Is your pet a member of your family? Are you planning to have a pet in the future? Are you looking for a pet-friendly house? Are pets allowed in Vietnam? And how does it work?

What is a pet deposit? And How does it work in Vietnam?

Let JHouse provide you with helpful information and suggestions about pet deposit and how it works in Vietnam. The article provides information for tenants, owners and agents, … don’t miss the information. Let’s just get started.

1. What is a pet deposit?

A pet deposit is a one-time down payment that the tenant must pay the owner to have the pet to be raised in the house by him or her.

Like any other renting security deposit, a pet deposit helps ensure that tenants keep hygiene, follow the residence’s pet rules, and be careful not to let their pets damage the property. The pet deposit is refundable depending on whether the pet damaged the property and the extent of the damage.

Read more: What is the meaning of security deposit? And popular types of deposit when renting an apartment

2. Laws and regulations on pets rising in Vietnam

In Vietnam, there are Laws and Regulations on pets. Let’s look with JHouse in detail:

• Law on Livestock No. 32/2018/QH14. Article 69, section 2, chapter V: Regulations on humane treatment of livestock.
• Circular 07/2016/TT-BNNPTNT. Regulations on vaccination of pets. If pet owners fail to vaccinate their dogs and cats against rabies, they may be fined from 600,000 VND to 800,000 VND (based on Clause a, Article 2 of Decree No. 90/2017/ND-CP).
• Decree 90/2017/ND-CP. Regulations on wearing muzzles for dogs, dog leashes when going out. If the pet owner does not wear a muzzle for the dog or does not keep the dog on a leash, there is no one to walk the dog when taking the dog to a public place will be fined from 600,000 – 800,000 VND.
• Civil Law No. 91/2015/QH13. According to article 603, if a pet causes damage to another person, the owner of the pet must compensate.
• Circular No. 02/2016/TT-BXD promulgating Regulations on management and use of apartment buildings.

3. Is a pet deposit discriminatory?

The answer is definitely not!

Vietnam is the same as other countries on over the world. We love and cherish our pets. That’s why the Law and regulations on raising pets in Vietnam were published.

Pet deposit is NOT DISCRIMINATION! It is like an amount of money that the owner temporarily keeps for the tenant. This will let owners protect their property against harmful actions from pets and ensure that tenants are responsible for their pets during the leasing time.

4. What is the difference between pet deposits and pet fees?

• The pet deposit is a one-time payment and will be refunded at the end of the lease. The pet deposit will be deducted if the pet damages the property, in this case, the deposit may only be partially refundable.
• The pet fee is a non-refundable payment. It can be a one-time payment or it can be paid as a monthly fee such as rent, electricity, water, parking or other monthly renting utilities payments.

While paying extra for your pet to live with you is not really interested, it’s necessary for both tenants and owners. Owners need to protect their property in the event of damage, and tenants need to prove that they are responsible for their pets.

5. When do tenants need to pay pet deposits?

As soon as the leasing contract is signed, the tenant needs to pay a pet deposit. May be paid with other rental deposits and, it may or may not be the same payment date as the first month’s rent.

6. How much is the pet deposit?

There are no regulations on pet deposits in Vietnam.

However, according to the general practice in each locality, the pet deposit will range from 2-12 million ($100 – $500) depending on the number and size of the pets.

Helpful tips from JHouse for tenants: If you are required to pay a pet deposit, negotiate with the owner to a minimum or you can work with agents, give them an amount of pet deposit payment that you can pay, and they will negotiate with the owner on your behalf.

7. Are there any restrictions on pet breed or size?

While that may seem unfair, there are breed and size restrictions on pets in Vietnam.

• Commonly accepted pets in Vietnam such as: Dog, cats, mouse, rabbits, squirrels, small geckos, fish, etc. And there are size restrictions based on weight. Normally, in apartments and serviced apartments, pets with a weight from 5kg to 10kg or less are accepted. For single-family homes and villas, there is no weight limit for pets.
• Pets that are not accepted in Vietnam such as pigs, salamanders, chickens, birds, snakes, etc.

Useful tips from JHouse for tenants: Please provide your pet’s information (photo, weight, characteristics, …) to agents and owners when you are looking for a new hose and make sure the owner agrees with your pet and it’s reflected in the leasing contract.

8. What should tenants pay attention to in the rental contract when raising pets?

In order to avoid future troubles or unforeseen, tenants need to ask the owner to clearly specify the terms: Pet allows agreement, pet deposit and content related to the rights of both parties. You should pay attention to the policy of deposit refund, deposit deduction, wear and tear, etc… To get your security deposit back quickly and safely at the end of the contract.

If you do not currently have a pet, but you have plans to have one in the future. You need to let the owner know about this and it should be reflected in the leasing contract.

9. What should tenants do to protect their pet deposits?

A rental deposit is a payment that is refunded to the tenant at the end of the lease. That’s why tenants need to protect their pet deposits. Here are some helpful suggestions from JHouse for how tenants can protect their pet deposit:

• Ask the owner to provide a pet deposit clause in the lease.
• Provide pet owners with information such as: Periodic health checks, periodic vaccination books, …
• Take actions that are encouraged when rise pets such as: Train the pet, wear a muzzle for the pet when going out on the street, provide enough food & water for the pet, do not let the pet make noise, Periodic health check for pets, …
• Protect assets inside the house such as sofa cover, chair/table legs, floor mats, etc.
• Actively clean regularly for pets. Clean up when your pet defecates or urinates.
• Follow the residence’s “Pet Rules”.
• Actively repair or replace damaged property caused by pets.
• Use pet care services at home or send pets to pet care clinics, … when you travel or go on a business trip for a long time.

You can also refer to 11 tips to protect your rental deposit when renting a house in Vietnam.

10. What should tenants do with their pets?

To protect and avoid possible risks caused by pets, tenants are encouraged to take the following actions:

• Routine vaccinations for pets
• Periodic health check for pets
• Pet training
• Wear a muzzle for your pet when going out
• Arrange space for pets inside the house.

11. What do owners need to do when allowing pets?

So happy that you are a pet-loving owner. Your home always welcomes tenants with their pets.

But you are having concerns about how to control the risks caused by the tenant’s pet. Here are some helpful suggestions from JHouse on what owners need to do to have a good starting business.

• If you have a plan to build an allowing pet residence, you can design equipment in the house that is pet-friendly and less damaged such as sofas, dining tables, floors, walls, corridors, trees, balconies, etc.
• Put a separate pet deposit clause in the rental contract.
• Provide tenants with “Regulations for pets” and “Activities are encouraged to follow when keeping pets” in your home.
• Ask the tenant to provide information about the pet such as: term health check, vaccination record, etc.
• Ask other residences who rent in the same building about the pets while living in the same place
• If your house has a lot of space, you can design a place for the pet community where all pets of the building can play together.

12. What should real estate agents notice when consulting pet-friendly housing?

If you are a realtor and you have a tenant who has a pet. These are useful suggestions from JHouse so that you can advise and provide good housing solutions for tenants and owners.

• Ask tenants to provide you with information about their pet: Photo, weight, quantity, vaccination record, …
• Provide and deal with owners on tenant pet issues. Make sure the owner accepts the tenant’s pet.
• Provide tenants with a list of properties that allow pets and provide specific notices of the house about pets to tenants.
• Clarify pet permission and pet deposit in the rental contract.

We, JHouse hope that you have a deeper understanding of pet deposit and how it works in Vietnam. If you still have concerns and questions that need to be answered, JHouse staff is always ready and happy to assist and advise you on pet-friendly housing solutions in Vietnam.

JHouse Content Team
The in-depth content development team on housing services for foreigners & Vietnamese in Vietnam. The content is simple, easy to understand, logically arranged to bring readers useful topics and information from real experiences. JHouse welcomes sharing & copying from you – Attach source & quote from JHouse, please!