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Condominium regulations: what it is, why it matters, how to obtain it
What are condominium regulations in Vietnam?
Condominium regulations (quy chế quản lý, sử dụng nhà chung cư) are the binding house rules of a Hanoi apartment building — covering service charges, renovation, pets and short-term rentals. Adopted by owners at the building's General Meeting under the 2023 Housing Law, they are legally enforceable on every owner and occupant, and reach you first as an appendix to your Sale & Purchase Agreement.
Condominium regulations at a glance
Document- Vietnamese name
- Quy chế quản lý, sử dụng nhà chung cư
- Often shortened to nội quy nhà chung cư (‘house rules’) in everyday use
- Issued by
- The Building Management Board, adopted by owners at the General Meeting
- Before the Board is elected, the developer issues an interim version
- When you receive it
- As an appendix to your Sale & Purchase Agreement, before you sign
- Reviewed again, in definitive form, at the first General Meeting after handover
- Typical cost
- No standalone fee — folded into the one-off maintenance fund (2% of the purchase price) and monthly service charges
- On a typical Hanoi unit, 2% works out to a few thousand euros (tens of millions of VND), paid once at handover — the exact amount scales with your unit price, not with the regulations themselves
- Validity
- For the life of the building; amendable by owner vote at a General Meeting
- No expiry date and no renewal process
- Governing law
- 2023 Housing Law and Decree 95/2024/ND-CP
- Sets the national framework every building's regulations must follow
- Language
- Vietnamese is the only legally binding version
- Developer-supplied English translations are for reference only
How you receive and act on the regulations
⏱ From reservation to the first General Meeting — usually within 12 months of handover
The regulations follow your purchase in three stages: an interim version before you sign, a definitive version voted after handover, and later amendments as the building matures and its owners' association becomes active. Foreign buyers based abroad should read all three stages, not just the first — a rule adopted while you are back in Europe still binds you, even if you were not in the room when it passed.
- 1
Request the interim regulations before you sign
⏱ Before signing the SPA◈ Included, no separate fee
Ask the developer for the interim (draft) condominium regulations at reservation stage, not after you have paid a deposit. They are attached as an appendix to the Sale & Purchase Agreement (SPA) and become binding on you once you sign.
DocumentsDraft/interim condominium regulations · SPA draft
⚠Some developers only hand over the regulations at the signing table. Ask in writing during reservation so you have time to actually read them.
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Read the clauses that affect foreign owners
⏱ 1–3 days◈ No cost
Focus on service-charge calculation, renovation approval, pet and noise rules, parking allocation and — important for investors — any restriction on short-term or Airbnb-style rentals. If you are buying from abroad and cannot review the Vietnamese text yourself, commission a certified translation rather than relying on the developer's marketing summary.
DocumentsSPA appendix · Certified translation (recommended)
⚠A rental restriction buried in the regulations is still enforceable even if the sales agent never mentions it.
- 3
Sign and keep your copy
⏱ At SPA signing
Your signature on the SPA also binds you to its regulations appendix. Keep a signed copy — the Vietnamese original plus your own translation — with your title documents.
DocumentsSigned SPA with regulations appendix
- 4
Attend the first General Meeting after handover
⏱ Usually within 12 months of handover◈ No fee to attend
Once enough units are handed over, owners convene a General Meeting to elect the Building Management Board and adopt the definitive regulations, replacing the developer's interim version.
DocumentsProof of ownership (SPA or Pink Book) · Passport
⚠Decisions taken by majority vote bind absent owners too. If you cannot attend in person, arrange a power of attorney.
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Track later amendments
⏱ Ongoing
Owners can amend the regulations at subsequent General Meetings — service-charge increases and new house rules, including tighter rental restrictions, are the most common changes. Ask the Management Board for the minutes if you were not present, especially if you manage the unit remotely from Europe.
DocumentsGeneral Meeting minutes
Due-diligence checklist: condominium regulations
Use this list before you sign, and again once you occupy the unit.
Before you sign the SPA
4 ✓Reservation to signing
- Ask for the interim condominium regulations in writingRequest the document alongside the SPA draft, not verballyRed flagDeveloper says the regulations ‘will follow after signing’
- Check the short-term rental clauseLook for wording on Airbnb/short-stay letting under 30 daysRed flagBlanket ban on short-term rentals if you plan to let the unit
- Check the foreign-quota referenceConfirm the regulations acknowledge your unit within the building's 30% foreign-ownership quotaRed flagNo mention of the quota anywhere in the document
- Check renovation and structural-change rulesCompare against your fit-out plans before you commitRed flagApproval process for renovations left undefined
At and after handover
4 ✓Handover to first General Meeting
- Confirm the maintenance fund line item on your settlement statementShould match the 2% one-off contribution set by the national fee scheduleRed flagA maintenance fund charge above the standard rate with no explanation
- Get the notice for the first General MeetingAsk the developer or Management Board for the schedule once handover starts in your buildingRed flagNo General Meeting held more than 12 months after most units are occupied
- Arrange a power of attorney if you cannot attendA local lawyer or trusted representative can vote on your behalfRed flagVoting rights lost by default because no proxy was arranged
- File your signed regulations with your other title documentsKeep alongside your SPA, Pink Book application and payment receipts
Ongoing, as an overseas owner
3 ✓For the life of your ownership
- Ask for General Meeting minutes even when you don't attendRequest them from the Management Board or building admin office by email each yearRed flagNo minutes shared and no way to check what was voted while you were abroad
- Re-check the rental clause before you list the unitRegulations can be amended after you buy — confirm the current wording, not the one from your SPA appendixRed flagShort-term letting rules tightened after purchase without notice to owners
- Hand the regulations to your tenant or property managerOccupants, not just owners, are bound by the house rules — make sure whoever lives there has read them
Frequently asked questions
Are condo rules and regulations legally enforceable?
Yes. Once adopted under the 2023 Housing Law, a building's condominium regulations bind every owner and occupant, regardless of nationality. Breaches can lead to fines set by the Management Board and, in serious or repeated cases, formal disputes with fellow owners or the local housing authority.
How do I get a copy of the condominium regulations before I buy?
Ask the developer for the interim regulations when you reserve, not after you pay a deposit. They should be attached as an appendix to your Sale & Purchase Agreement; if a sales team cannot produce them, treat that as a red flag.
Who writes and updates the condominium regulations?
The developer issues an interim version before handover. Once enough units are occupied, owners elect a Building Management Board at a General Meeting, which adopts the definitive regulations and can amend them later by majority vote.
Can the regulations stop me from renting my apartment out short-term?
Yes — many Hanoi buildings restrict or ban short-stay, Airbnb-style letting to protect residential use and security. This clause matters most to investors planning rental income, so check it before you sign, not after.
What happens if I break a condominium rule?
Consequences typically start with a written warning from the Management Board, followed by fines set out in the regulations. Repeated or serious breaches — unauthorised structural work, for example — can escalate into formal disputes among owners or with the local authority.
Is there an official English translation of the regulations?
Not usually. The Vietnamese text is the only legally binding version; developers sometimes provide an English translation for reference. For anything you plan to rely on, have a certified translation made and reviewed by a lawyer.
Do the regulations affect my 50-year foreign ownership term or the building's foreign quota?
No — your 50-year, renewable ownership term and the building's 30% foreign-ownership quota are set by the 2023 Housing Law itself, not by the condominium regulations. What the regulations do is acknowledge both and set out the administrative process the Management Board follows to track quota compliance whenever a unit is resold.
Sources
- Housing Law 2023 (Law No. 27/2023/QH15) — national legal framework for condominium management, General Meetings and the Management Board.
- Decree 95/2024/ND-CP — detailed implementing regulations for the Housing Law (no verified public English text available; cited by reference only).
- Ministry of Construction (Bộ Xây dựng) — issuing authority for national condominium and housing-management guidance.
Have a lawyer check your building's regulations before you sign
Our Hanoi desk reviews condominium regulations, SPA appendices and quota compliance for foreign buyers — with an independent second opinion within 24 hours, no obligation.