammers already evolved quicker than the regulations in 2026.

Today, I'm exposing 12 condo rental mistakes foreigners keep on making in Vietnam.

And they're not just here are the mistakes.

I'm going to go through a step by step guide on what to do, when to do it, and

where the traps appear in the process of renting a condo so you don't have to learn Vietnamese contract law the hard way by funding the landlord's new iPhone.

And then some of you might be thinking, ken, come on.

Renting a condo in Vietnam can't be that complicated.

Sure, and swimming with sharks is easy if you never get into the water.

In Vietnam, you usually search for properties in three places.

These websites will have filters that you can actually filter with price districts and also unit types.

Examples include MacDongsang.comVN an international style site such as dot Property Vietnam and Faz Wiz Property, which also lists apartments and properties for rent.

Some agencies operate professionally and do real work such as Salvio City, cbre, Cushman and Wakefield, Avison Young and some of the other companies.

While others just simply repost the Same listings on 10 different groups and call it exclusive.

You have groups such as Housing for Expats in Ho Chi Minh City or Housing and Apartments for Rent in Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon and other expat housing groups that will have agents, owners and supposed owners posting side by side.

Facebook groups can help you spot prices fast, but

they can also help you find a man named John, owner direct, who somehow owns 37 apartments in over 12 buildings.

But anytime you ask for the pink book, he just doesn't have it.

Now some People hear this and say, ken, where should I search?

Search everywhere, but verify everything.

Because the problem is not in the platform, it's in the process.

Thus leads us to trap number one, mistake number one, bait and switch tactics.

You see a great listing online, great price, great photos, and you message.

Then you show up to the unit and they say, sorry, this unit was already rented this morning.

We have another unit in the same building at the same price, maybe even better.

And then you go check out that same unit, but

it has worse furniture, a really loud ac, and

new fees that start to appear like magic.

Management fee, parking fee, and an extra deposit just because you're a foreigner.

So this is not criminal and it may be just lazy marketing, but

it definitely wastes your time and pushes you to make quick decisions.

The exact building name, the exact unit, and a video of a walkthrough.

You pay a whole deposit before you verify anything.

Then the agent says, there are many people interested.

The small deposit can be 5 million, 10, 10 million or one month's rent.

Then all of a sudden it becomes non refundable.

Then the agent disappears or the owner changes the terms.

Do not put down a holding deposit until you verify who has the authority to rent the unit.

Real units do not evaporate in 30 minutes.

My name is Ken Yu, international immigration and real estate attorney with over 16 years of experience helping individuals and company move, invest and relocate to Vietnam.

This is a tip that I use myself when renting an apartment.

Walk into a building that you like and ask the management there who actually manages rentals or units here.

And most likely they'll give you the contact or information of an agent.

Also, rent short term, a few days before you commit.

In Vietnam, foreigners usually fall into one of four categories.

First, standard residential apartment or this is your classic condo in a residential apartment building.

It is usually the safest and most straightforward for foreigners with long term living arrangements.

Fully furnished, sometimes comes with weekly cleaning.

Also sometimes comes with utilities and Internet included.

Less friction, but it could be a little bit higher on a monthly basis, depending on the size.

Usually smaller, sometimes different rules and fees.

Fourth, condotel or tourism style development.

They are great for investors, but a nightmare for residents.

Which brings us to mistake number three, renting an officetel or condotel one without understanding the restrictions.

Some buildings restrict full time living, others restrict address registration and some just treat you like a business visitor.

So you have to ask two questions and get them in writing.

Second, can I register my temporary residence address?

If you get an answer like a bunch of foreigners live here, that is not a legal answer.

Many buildings restrict short term stays.

If your unit is a secretly run Airbnb, the security can intervene and the refunds can get ugly.

To watch a full breakdown of the short term stay crackdown in Ho Chi Minh City, click on your right hand corner for that video.

Stick to standard condos for a long term stay and a proper lease stay.

If you need more flexibility, then use a service apartment for shorter stays.