On a long-term rental in Da Nang the agent's commission is, as a rule, paid by the owner: half a month to one month of rent for a tenant on a twelve-month lease, less for a short one. The tenant pays the agent nothing, and if you are asked for a "search fee" or a "viewing fee", that is not a market rule but somebody's initiative. Below is how the money moves between the owner, the agent and you, when a tenant does get asked to pay, and how to tell who you are dealing with: an agency, a private agent, or someone in a Facebook group with other people's photos.

How the market works

In Vietnam an owner who wants to let an apartment to a foreigner long term gives it to several agents at once and pays the one who brings the tenant. The usual rate is half a month's rent for a six-month lease and a full month for a twelve-month one; for three months, less or nothing, which is why agents are reluctant about short terms. The rate is built into the price: the owner knows they will give up a month and sets the rent with that in mind. So a "no commission" apartment straight from the owner is not necessarily cheaper; often it is the same price without an agent who would be responsible for the lease.

When the tenant is asked to pay

  • Nightly and "monthly" rentals: there the tenant pays, because the owner will not. This does not apply to long-term leases.
  • An agent with no agreement with the owner: they found a listing, showed you the apartment and want to be paid by someone. Usually half a month "for the service". Whether to pay is your call, but such an agent guarantees nothing after you sign.
  • Double commission, from the owner and from you. It happens, it is not illegal, and it tells you more about the agent than any review.
  • A fee for the viewing, for a booking, for "paperwork": do not pay until you have seen the lease and understood what exactly the fee is for.

The simple rule: before the lease is signed you pay nobody anything, and what you pay afterwards is the deposit and the rent under the lease. Everything else is discussed before, not after. How the lease and deposit work is in our separate guide to the lease and deposit.

Agency, agent and the person in the group

Three different creatures, and people confuse them all the time.

An agency is a legal entity with an office, a website and agreements with owners; it is responsible for the text of the lease, shows apartments it has seen, and takes its commission from the owner. A private agent is a Vietnamese or foreign individual with a base of owners, working in their own name, often with better knowledge of specific buildings; check that they have the owner's direct contact rather than another agent's. The person in the group reposts other people's listings with a mark-up or a request for prepayment; they have not seen the apartment and will not draw up a lease. How to spot a scam from the first message is in our guide to renting before arrival.

How it works with us

Our agent works with owners across the whole of Da Nang. What we do at each step is on the how to rent page; who we are is on the about us page.

For owners: what letting through us costs and what is included is on the for owners page.

What it comes to in money

For the owner of a $1,000-a-month apartment, $500-1,000 once, for a tenant on a twelve-month lease. For the tenant in this setup, zero. If you are quoted a price and then "plus commission", add it up and compare with the market: building medians are on our building pages and in the rent prices guide. The apartments available now, with their prices, are on the apartments for rent page.