Hanoi: Child enters school, mother gets lost in the "maze" of renting a house

Sending her daughter to Hanoi to enroll in school, Ms. Linh (Ha Tinh) was both happy and worried. She was worried because her daughter was not eligible to stay in a dormitory, so finding a place for her to stay that was both safe and affordable was not easy.

Parents "red eyes" looking for a room for their children

Every school year, the market for rental apartments and boarding houses in Hanoi and other major cities enters its peak period. Tens of thousands of new students from all over the country flock to the capital, followed by the hustle and bustle of parents looking for a place for their children to live.

Ms. Duong Thi Lien, from Thai Nguyen, has just spent a week running around My Dinh area (now Tu Liem ward - Hanoi) to find a room for her daughter. This is the first time her eldest daughter has come to Hanoi to live alone. Therefore, finding a safe, reasonably priced room close to school is her number one priority. For a week now, she and her daughter have been staying in Hanoi with an acquaintance to find a room for her daughter. She studies at Hoa Binh University in My Dinh area, so she has been rushing to find a room near this area.

After many days of searching, Ms. Lien found a satisfactory room for her daughter, less than 1 km from the school.

The mother and daughter went to all the areas of Nguyen Dong Chi, Ham Nghi, Phu Dien, Dinh Thon... to find a room. "There is no shortage of rooms, but the suitable ones are too far away, and the prices are high for the ones near the school, and the room conditions are not as expected...", Ms. Lien shared. It was not until August 30 that she found a mini apartment on Nguyen Dong Chi Street, nearly 1km from her daughter's school. The mother and daughter quickly paid a deposit, signed a rental contract, so that after the National Day holiday, her daughter could move in.

A week ago, Ms. Linh's family ( Ha Tinh ) was happy to hear that their daughter had been admitted to Hanoi Pedagogical University. Her daughter was not eligible to live in a dormitory, so finding a safe, convenient, and affordable place for her to study made her and her husband worried.

After many days with the help of her nephew, who is a student in Hanoi, she found a suitable room in Mai Dich (now Phu Dien ward). "Although the price is a bit high, the house is new, clean and safe. The landlord did not allow charging electric vehicles in the parking lot but arranged a separate area, so I felt secure and decided to buy it," said Linh.

Unlike the two mothers above, Mr. Quang - from Ninh Binh is still confused when the school start date for his child has come but he still hasn't found a place to rent. The father and son have been "wandering" around the Chua Lang area for nearly a week but still haven't found a suitable place. "The rent is high, the nice rooms are far from the school, and the nearby places are cramped and unsafe. My father and I have looked at more than 10 rooms in 3 days but haven't dared to put down a deposit yet," Mr. Quang sighed.

Rents are creeping up

According to a survey of some rental floors, at the end of August, the number of searches for apartments for rent increased by 20-25% compared to the previous month. Areas around major universities such as Polytechnic, National Economics, National University, Pedagogical University, Commerce University, etc. are always in a state of shortage of rooms.

Rents have also increased in many segments. The rental price for a 2-bedroom apartment in a low-income area ranges from 8-10 million. This is not really a suitable choice for students from the provinces. In some cases, when choosing this segment, they have to invite 3-4 friends to live together to reduce the pressure of rent.

Experts recommend that when looking for a room for their children, parents should pay attention to safety and have a clear contract (illustrative photo)

Therefore, mini apartments are the top choice of many new students. The rental price of each apartment ranges from 3.5 to 5.5 million VND. Each room can accommodate 2 people, so it is quite suitable and is chosen by many parents for their children. However, after serious fires, Hanoi tightened licensing and fire prevention conditions for this type of apartment. This caused a decrease in supply, and many buildings had to stop operating. In places that meet the standards, the rental price increased by 5-10%, putting many students in a difficult position. For example, a mini apartment room in Cau Giay, which used to cost 3.8 million VND, has now increased to 4.2 million VND.

Mr. Pham Ha, the owner of a mini apartment building for rent in Cau Giay, said that at the beginning of the school year, the demand for rooms to rent is very high, with the occupancy rate often being nearly 100%. Since the end of August, many people have come to find and deposit money to rent rooms so that their children will have a place to stay at the beginning of the school year. "Parents still prioritize finding clean and safe places for their children to live, so mini apartments are the best choice," said Mr. Ha.

Experts recommend that parents and students prioritize safety and legality when choosing a place to live. "Don't ignore fire prevention conditions or clear contracts just because it's cheap. You should check carefully and ask clearly about additional costs before signing," an expert from the Vietnam Real Estate Brokers Association emphasized.

Notes for parents when looking for a room for their children :

Prioritize safety and security: Choose a building with a fire protection system, full exits and fire extinguishers, a place with 24/7 security cameras, security guards, near the school or convenient for public transportation. The contract is clear, fully legal, you need to read the terms carefully, ask for a receipt of the deposit and fees. See the actual room before making a deposit, check the electricity, water, waterproofing... carefully, don't just watch the advertising video. Parents should consider sharing a room to save costs , but need to choose someone trustworthy.

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/ha-noi-con-nhap-hoc-me-lac-vao-ma-tran-thue-nha-20250831002833414.htm