What are the red flags when renting an apartment in Ho Chi Minh City to avoid rental scams?

From messages by 3 participants in 2 sources · Last activity: 51 days ago

TL;DR

Always demand the landlord's ownership documents before signing, don't fall for urgency pressure tactics ('someone else will rent it now'), and check reviews of agencies like Nora Living — there have been complaints about deposit conditions and missing registration.

What the community said

If a realtor pressures you to sign a contract without changes, claiming 'other tenants are waiting' — this is a classic scam red flag, so don't rush the decision.

When renting through a subletter, the actual owner may refuse to provide ownership documents for the contract, citing privacy concerns. Local realtors say this is common practice in Ho Chi Minh City, but it effectively means you have no legally valid rental agreement.

Subletting without owner's documents

There are complaints about the real estate agency Nora Living: after signing a deposit contract with conditions that weren't met upon move-in (apartment was in poor condition), both the company and landlord stopped responding to messages. The owner didn't even show up for the contract signing, and mandatory residence registration wasn't completed.

Nora Living agency