Actively looking

While chilling adjusting to retired life in a foreign country for the first few days I looked through many of these adverts, while having a coffee sat in the sun, comparing prices, locations etc. I posted on a few of these groups too with a list of things I was looking for - location, price, number of bedrooms, internet etc I was inundated with offers, some actually met my requests, many didn't, offering me apartments in completely different areas of the city. 

Although I had been to Hanoi 3 times before I decided to visit a few areas around the city and sit and have a coffee there, watch the world go by, and walk about to try and find where I liked and could I see myself living there as opposed to previously being a tourist and maybe not noticing every day life as much while passing through.

I started making a list of possibles apartments when I spotted them or was offered them from Landlords/agents. I worked my way through these, messaging people for more details if necessary.  I then made a short list and arranged to go and view these. 

I viewed 2 apartments before seeing an advert for the one I finally rented out. 

The one

I sent a request to ask to view this one I liked. It was being promoted by an agent. Big advantage here was the young Vietnamese lady could speak very good English. We met at the apartment block and she showed me around, providing all the details and answered any questions I had. I was initially showed the apartment on the 5th floor. She mentioned there was another for rent on the 7th floor, slightly more expensive. We went to look at that one and instantly I walked in it felt better, the extra money provided a slightly bigger apartment but importantly for me an extra window providing a lot more natural light.  I liked this one, I asked if I could I have 24 hours to think about it. 

I contacted her the next day to say I would like to move in, to the apartment on the 7th floor, but initially for one month, not the 3 months minimum as it was advertised. I wanted to live there without over committing and to see what it was like, any late nights bars, noisy food shops, karaoke, everything worked in the apartment ie air con, shower, electric hob etc Was it safe to walk around day and night. The agent contacted the Landlord and he agreed. 

Moving in

We set a moving in date as the 1st May. I had to stay one extra night in the hotel but as it was only £20 a night it wasn't a big deal. On the moving day I got a taxi from my hotel to the apartment. It was only about 15 minutes walk away but I didn't fancy struggling across the busy city with my 2 suitcases and rucksack in the 30 degree heat.  

I met the agent and Landlord there. We went through the contract/lease, he registered my fingerprint for the front door access, and provided me the code for apartment door and the internet WiFi code etc . 

Disappointenly I forgot to ask one question till after we signed the lease -what day does the cleaner come? The advert and lease said the service charge included a cleaner. The Landlord said there isn't one anymore. Obviously I wasn't happy with this, the Letting Agent either, she told him he can't be advertising a cleaner and include it in the lease if there isn't one. Well that was one of my first welcome to Vietnam moments, the Landlord just shrugged his shoulders as if it wasn't anything major or an issue. But I liked the apartment and location,  and having lived on my own for the last 10 years or so I was used to cleaning myself, so I agreed to go ahead.

How much?

The cost was 9,700,000 vnd or £275 a month. Plus 200,000 vnd ,or £5.75  Service charge for the non existence cleaner, internet, water, motorbike parking and generally building maintenance and I had to pay seperately for any electricity I used. This has been monthly anything from £10/£15 in the winter, to around £45 a month at the heat of the summer when the air con is on virtually 24/7.

My new surroundings

It soon became obvious to me I had picked a great location, lots of local street food shops on my door step, which I used alot, 5 minutes walk to arguably the biggest market in the City that sells everything -clothes, jewelry, shoes, kitchenware, fresh fruit and veg, meat etc. It was about 10 minutes walk to the main tourist area in the city called The Old Quarter full of street food shops, bars and clothes shops. About 10 minutes walk to the bar down Ta Hien or Beer Street where my Vietnamese girlfriend worked. 15 minutes walk to a gym I eventually joined and a 15 minutes motorbike taxi to the table tennis club I joined. 

Longer term

So I contacted the Letting Agent to ask if I could extend for initially another 3 month on a rolling contract, but pay monthly. I felt like I could stay here longer term but because I was "living" here on 90 day tourist visas again I didn't want to over commit and get into any potential complicated contract to have to negotiate out of in the future. Cheekily I asked because I wanted to stay longer term and there wasn't a cleaner if I could have it for less money, I offered 8.5m vnd or £243, he countered offered and said I could have it for 8.7m vnd or £249. We agreed on this. 

That was 8 months ago. I have been here since May 2025 and are very happy here. I eat in a number of the street food shops minutes from my apartment and I am now being recognised and getting hellos, head nods and waves when I walk down the street. When I planned to retire to Vietnam this was the type of integration I could only wish for.