Home Before you rent Before you rent an apartment in Da Nang A checklist for expats and nomads: what to decide, what to ask, and what to get in writing. It holds questions, not answers — where the answer is a legal rule, the item links to the guide that sources it.
Print it, or tick the boxes on your phone at the viewing. Ticks stay on this device only.
Before you view anything At the viewing The contract After you sign Before you view anything Decide what you need first, so a nice balcony doesn’t make the choice for you.
At the viewing Most arguments later are about bills, noise and water. Ask now, and write the answers down.
Electricity: does the unit have its own meter on an EVN bill in the owner’s name, or does the landlord charge a per-unit price they set? Get the answer in writing. Ask to see a recent EVN bill for the unit, and photograph the meter reading on move-in day. Water: metered, or a flat charge per person? Who pays if usage looks wrong? Internet: which provider, what’s included in the rent, and who calls the provider when it goes down. Run the taps and shower. Check hot water, water pressure, and whether the drains smell. Rainy season: ask whether the street or the ground floor has flooded before. Look for water marks on walls and door frames. Check the aircon in every room, and ask who pays for servicing it. Noise: look for karaoke cafés, bars, construction sites, a market or a school nearby. Come back once in the evening. Open cupboards and look under sinks for mould, damp or insects. Ask how rubbish collection works and where it goes. Check the lock on the main door, and ask who else holds a key. Take photos and video of every room, with the existing damage, before you agree to anything. The contract If it isn’t in the contract, assume it wasn’t agreed.
After you sign The first week sets the pattern. Do these before you unpack.
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