Luật 56/2005/QH11

Law No. 56/2005/QH11 of November 29, 2005, on housing.

Law No. 56/2005/QH11 of November 29, 2005, on housing. đã được thay thế bởi Law No. 65/2014/QH13 on housing và được áp dụng kể từ ngày 01/07/2015.

Nội dung toàn văn Law No. 56/2005/QH11 of November 29, 2005, on housing.


THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM Independence - Freedom - Happiness

Law No. 56/2005/QH11

Ha Noi, November  29,  2005

 

LAW

ON HOUSING

(Law No. 56/2005/QH11)

Pursuant to the 1992 Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, which was amended and supplemented  under  Resolution  No.51/2001/QH10  of  December  25,  2001,  of  the  Xth  National Assembly, the 10th session;

This Law provides for housing.

Chapter I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1.- Scope of regulation

This Law provides for  house  ownership,  housing  development,  management  of  use  of  houses and house-related transactions, and state management of houses.

Houses prescribed by this Law means constructions for dwelling and in service of daily-life needs

of households, individuals.

Article 2.- Subjects of application

This   Law   applies   to   organizations   and   individuals   related   to   house   ownership,   housing development, management of use of houses, house-related transactions and state management of houses.

Article 3.- Law application

1.  In  cases  where  there  appear  differences  between  this  Law  and  the  law  related  to  house ownership,  housing  development,  management  of  use  of  houses  and  state  management  of houses, the provisions of this Law shall apply.

2.  Where  treaties  to  which  the  Socialist  Republic  of  Vietnam  is  a  contracting  party  contain provisions different from those of this Law, the provisions of such treaties shall apply.

Article 4.- The right to have places to live and the right to own houses

Citizens  have  the  right  to  have  places  to  live  through  the  lawful  establishment  of  houses  or through buying,  borrowing houses or temporarily staying at  others’ under the provisions of  law. Persons who lawfully establish their houses shall have the right to own such houses.

Article 5.- Protection of the right to own houses

1. The State recognizes and protects the house ownership rights of house owners.

2. Houses under the ownership of organizations or individuals shall not be nationalized. In case of real necessity for defense and/or security reasons and national interests and the State decides to compulsorarily  purchase  or  requisition  houses,  the  State  shall  pay  compensations  to  house owners at market prices at the time of payment and create conditions for them to establish other houses.

Article 6.- Housing development policies

1. The State adopts policies on planning, land, finance, credit; on research into and application of technologies and new building materials; on the housing real estate market and make public and transparent   administrative  procedures  in  order   to  create  conditions  for   organizations  and individuals to participate in housing development under the provisions of law.

2. The State encourages organizations and individuals of  all  economic sectors to participate in investment  in  development  of  houses  for  sale,  lease,  rent-purchase,  satisfying  the  housing demands of low-income earners and people of different social strata.

3.  The  State  actively  invests  in  developing  the  fund  of  state-owned  houses  for  lease,  rent- purchase, service of transfer and rotation of public servants; adopts policies on direct supports for a number of social policy beneficiaries to improve their housing conditions.

Article 7.- Responsibilities of Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organizations

Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organizations shall, within the ambit of their respective tasks  and  powers,  have  the  responsibility  to  propagate  and  mobilize  people  to  observe  the housing law and supervise the observance thereof.

Article 8.- Prohibited acts in the housing domain

1. Infringing upon, obstructing the exercise of organizations and individuals rights and obligations regarding house ownership and use.

2. Violating the provisions of this Law and the law on construction in housing development.

3. Forging, falsifying papers, distorting dossiers in the grant of house ownership right certificates.

4. Using houses for activities banned by law.

5.  Illegally  appropriating  and  using  housing  spaces,  encroaching  upon  the  space  and  facilities under common ownership or of other owners in any form.

6.  Abusing  positions,  powers,  acting  ultra  vires  or  irresponsibly  in  the  implementation  of  the provisions of housing law.

7. Other acts banned in the housing domain under the provisions of law.

Chapter II

HOUSE OWNERSHIP

Article 9.- House owners and subjects entitled to own houses

1.  House  owners  are  organizations  or  individuals  that  establish  their  houses;  where  house owners request the grant of  house ownership right certificates, competent state bodies shall do so for them.

2. Subjects entitled to own houses in Vietnam include:

a/  Domestic organizations and  individuals regardless of  their places of  business registration or places of permanent residence;

b/ Overseas Vietnamese defined in Article 126 of this Law;

c/ Foreign organizations and individuals defined in Clause 1, Article 125 of this Law.

Article 10.- Conditions for being granted house ownership right certificates

Organizations  and  individuals  that  satisfy  the  following  conditions  shall  be  granted  a  house ownership right certificate:

1. They are subjects defined in Clause 2, Article 9 of this Law;

2.  They  have  houses lawfully  established  through  construction investment,  sale  and  purchase, donation, inheritance, house exchange and other forms prescribed by law.

Article 11.- House ownership right certificates

1.  House  ownership  right  certificates  shall  be  granted  to  house  owners  under  the  following provisions:

a/  In  cases  where  house  owners  are  concurrently  residential-land  users  or  condominium apartment owners, a single house ownership right and residential-land use right certificate shall be granted;

b/ In cases where house owners are not concurrently residential-land users, a house ownership right certificate shall be granted.

The house ownership right and residential-land use right certificate and the house ownership right certificate, which are defined in this Clause, shall be referred to collectively as house ownership right certificates.

2. The Government shall provide the contents and form of house ownership right certificate.

Article 12.- Writing of owners’ names in house ownership right certificates

1.  For houses under the ownership of  organizations,  the names of  such organizations shall  be written.

2. For houses under the ownership of individuals, such individuals’ names shall be written.

3. For a house under common ownership by integration, the name of the person agreed upon by all the owners to be named in the certificate shall be written; if without any agreement, the names of  all  owners  of  such  house  shall  be  written;  in  cases  where  a  house  is  under  the  common ownership of  the husband  and the  wife,  the names of  both the husband  and the  wife shall  be written; where either the husband or the wife is not entitled to own houses in Vietnam under the provisions of law, only the name of the person entitled to own houses in Vietnam shall be written.

4.  For  a  house  under  common  ownership  by  shares,  the  name  of  each  owner  of  his/her  own share shall be written and the certificate of such house shall be granted to every owner.

Article 13.- Validity of house ownership right certificates

1. House ownership right certificates provided in this Law shall serve as a legal basis for house owners  to  exercise  their  rights  and  perform  their  obligations  towards  such  houses  under  the provisions of law.

2. House ownership right certificates shall no longer be legally valid in the following cases:

a/ The houses are destroyed or demolished;

b/  The  houses  are  confiscated  or  compulsorily  purchased  under  decisions  of  competent  state bodies;

c/  The  houses  are  built  on  leased  land  and  the  land  lease  term  has  expired  and  not  been extended or the land users are not allowed to change to the form of  land assignment for long- term stable use;

d/ The houses were already granted the house ownership right certificates which are, however, withdrawn under decisions of competent state bodies because they were granted ultra vires, the certificate grantees are not eligible subjects, the houses described in the certificates are not true to their conditions when the certificates were granted  or the houses were constructed in areas banned from house construction;

e/ The houses were already granted the house ownership right certificates which, however, have been re-granted or changed for other house ownership right certificates under the provisions of this Law.

Article 14.- Competence to grant house ownership right certificates

1. People’s Committees of provinces or centrally-run cities (hereinafter referred to collectively as provincial-level   People’s   Committees)   shall   grant   house   ownership   right   certificates   to organizations. Where the joint owners are organizations and individuals, provincial-level People’s Committees shall grant house ownership right certificates.

2. People’s Committees of rural districts, urban districts, provincial capitals or towns (hereinafter referred to  collectively  as district-level  People’s Committees)  shall  grant  house  ownership  right certificates to individuals.

Article 15.- Dossiers of application for house ownership right certificates

1. A dossier of application for house ownership right certificates shall comprise:

a/ Application for house ownership right certificate;

b/  Copy  of  one  of  the  following  papers:  construction  permit;  decision  approving  the  housing development project; investment certificate; land use right certificate or one of the valid papers on land  use  rights  as  provided  for  by  the  land  law;  house  ownership  right  papers  issued  by competent agencies in different periods; written agreement of the land user, for cases the house owners  are  not  residential-land  users  and  the  houses  were  built  in  areas  where  construction permits are not  required;  papers on house purchase  and sale,  donation,  exchange,  liquidation, valuation;  contract  on social-house  rent-purchase;  decision on presentation of  gratitude house, charity house; papers on house inheritance; court judgment or ruling, or legally effective decision of  a  competent  agency  on  house  ownership;  written  certification  of  People’s  Committees  of communes,  wards,  townships  (hereinafter  referred  to  collectively  as  commune-level  People’s Committees)  for  other  cases,  excluding  houses  in  areas  banned  from  construction  under  the provisions of law on construction;

c/ Plan of the house, residential land.

2.  The  Government  shall  specify  types  of  papers  on  establishment  of  houses,  defined  in  this Article to suit each case, each period, each type of house in urban and rural areas.

Article 16.- House ownership right certificate-granting order

1.  In  urban  centers,  the  submission  of  dossiers  of  application  for  house  ownership  right certificates is provided for as follows:

a/ Organizations submit dossiers at provincial-level house management offices;

b/ Individuals submit dossiers at district-level house management offices.

2. In rural areas, the submission of dossiers of application for house ownership right certificates is provided for as follows:

a/ Organizations submit dossiers at provincial-level house management offices;

b/ Individuals submit dossiers at commune-level People’s Committees or directly at district-level house management offices.

Where individuals submit  dossiers at  commune-level  People’s Committees,  within five  working days after  the full  receipt  of  valid  dossiers,  commune-level  People’s Committees shall  have to transfer the dossiers to district-level house management offices.

3.  Within  thirty  days after  the full  receipt  of  valid  dossiers,  competent  state  bodies must  grant house ownership right certificates to house owners.

House owners shall receive house ownership right certificates at dossier-receiving offices; in case other  persons  receive  the  certificates for  them,  there  must  be  letter  of  authorization  of  house owners, certified by commune-level People’s Committees.

4. Upon receiving house ownership right certificates, house owners must submit the originals of the papers in the dossiers of application, specified in Article 15 of this Law, excluding the decision approving the housing development projects; investment certificate; land use right certificate for cases of being granted house ownership right certificates specified at Point b, Clause 1, Article 11 of this Law.

In  rural  areas,  commune-level  People’s  Committees  shall  have  to  recover  the  original  papers defined in this Clause if  house owners receive house ownership right  certificates at  commune- level People’s Committees. Within ten working days, commune-level People’s Committees must submit the original papers to district-level house management offices for inclusion in the archived dossiers.

Article 17.- Re-grant of house ownership right certificates

1. House owners who have lost their house ownership right certificates must compile dossiers of application for re-grant thereof and submit them at the house management offices competent to grant the certificates. A dossier of application for regrant of a certificate shall comprise:

a/  Application  for  re-grant  of  certificate,  clearly  stating  the  reason  for  loss  of  certificate  and commitment to bear responsibility for the declared content;

b/ Paper certifying the loss of certificate, issued by the commune-level police office of the locality where the certificate was lost, which is enclosed with papers evidencing that the information on the loss was carried on the mass media once, for urban areas, or the notice thereon was posted up  at  the  commune-level  People’s Committee for  ten working  days,  for  rural  areas,  except  for cases where there are clear grounds that the certificates were destroyed due to natural calamities or fires.

2.  If  within  thirty  days  after  the  full  receipt  of  valid  dossiers,  house  owners  cannot  find  their certificates, competent state bodies must re-grant house ownership certificates to house owners.

Article 18.- Change of house ownership right certificates

1. For house ownership right certificates which were damaged, torn or fully written with changes in their change-certifying pages, the house owners shall be granted new certificates.

2.  House  owners  shall  file  their  applications  for  change  of  certificates,  enclosed  with  the  old house ownership right certificates, and submit them to house management offices competent to grant the certificates.

3. Within fifteen days after the full  receipt  of valid dossiers,  competent state bodies must  grant new house ownership right certificates to house owners.

Article 19.- Certification of changes after grant of house ownership right certificates

1. Certification of changes after grant of house ownership right certificates shall be effected upon the changes in areas, height, main structures of  houses; separation or merger of land plots, for cases of grant of house ownership right certificates defind at Point a, Clause 1, Article 11 of this Law as compared to the contents already written in the certificates.

2.  House  owners  must  enclose  their  declarations  of  the  change  contents  with  their  house ownership right certificates and submit them to house management offices competent to grant the certificates.

3. Within thirty days after the full receipt of valid dossiers, competent state bodies must certify the change contents in house ownership right certificates and return them to house owners.

Article 20.- Responsibilities of relevant agencies in the grant of house ownership right certificates

1. Agencies receiving the dossiers of application for grant, change or re-grant of certificates or for certification on the certificates of the changes specified in Articles 16, 17, 18 and 19 of this Law must not request the applicants to additionally submit any other papers than the prescribed ones; in  cases  where  the  dossiers  lack  some  papers,  the  dossier-receiving  agencies  shall  have  to provide   detailed   guidance   for   the   applicants   to   supplement   the   dossiers.   The   time   for supplementation of dossiers shall not be counted into the time for grant of certificates.

The  dossier-receiving  agencies  must  issue  receipts  of  the  full  submission  of  dossiers  by organizations  or  individuals,  clearly  indicating  the  date  of  grant  of  the  house  ownership  right certificates.

2. State bodies competent to grant, change, re-grant of certificates, make certification of changes on certificates within the time specified in Articles 16, 17, 18 and 19 of this Law must grant the certificates,  certify changes on certificates for house owners;  in cases where they do not  grant certificates  or  not  certify  changes  on  the  certificates,  they  must  issue  written  replies  clearly notifying the reasons therefor and return the dossiers to the applicants.

3.  House  management  offices  competent  to  grant  certificates  must  open  and  manage  house- monitoring  books.  The  contents  of  house-monitoring  books  must  satisfy  the  requirements  of monitoring  the  grant,  change  and  re-grant  of  certificates  and  certification  of  changes  after  the grant of certificates.

Article 21.- House owners’ rights

1. To possess their houses.

2. To use their houses.

3.  To  sell,  lease,  purchase-lease,  donate,  exchange,  bequeath,  lend,  let  other  people  stay temporarily in, authorize others to manage or mortgage houses under their ownership according to the provisions of law.

4.  To  maintain,  renovate,  demolish  or  reconstruct  their  houses  and  use  the  housing  spaces compatible with construction planning, architecture and relevant provisions of law.

5. To complain about, denounce acts of infringing upon their lawful house ownership rights.

6.   To   request   competent   state   bodies   to   grant,   change,   re-grant   house   ownership   right certificates,  to  certify  changes after  the  grant  of  certificates according  to  the  provisions of  this Law.

7. To exercise other rights as provided for by law.

Article 22.- House owners’ obligations

1. To fully comply with the order and procedures when requesting the grant, change or re-grant of house  ownership  right  certificates  or  the  certification  of  changes  after  the  grant  of  certificates according to the provisions of this Law.

2.  To  manage,  use,  maintain,  renovate,  demolish  or  reconstruct  their  houses  according  to  the provisions of  law but not to affect or harm the interests of  the State, public interests, legitimate interests of other people.

3. To fully carry out  procedures prescribed by law when selling, leasing,  donating, exchanging, bequeathing,  lending,  letting  others  to  temporarilstain,  authorizing  others  to  manage,  or mortgaging their houses.

4. To fulfill the financial obligations as provided for by law when the State grants, changes or re- grants  house  ownership  right  certificates  for  them,  or  certifies  changes  after  the  grant  of certificates and in the course of using their houses.

5. To abide by competent state bodies decisions on handling of violations, settlement of disputes, complaints, denunciations about houses,     ground clearance, compensations, support, resettlement, demolition of houses when the State requisitions, compulsorily purchases or prior- purchases their houses.

6. To perform other obligations as provided for by law.

Chapter III

HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

Section 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS ON HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

Article 23.- Housing development objectives

1.  Housing  development  means investment in  the construction,  reconstruction  or renovation of houses to increase the housing space.

2.  Housing  development  must  ensure  that  citizens  have  housing  places  suitable  to  their respective  income  capabilities,  the  national  and  local  socio-economic  conditions;  step  by  step improve housing conditions of people of all strata, accelerating the formulation and development of  the  housing  estate  market;  contribute  to  urban  and  rural  development  toward  civilization, modernity and suitability to national cultural identity.

3.  Housing  development  must  reflect  the  policies  of  abolishing  subsidies,  implementing  the socialization of housing based on the mechanism of facilitation by the State with long-term credits at  appropriate interest  rates;  identify  the responsibilities of  persons  who  wish  to  establish  their houses, of the People’s Committees of different levels, and of population communities in caring for and improving housing conditions.

Article 24.- Requirements on housing development in urban centers

1.  Compliance  with  the  socio-economic  development  plannings,  urban  construction  plannings, ensuring  the  population  arrangement  and  re-arrangement,  urban  embellishment,  architecture, landscapes,  environment,  construction  specifications  and  standards  as  well  as  land  use  in accordance with the provisions of law.

2.   Newly   constructed   houses   in   housing   development   projects   must   meet   the   following requirements:

a/ In urban centers of special grade, to have at least 60% of the floor area for condominium;

b/  In  urban  centers  of  grade  1  and  grade  2,  to  have  at  least  40%  of  the  floor  area  for condominiums;

c/ In urban centers of grade 3, to have at least 20% of the floor area for condominiums.

3.  Houses  in  urban  centers  must  be  developed  mainly  under  projects.  Housing  development projects  must  include  the  construction  of  synchronous  technical  infrastructures  and  social infrastructures to meet the population’s demands for improvement of living conditions under the urban standards.

4.  For  housing  development  projects,  apart  from  test,  hand-over  and  putting  to  use  under  the provisions of law on construction, the systems of  power supply, water supply and drainage, fire prevention and fighting and environmental sanitation must also be tested before they are put to use.

Article 25.- Requirements on housing development in rural areas

1.  Compliance  with  plannings  on  construction  of  residential  areas,  architecture,  construction specifications and standards as well as land use in accordance with provisions of law, ensuring the sustainable rural formation and development.

2.  Rural  housing  development  must  be  associated  with  technical  infrastructure  and  social infrastructure development, ensuring environmental sanitation and improvement of people’s living conditions.

Article 26.- Requirements on housing development in mountainous areas

1. Housing development must be conducted in concentrated residential areas suitable to customs and practices of each ethnic group, geographical characteristics, natural conditions of each zone, each region, limiting nomadism.

2. In housing development importance must be attached to investment in technical infrastructure and  social  infrastructure  development,  ensuring  environmental  safety and  sanitation,  improving the socio-cultural living conditions of people in mountainous regions.

Article 27.- Policies on housing development in rural and mountainous areas

1.  The  State  adopts  policies  on  residential  land  through  planning  rural  and  mountainous residential areas to ensure that households, individuals have land for construction of houses.

2. The State implements policies on long-term credits at  preferential interest  rates so that  poor rural  and  mountainous  households  and  individuals  have  conditions  to  improve  their  housing conditions.

3. The State encourages the development of multi-storey houses in rural areas in order to save residential land.

4. The State encourages cooperation and mutual assistance in construction of houses.

5.  The  State  invests  in  research  into,  application  and  transfer  of,  scientific  and  technological advance  in  service  of  housing  development  suitable  to  customs  and  practices  of  each  ethnic group, natural conditions of each zone, region.

Article 28.- Forms of housing development

1. Housing development under projects.

2. Development of separate houses of households, individuals.

Article 29.- Housing development under projects

1. Housing development project means a combination of  proposals evidencing the efficiency of investment in housing development at a given location or area.

2. Housing development under projects shall cover the following cases:

a/  Development  of  houses  for  sale,  lease,  lease-purchase  by  organizations,  individuals  of  all economic sectors;

b/  Renovation to increase the housing space,  reconstruction of  condominiums or investment in reconstruction of old housing quarters;

c/ Development of state-owned house funds;

d/ Development of houses in service of resettlement.

Article 30.- Requirements of housing development projects

Housing development projects must be formulated and approved according to the provisions of this Law, the law on construction and must satisfy the following requirements:

1.   Housing   development   projects   must   be   in   line   with   construction   plannings,   housing development program in each period of localities;

2.  Housing  development  projects  must  satisfy  the  requirement  of  investment  in  construction synchronism  between  houses  and  technical  as  well  as  social  infrastructure  systems.  Social infrastructures must  be calculated and determined in accordance with standards,  norms and in compatibility with the population sizes of  projects,  taking into account  affecting elements in the course of use;

3. In housing development projects, house architectures must reflect specific types of house;

4. Housing development projects must be appraised in accordance with the provisions of law on construction in order to be approved and must be qualitatively examined before they are put to use. The approving decisions and examination results must be archived at provincial-level house management offices for monitoring and inspection;

5.  Investors must  accomplish all  contents of  the approved projects.  In case  of  any changes in contents,  progress  of  projects,  investors  must  report  them  to  and  obtain  the  approval  of competent agencies.

The   Government   shall   specify   the   contents   and   management   of   operation   of   housing development projects.

Article 31.- Housing development plannings

1. Plannings on construction of urban centers, rural residential areas and projects on construction of   economic  zones,   industrial   parks,   export   processing  zones,   hi-tech  parks,   universities, colleges,  intermediate  professional  schools,  intermediate  vocational  schools,  high  schools  in mountainous regions must identify the demands for houses and land for construction of houses and infrastructure systems in service of such demands.

2. When approving the plannings defined in Clause 1 of  this Article,  competent  agencies must simultaneously approve housing development plannings.

3.   Provincial-level   People’s   Committees   must   publicize   housing   development   plannings, mechanisms and policies, create specific conditions for each housing development project.

Article 32.- Housing architecture

1.   Housing   architecture   must   harmonously   combine   modern   architecture   with   traditional architecture,  suit  the  natural  conditions,  socio-cultural  customs  and  practices  of  various  ethnic groups in different regions, zones.

2.  Housing  architecture  must  diversify  types  of  house,  types  of  apartment  suitable  to  socio- economic conditions, incomes of  people of  different social strata in localities; efficiently use the land funds reserved for housing development.

3. Houses built along road sides, main thoroughfares must comply with the construction markers, ensure harmony in height, space, architecture, aesthetics, compliance with general plannings and urban design along each road, street.

4.  The  State  invests  in  development  and  promulgation  of  model  designs,  typical  designs  of houses in  order  to  satisfy  the  housing  development  demands of  people,  which  are  suitable  to each zone, region.

Article 33.- Modes of housing development

1. Houses developed with investment by organizations or individuals for sale or lease according to market demands (hereinafter referred to as commercial houses).

2. Houses built by households, individuals (hereinafter referred to as separate houses)

3. Houses constructed with investment by the State, organizations or individuals for lease or hire- purchase by subjects defined in Articles 53 and 54 of this Law (hereinafter referred to as social houses).

4. Houses constructed with the State’s investment in service of the transfer and rotation of public servants according to working requirements (hereinafter referred to as official-duty houses).

Section 2. DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL HOUSES

Article 34.- Participants and conditions for participation in the development of commercial houses

1.  Domestic  and  foreign  organizations  and  individuals  of  all  economic  sectors  are  entitled  to participate in the development of commercial houses.

2.  Domestic  organizations  and  individuals investing  in  the  development  of  commercial  houses must   have   housing   business   registration;   and   for   foreign   organizations   and   individuals, investment certificates are required as provided for by the law on investment.

Article 35.- Subjects entitled to buy, rent commercial houses

1. Domestic organizations and individuals, regardless of  their places of  business registration or places of permanent residence registration.

2. Overseas Vietnamese entitled to own houses, to rent houses in Vietnam, as defined in Articles 126 and 131 of this Law.

3.  Foreign organizations and individuals entitled to own  houses,  to rent  houses in Vietnam,  as defined in Clause 1 of Article 125 and Article 131 of this Law.

Article 36.- Responsibilities of commercial house-developing organizations and individuals

1. To comply with regulations on housing development under projects.

2. To ensure the completion according to progress and quality of approved projects.

3. To publicize at the project management units’ offices, project locations and on mass media the projects’  detailed  plannings,  the  number  of  houses  for  sale  or  lease;  the  number  of  houses already sold or leased; the remaining number of houses; the sale prices, lease prices; mode of payment; procedures for purchase or lease registration, the conditions for eligibility to purchase or rent houses.

4. To carry out procedures for competent state bodies to grant house ownership right certificates to house purchasers and hand over to house purchasers the documents related to such houses.

In case of leasing houses, commercial house-developing organizations or individuals shall have the responsibility to compile and archive housing dossiers according to the provisions of Article 66 of this Law.

5.  To  report  on  results  of  project  implementation  periodically  and  upon  project  completion  to agencies competent to approve the projects and the provincial-level People’s Committees of the localities where exist the projects.

Article 37.- Land for commercial house development

1. Organizations and individuals may use land assigned or leased by the State or transferred with land use rights from other organizations or individuals in accordance with the provisions of land law for investment in development of commercial houses.

2. A commercial  house  development  project  involving two  or  more  organizations or  individuals registered as investors must be subject to bidding for selection of investor. The transfer of land use  rights  in  housing  development  projects  or  new  urban  center  projects  where  investment  in infrastructure construction has been made must be publicized and effected through auction.

3. Bidding for selection of investors and auction of land use rights shall comply with the provisions of law.

Article 38.- Capital sources for commercial house development

1. Investors’ capital.

2. Capital of joint ventures, associations with other organizations and/or individuals.

3. Capital borrowed from credit institutions.

4. Advance capital of parties wishing to purchase or rent houses.

5. Capital mobilized from other sources according to the provisions of law.

Article 39.- Sale and purchase, lease of commercial houses

1. The modes of selling, purchasing or leasing commercial houses shall comply with the form of lump-sum payment, deferred payment or installment payment.

Where  investors  mobilize  capital  from  advance  money  of  house  purchasers  or  lessees,  such mode  shall  only  apply  when  the  house  designs  have  been  approved  and  the  construction  of house foundations has been completed. The total money amount mobilized before hand-over of houses to purchasers must not exceed 70% of the house value stated in contracts.

2. The commercial house-selling and purchasing or -leasing order and procedures shall comply with the provisions of Chapter V of this Law.

3. Commercial house-selling or -leasing prices as well as payment modes shall be agreed upon in contracts by the parties.

Article 40.- Commercial house-designing standards

Commercial  houses  must  be  designed  under  general  standards  prescribed  by  the  law  on construction and the following standards:

1. Condominiums must be designed with enclosed apartments having a floor area of not less than 45 m2 each;

2. Separate houses constructed adjacently to each other under projects must have a construction area of not less than 50 m2 each and the frontage of not smaller than 5 m wide;

3. Villa houses must not be built with more than three storeys and the construction area must not exceed 50% of the land premise.

Section 3. DEVELOPMENT OF SEPARATE HOUSES OF HOUSEHOLDS, INDIVIDUALS

Article 41.- Forms of developing separate houses of households, individuals

1. Development of separate houses means that households or individuals invest by themselves in construction of houses in the land premises under their use rights.

2. Construction of separate houses of households or individuals shall be in one of the following forms:

a/ Self-construction of houses;

b/ Hiring other organizations or individuals to build houses;

c/ Cooperating with and assisting one another in house construction in rural areas.

Article 42.- Requirements on development of separate houses of households, individuals

1.  Households,  individuals  must  have  lawful  land  use  rights,  have  houses  not  banned  from modification or reconstruction according to the provisions of law on construction.

2. Development of separate houses of households, individuals in urban centers, rural residential areas must  be in line with the plannings approved by competent  authorities;  have construction permits, except for cases where construction permits are not required under the provisions of law on construction.

3. Construction of separate houses in urban centers must ensure connection with common urban technical infrastructure systems.

Article 43.- Responsibilities of households, individuals in development of separate houses

1. To comply with the construction planning,  architecture,  order and procedures in construction investment.

2. To bear responsibility for the house quality.

3.  To  contribute  labor  and  fund  to  the  construction  of  common  technical  infrastructures  under regulations of provincial-level People’s Councils.

Article  44.-  Rural  households,  individuals  cooperate  with  and  assist  one  another  in  house construction

1.  Households  and  individuals  in  rural  areas  may  voluntarily  cooperate  with  one  another  in construction of houses with the financial capability, labor, materials of the group members.

2.  Group members must  reach  agreement  on  ways  of  contributing capital,  labor, materials,  on implementation  duration,  rights  and  obligations  of  members  and  commit  to  realize  the  group’s agreement.

3. The State adopts preferential policies on loan terms and interest rates and supply model house designs for member households, individuals to build houses.

Section 4. DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL HOUSES

Article 45.- Social-house funds

1. The State works out mechanisms and policies for development of social-house funds for rent or rent-purchase by the subjects defined in Articles 53 and 54 of this Law.

2.  The  State  encourages  domestic  and  foreign  organizations  and  individuals  of  all  economic sectors to invest in the development of social-house funds.

3.  Social  house  fund-developing  organizations  and  individuals  shall  be  exempt  from  land  use levies,  land  rents for the  land  used  for construction  of  social  houses;  be  entitled to  exemption from and/or reduction of relevant taxes according to the provisions of law.

Article 46.- Requirements on social-house development

1. To ensure the construction quality under the provisions of law on construction.

2. To suit low-income earners’ capabilities of rent payment or rent-purchase payment.

3.  To  strictly  manage  the  process  of  investment,  construction,  consideration  and  approval  of subjects entitled to rent, rent-purchase and use the social-house funds.

Article 47.- Social house-designing standards

1.  Social  houses  in  urban  areas  must  be  condominiums  designed  to  meet  general  standards prescribed by the law on construction and to have the following number of storeys:

a/ In urban centers of special grade, they must be five-storey or six-storey houses;

b/ In urban centers of grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4 or grade 5, they must be houses with no more than six storeys.

2. The floor area of each apartment shall not exceed 60 m2 and be completed according to house grades,           and must not be   smaller than 30 m2.

3. Social houses must satisfy the technical and social infrastructure standards prescribed for each type of urban center.

4. Apart from the areas specified in Clause 1 of this Article, in other areas endowed with favorable land conditions, condominiums with less storeys or separate houses may be built, provided that the construction quality must correspond to that of houses of grade 3 or higher and the provisions of Clauses 2 and 3 of this Article must be complied with.

Article 48.- Social-house development planning

1. Plannings on construction of urban centers, rural residential areas, economic zones, industrial parks, export processing zones, hi-tech parks must clearly identify the planning on social-house construction.

2.  Formulation,  approval  and  publicization  of  social  house  construction  plannings  shall  comply with the provisions of Article 31 of this Law.

Article 49.- Land for development of social houses

1. Based on the approved construction plannings, land use plannings and plans and social-house development projects, competent People’s Committees shall assign or lease land for investment in the construction of social houses.

2. The State shall exempt land use levies or land rents upon land assignment or land lease for social-house development projects.

Article 50.- Social-house development project investors

1. Provincial-level People’s Committees shall select investors for development of  social houses under state ownership for lease, rent-purchase in their respective localities.

2. Organizations and individuals developing social houses for the subjects defined in Articles 53 and 54 of  this Law to rent or rent-purchase shall be investors of  housing development projects they have invested in.

3. Investors shall have the following responsibilities:

a/ To ensure the house construction progress and quality strictly according to the requirements of the approved projects;

b/  To  make  public  and  transparent  in  their  head-offices  and  on  the  mass  media  the  projects’ detailed  plannings,  the  number  of  houses,  the  number  of  houses  already  leased  or  rent- purchased, the remaining number of  houses, the leasing prices, the contents of  registration for house rent, rent-purchase and procedures for signing contracts on house rent, rent-purchase;

c/ To report to provincial-level People’s Committees on the results of attaining the targets set in the projects upon project completion;

d/ To keep documents related to projects on construction of  social houses and transfer them to units managing the operation of this house fund.

Article 51.- Construction and management of operation of social houses

1.  Selection of  consultancy units,  social  house-building enterprises must  be conducted through bidding under the provisions of law.

2.  Provincial-level  People’s  Committees  shall  decide  on  the  selection  of  units  managing  the operation of social house funds according to the following principles:

a/ In cases where two or more units register for bidding, the selection shall be conducted through bidding as provided for by law;

b/ In cases where only one unit registers for bidding, such unit shall be assigned to perform the management if it is fully capable and qualified for the management of house operation;

c/  In cases  where  no  unit  registers for  bidding,  the  organizations functioning  to manage  state- owned houses shall be assigned to perform the job.

3.  Units  managing  the  operation  of  social-house  funds  shall  enjoy  the  regimes  applicable  to public-utility enterprises and preferences in public-service activities according to the provisions of law.

Article 52.- Investment capital sources

1. Investment capital for construction of social houses shall be raised from the following sources:

a/ Proceeds from the sale, lease, rent-purchase of state-owned houses;

b/ 30% to 50% of land use levies in housing development projects in localities;

c/ State budget investment;

d/ Support money, voluntary contributions of domestic and foreign organizations and individuals;

e/ Money mobilized from other lawful capital sources under the provisions of law.

2. The Government shall specify sources of investment capital for construction of social houses, units managing social-house funds and contents of use management of these funds, ensuring the principle of capital preservation.

Article 53.- Subjects entitled to and conditions for social house rent

1. Subjects entitled to rent social houses are public servants, officers and professional army men of  the  people’s  armed  forces,  workers  in  economic  zones,  industrial  parks,  export  processing zones, hi-tech parks and other subjects defined by the Government.

2.  Persons  specified  in  Clause  1  of  this Article  who  have  low  incomes  and  fall  in  one  of  the following cases shall be entitled to rent social houses:

 

a/ They have no houses under their ownership and have not yet rented or purchased state-owned houses;

b/ They have houses under their ownership but the average area in the household is under 5 m2 of floor area/person;

c/  They  have  houses  under  their  ownership,  which  are,  however,  makeshifts,  damaged  or dilapidated.

Article 54.- Subjects entitled to, and conditions for, rent-purchase of social houses

The subjects entitled to, and the conditions for, rent-purchase of social houses shall comply with the provisions of Article 53 of this Law. Social-house rent-purchasers must make the first payment equal to 20% of the value of the rent-purchased houses.

Article  55.-  Procedures  for  consideration  and  approval  of  lessees,  rent-purchasers  of  social houses

1. Subjects entitled to rent, rent-purchase social houses must file their applications to agencies, organizations or units where they are working.

2. Based on the provisions of Articles 53 and 54 of this Law, agencies, organizations or units shall give certification of the subjects entitled to, and the conditions for, rent or rent-purchase of social houses to the applicants. After getting the certification of  their agencies,  organizations or units, the  persons  wishing  to  rent  or  rent-purchase  social  houses  shall  send  their  applications  to provincial-level People’s Committees for consideration and decision.

3.  Provincial-level  People’s Committees shall  base on the social-house funds and compare the provisions of this Section to decide on the lessees, the rent-purchasers, to stipulate the order and procedures for social-house rent,  rent-purchase. Where the social-house funds fail  to meet  the demand, the rent, rent-purchase must be conducted in the priority order.

Article 56.- Determination of leasing prices, rent-purchase prices of social houses

1. Social house-leasing or rent-purchasing prices must ensure the principles:

a/ Preserving capital for further investment in the development of social house funds;

b/  Fully  covering  the  costs  of  management,  maintenance,  repair  during  the  leasing  or  rent- purchase term.

2. The Government shall provide the price bracket for use as a basis for provincial-level People’s Committees to promulgate house-leasing or rent-purchase prices in their localities.

Article 57.- Principles for lease, rent-purchase of social houses

1.  Lease,  rent-purchase of  social  houses must  be carried out for the right  subjects;  lessees or rent-purchasers  must  not  assign  houses  in  any  form  during  the  lease  or  rent-purchase  term, excluding the case of house inheritance defined in Clause 2, Article 106 of this Law; if they violate this  provision,  the  units  managing  the  social-house  funds  shall  be  entitled  to  recover  such houses.

2. Within the same period, each subject specified in Articles 53 and 54 of this Law may only rent or rent-purchase a given area under the social-house norms.

3.  If  subjects entitled to rent-purchase social  houses,  after being granted the house  ownership right  certificates,  sell  such  houses,  the  social  house  fund-managing  units  shall  have  the  pre- emptive  right  for  the  purchase;  where  the  social  house-managing  units  do  not  purchase,  the house owners may sell such houses to other persons.

Social  house-reselling  prices  must,  in  all  circumstances,  not  exceed  the  prices  of   newly constructed houses of the same type set by provincial-level People’s Committees at the time of payment.

Section 5. DEVELOPMENT OF OFFICIAL-DUTY HOUSES

Article 58.- Official-duty house fund

1. The State invests budget capital for construction of official-duty houses.

2. Official-duty houses are those under state ownership, which are constructed for the subjects defined in Article 60 of this Law to rent while performing their work.

Article 59.- Responsibilities to develop official-duty houses

1. Agencies having officials and employees entitled to stay in official-duty houses must  identify their demands for official-duty houses and send them to provincial-level People’s Committees for sum-up.

2.  Based  on  the  results  of  summing  up  the  demands  for  official-duty  houses,  provincial-level People’s Committees shall  direct the elaboration of  plannings,  plans,  projects for investment in construction of  official-duty houses and approve them or submit  them to the Prime Minister for approval.

3. Provincial-level People’s Committees shall organize the investment and construction and the management of operation of official-duty houses in their localities.

Article 60.- Subjects entitled to rent official-duty houses

1.  Officials  and  employees  of  Party  and  State  agencies,  socio-political  organizations  who  are transferred or rotated according to working requirements and have no own houses in localities where they come to work.

2. Professional officers of the people’s armed forces who are transferred in service of defense or security requirements.

3.  Party  and  State  leaders  who  are  entitled  to  stay  in  official-duty  houses  while  holding  their positions.

Article 61.- Principles for management of official-duty houses

1. Official-duty houses must be used for the right purposes and the right subjects.

2.  When  the  official-duty  house  lessees  are  no  longer  entitled  to  rent  official-duty  houses  or transferred to work in other places or retire from their work, they shall have to return the official- duty houses.

3. In cases where the lessees return the official-duty houses and meet with housing difficulties, the  agencies  oorganizations  where  such  personwork  shall  work  with  the  provincial-level Peoples Committees of the localities where they live in basing on the specific situation to permit them to rent or rent-purchase the official-duty houses.

4. The Government shall specify the subjects, construction investment, management and lease of official-duty houses.

Section 6. SUPPORT FOR, FACILITATION OF HOUSING IMPROVEMENT

Article  62.-  Social  policy  beneficiaries  entitled  to  be  provided  with  support  and  conditions  for housing improvement

1. Persons with meritorious services to the revolution.

2. Poor households in mountainous regions or areas frequently affected by natural disasters.

3. Particularly disadvantaged households.

Provincial-level  People’s Committees shall  specify  poor  households,  particularly  disadvantaged households defined in Clauses 2 and 3 of this Article as suitable to the local situation.

Article 63.- Conditions for being provided with supports, conditions for housing improvement

Social   policy   beneficiaries   entitled   to   be   provided   with   supports,   conditions   for   housing improvement defined in Clauses 2 and 3 of Article 62 of  this Law must fall in one of  the cases meeting with housing difficulties defined in Clause 2, Article 53 of this Law.

Article 64.- Forms of housing improvement supports, conditions

The  State,  economic  organizations,  social  organizations,  population  communities  shall  provide supports and conditions for social policy beneficiaries to improve their housing conditions in one of the following forms:

1. Funding support for purchase of houses with deferred payment or installment payment or rent of houses;

2. Exemption from or reduction of land use levies when they purchase state-owned houses or are assigned land by the State for house construction;

3.  Provision  of  supports  in  funding,  materials,  labor  for  repair,  renovation  or  construction  of houses;

4. Donation of gratitude houses, charity houses.

Chapter IV

MANAGEMENT OF USE OF HOUSES

Section 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS ON MANAGEMENT OF USE OF HOUSES

Article 65.- Contents of management of use of houses

1. Compiling and archiving housing dossiers.

2. Providing warranty, maintenance of, renovating or demolishing houses.

Article 66.- Compilation and archive of housing dossiers

1. Dossiers are required for all types of houses and must be archived.

2. House owners, organizations assigned to manage state-owned house funds or current users of houses  of  which  the  owners  are  not  yet  identified  shall  have  to  compile  and  archive  house dossiers and submit one copy thereof to agencies which grant house ownership right certificates for archival in service of house management.

3.  House  dossiers  submitted  to  house  ownership  right  certificate-granting  agencies  shall  be provided as follows:

a/ For urban houses established from the effective date of this Law, a house dossier shall cover the following contents: the name and address of the house owner; one of the papers specified in Article 15 of  this Law; the name and address of  consultancy unit, construction unit (if  any); the design  drawing  or  the  drawing  on  the  plan  of  the  house,  residential  land  (if  any);  the  work completion dossier as required by the law on construction;

b/ For rural houses established from the effective date of this Law, a house dossier shall cover the following contents: the name and address of the house owner; one of the papers specified in Article 15 of this Law; the design drawing or the drawing of the plan of the house, residential land (if any);

c/ For houses established before the effective date of this Law, a house dossier shall cover the following  contents:  the  name  and  address  of  the  house  owner;  one  of  the  papers  specified  in Article 15 of this Law.

Article 67.- House insurance

1. The State encourages house owners to buy house insurance.

2.  The  house  insurance  contents  and  procedures  shall  comply  with  the  provisions  of  law  on insurance business.

Article 68.- House owners’ responsibilities in the use of houses

1. To compile and archive house dossers according to the provisions of  Clause 2, Article 66 of this Law.

2.  To  implement  regulations  on  house  use;  to  keep  and  preserve  houses,  to  ensure  fire prevention  and  fighting,   environmental   sanitation,  security   and  order;  to  perform  financial obligations in the course of using houses as provided for by law.

3.  When  causing  damage  to  house  sections  under  common  ownership  or  houses  of  other owners, to restore the original state thereof or pay compensations according to the provisions of law.

4. To conduct maintenance of sections under their private ownership according to regulations; to contribute  fully  and  on  time  funding  amounts  payable  under  regulations  on  management, operation,  maintenance  of  the  system  of  equipment,  system  of  technical  infrastructure,  house sections under common ownership.

5.  To  create  conditions  for  related  parties  and  responsible  persons  to  conduct  inspection, supervision  and  maintenance  of  equipment  system,  technical  infrastructure  system,  house sections under common ownership.

Article 69.- Responsibilities of house users who are not house owners

Persons  who  rent,  borrow  or  temporarily  stay  in,  or  are  authorized  to  manage  other  people’s houses shall have to use such houses under contracts signed with the house owners and strictly comply with this Law’s provisions on house use.

Section 2. MANAGEMENT OF USE OF CONDOMINIUMS

Article  70.-  Sections  under  private  ownership  and  sections  under  common  ownership  in condominiums

1.  Condominiums are houses with two or more storeys,  which have passages,  stair cases and infrastructure   systems   commonly   used   by   many   households,   individuals.   Condominiums comprise  sections  privately  owned  by  families  or  individuals  and  sections  under  the  common ownership of all households and individuals using such condominiums.

2. Sections under private ownership in condominiums include:

a/ Areas inside apartments, including balcony areas, loggias attached to such apartments;

b/ Other areas in condominiums, recognized to be under private ownership under the provisions of law;

c/ Systems of exclusive-use technical equipment attached to apartments, the areas under private ownership.

3. Sections under common ownership in condominiums include:

a/ Areas of  condominiums other than the areas under private ownership defined in Clause 2 of this Article;

b/  Space  and  systems  of  force-bearing  structures,  technical  equipment  under  common  use  in condominiums, including house frames, pillars, force-bearing walls, walls surrounding the houses, apartment partition walls, floors, roofs, tops, corridors, steps, lifts, exits, garbage discharge pipes, technical  boxes,  car parks,  systems of  power,  water  or gas supply,  communications,  radio and television,  water drainage,  decompost  tanks,  lightning arresters,  fire fighting and other sections not under private ownership of any apartment;

c/ Systems of outside technical infrastructures connected to condominiums.

Article 71.- Organization of use of condominiums

1.  For  each  condominium,  a  management  board  must  be  formed  to  act  as  representative  of owners  and  users  in  protecting  their  rights  and  legitimate  interests  in  the  course  of  using  the condominium.

Within  twelve  months  after  condominiums  are  put  to  use,  investors  shall  have  to  organize meetings of  condominium  owners and  users (hereinafter called  the  condominium  meetings)  to elect  management  boards.  Investors  shall  have  to  prepare  relevant  contents  for  consideration and decision at the condominium meetings.

Pending the establishment of a management board, investors shall have to perform the tasks of the management board.

2.  A condominium  management  board  shall  comprise  representatives  of  owners  and  users  of such condominium.

3. The membership of a management board shall be decided by the condominium meeting. The term of a management board shall be three years at most. The management boards shall operate on the principle of collectiveness and decision by majority.

Article 72.- Rights and responsibilities of management boards

The condominium management board shall have the following rights and responsibilities:

1. To elaborate internal rules on the use of the condominium, suitable to the specific conditions of the  condominium  and  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  law  and  submit  them  to  the condominium meetings for consideration and adoption;

2.  To  select  and  sign  contracts  with  condominium  operation-managing  enterprises;  to  cancel contracts in cases where such enterprises fail to comply with their commitments; to supervise the operations of condominium-managing enterprises according to the contents of signed contracts;

3. To gather and sum up users’ opinions and proposals relating to the condominium management and  use  and  the  condominium  service  provision,  and  work  with  functional  bodies,  relevant organizations and individuals in consideration and settlement thereof;

4. To inspect and supervise the use, warranty and maintenance of the condominium according to regulations;

5.  To  coordinate  with  local  administration,  population  groups  in  building  up  civilized  lifestyle, maintaining social order and safety in the condominium assigned to them for management;

6. To collect payable amounts from house owners and users as well as charges for the use of sections under common ownership of the condominium (if any);

7.  To make  payments to  condominium  operation-managing  enterprises  under  signed  contracts and pay responsibility allowances to members of  the management  boards and other expenses according to regulations of the condominium meetings;

8. To perform other tasks assigned by condominium meetings.

The  central  agency  performing  the  state  management  of  houses  shall  issue  regulations  on condominium  management,  guide  and  inspect  the  management  and  use  of  condominiums throughout the country.

Article 73.- Condominium operation-managing enterprises

1. Management of condominium operation must be performed by enterprises having professional capabilities in management of condominium operation.

Condominium  operation-managing  enterprises  shall  manage  and  operate  technical  systems, equipment and facilities, provide services for condominiums, maintain condominiums and perform other tasks under contracts signed with the condominium management boards.

2.  Condominium  operation-managing  enterprises  are  organized  to  manage  condominiums  in different geographical areas.

In  cases  a  locality  has  no  condominium  operation-managing  enterprise  yet,  the  condominium management  boards  may  sign  contracts  with  condominium  operation-managing  enterprises  in other  localities  for  management  of  the  condominiums  or  investors  shall  have  to  manage  and provide services for condominiums.

3.  Condominium  operation  management  services  shall  enjoy  regimes  applicable  to  public services.

Section 3. HOUSE WARRANTY, MAINTENANCE, RENOVATION

Article 74.- House warranty

1. Houses shall be provided with warranty after they are completely constructed and put to use.

2.  Organizations  or  individuals  building  houses  shall  have  to  provide  warranty  for  houses; organizations and individuals supplying house equipment shall have to provide warranty for the equipment they have supplied.

Where houses are constructed with investment for sale, the house sellers shall have to provide warranty  for  a  duration  specified  in  Clause  4  of  this  Article.  The  house  sellers  may  request organizations or individuals that have constructed the houses or supplied equipment to perform the warranty responsibility for such houses.

3.  The  warranty  contents  shall  cover  the  repair,  replacement  of  house  structures,  damaged equipment, defects or abnormal operation, for which the users are not at fault.

4. The house warranty period shall be counted from the date the investors sign the minutes on acceptance of houses for putting to use and be specified as follows:

a/   At least  sixty months for condominiums of  nine or more storeys and houses of  other types which are constructed with the state budget investment;

b/ At least thirty six months for condominiums of between four and eight storeys;

c/ At  least  twenty four months for  houses other  than  those  specified  at  Points a  and  b  of  this Clause.

Article 75.- House maintenance

1.  House  maintenance  means  periodical  maintenance  of  houses  and  repair  upon  damage  in order to maintain the house quality.

2.  House owners shall  have to maintain their houses under the provisions of  this Law and the provisions of law on construction.

Article 76.- House renovation

1. House renovation means upgrading or expansion of the existing houses.

2. House owners may renovate their houses; persons who are not house owners may renovate houses in cases where the house owners so agree in writing. Renovation of houses must comply with the provisions of this Law and the provisions of law on construction.

Article 77.- House maintenance, renovation requirements

1.  To  ensure  safety for  humans and  property,  environmental  sanitation  under the  provisions of law.

2.  To  carry  out  renovation  in  strict  accordance  with  construction  permits,  for  cases  where renovation requires construction permits.

Article 78.- Rights and obligations of house owners in maintenance and renovation of houses

1. House owners shall have the following rights in house maintenance and renovation:

a/  To  conduct  maintenance,  renovation  of  houses  by  themselves  or  hire  organizations  or individuals having full capability for practicing construction to perform the job. In case of  house overhaul or renovation which, under regulations, requires construction permits, the house owners may only perform the job by themselves if they are fully capable of practicing construction;

b/  To  request  functional  agencies  to  grant  permits  and  create  conditions for  house  renovation when the conditions prescribed by the law on construction are fully met;

c/  To  authorize  other  persons  to  carry  out  the  procedures  and  perform  the  maintenance, renovation of their houses.

2. House owners shall have the following obligations in house maintenance and renovation:

a/  To fully  comply  with  the  provisions of  law on  house  maintenance  and  renovation;  to  create conditions for other house owners to perform the maintenance and renovation of their houses;

b/ To compensate for damage caused by the maintenance, renovation of their houses;

c/ After repair or renovation, if  the current status of  the houses changes as compared  with the contents in the granted house ownership right certificates, the house owners must go to agencies competent  to  grant  house  ownership  right  certificates  for  certification  of  such  changes  in  the certificates.

Article 79.- Maintenance, renovation of houses currently on lease

1. The house lessors shall perform the maintenance or renovation of houses on lease. The house lessees  must  create  conditions  for  the  house  lessors  to  perform  the  house  maintenance  or renovation.

2.  The  house  lessors  may  renovate  the  houses  upon  the  lessees’  consent,  except  for  force majeure  reasons.  The  house  lessors  may  adjust  the  rents  reasonably  after  the  completion  of renovation if the remaining lease term represents one-third or less of the contractual term. In case the lessees disagree with the rent adjustment, they may unilaterally terminate the house-leasing contracts and get compensations for damage as provided for by law.

3.  Where the lessees have  to move to  other  places for  house  maintenance  or renovation,  the parties shall reach agreement on temporary dwelling places and house rents in the maintenance or renovation period. Where the lessees arrange the lodgings by themselves and have already paid the rents for the whole maintenance or renovation period, the house lessors pay the lessees the paid rent amounts for the maintenance or renovation duration. The maintenance or renovation duration  shall  not  be  counted  into  the  term  of  the  house  lease  contracts.  The  lessees  may continue renting the houses upon completion of house maintenance or renovation.

4. The house lessees may request the lessors to maintain the houses, except for cases where the houses suffer damage caused by the lessees. Where the lessors do not repair the houses, the lessees may repair them but must notify such to the lessors at least thirty days in advance. The written notice must clearly state the repair extent and cost. The lessors must repay the repair cost to the lessees or gradually deduct it from the house rents.

Article 80.- Maintenance, renovation of houses under common ownership.

1.  Owners of  houses under common ownership shall have the right  and obligation to maintain and  renovate  houses  under  common  ownership  corresponding  to  their  respective  ownership rights;  in  cases  where  the  ownership  rights  of  each  owner  of  the  houses  under  common ownership  cannot  be  identified,  the  maintenance  or  renovation  responsibility  shall  be  equally divided to all owners of  the houses under common ownership. The renovation of  houses under common ownership must be agreed upon in writing by the owners.

2.  Share  of  costs  of  maintenance,  renovation  of  sections  under  common  ownership  shall  be agreed upon by owners of houses under common ownership and made in writing with signatures of the parties.

Article 81.- Condominium maintenance, renovation

1.  Condominium  owners  shall  have  the  responsibility  to  maintain  the  sections  under  their respective  private  ownership,  and  fulfill  the  obligation  in  maintenance  of  the  sections  under common ownership.

The  Government  shall  specify  funding  amounts  for  the  maintenance  of  condominium  sections under common ownership.

2. Renovation of multi-storey condominiums must be carried out with designs and cost estimates approved by competent authorities; in case of area expansion, it must be agreed upon by at least two-thirds of the total number of condominium owners.

Article 82.- Maintenance and renovation of houses under state ownership

1. Maintenance of  state-owned houses shall be performed by agencies or enterprises assigned by the State to manage such houses.

Renovation of state-owned houses must be carried out according to designs and cost estimates already approved by competent state bodies.

2.  State-owned  houses  leased  or  used  as  official-duty  houses  shall  be  renovated  under  the provisions of Article 79 of this Law; in cases where house managing agencies permit in writing the official-duty  house  lessees  to  carry  out  the  renovation  with  their  own  money,  the  renovated sections of the houses still belong to state ownership and the organizations assigned to manage such houses shall have to refund the money amounts to the house lessees or gradually deduct them from rents payable by the lessees.

Section 4. HOUSE DEMOLITION

Article 83.- Houses subject to demolition

1. Houses which are damaged, degraded and in danger of collapse as concluded by competent construction quality inspection bodies.

2. Houses subject to clearance for land recovery under decisions of competent state bodies.

3. Multi-storey condominiums with expired use duration.

4. Houses subject to demolition under the provisions of law on construction.

Article 84.- Responsibilities to demolish houses

1. House owners shall have the responsibility to demolish houses. In cases where houses must be  cleared  for  construction  of  other  works,  the  work  investors  shall  have  the  responsibility  to demolish the houses.

2. House owners shall themselves demolish the houses if they are fully capable thereof under the provisions  of  law  on  construction  or  hire  capable  construction  organizations  or  individuals  to demolish the houses.

3. Demolition of condominiums of two or more storeys and other houses of four or more storeys must  be  performed  by  capable  construction  enterprises  under  specific  demolition  schemes approved by competent state bodies, except for emergency cases.

4. Commune-level People’s Committees shall have to monitor and urge the demolition of houses in their respective localities.

Article 85.- House demolition requirements

1. To remove people and properties from areas under demolition.

2. To put up signboards and take measures for isolation with surrounding areas.

3. To ensure safety for people, properties, adjacent works, technical infrastructures not subject to demolition and ensure environmental sanitation according to the provisions of law.

4.  Not  to  demolish  houses  located  in  residential  areas  between  12.00  hrs  and  13.00  hrs  and between 22.00 hrs and 05.00 hrs, except for emergency cases.

Article 86.- Coercive demolition of houses

1. Where houses must be demolished under the provisions of Article 83 of this Law but the house owners,  project  investors  or  current  manager-users  do  not  voluntarily  demolish  the  houses, competent state bodies shall issue decisions to coerce the demolition.

2. Competence to issue decisions on coercive demolition of houses is provided as follows:

a/  Provincial-level  People’s  Committees  shall  issue  decisions  on  coercive  demolition  of  multi- storey condominiums and state-owned houses;

b/ District-level People’s Committees shall issue decisions on coercive demolition of houses other than those specified at Point a of this Clause.

3. Funding for coercive demolition of houses is provided for as follows:

a/  House  owners  or  project  investors  shall  have  to  bear  the  costs  of  coercion  and  expenses related to the demolition;

b/  Where  house  owners or  project  investors refuse  to  pay,  competent  state  bodies shall  issue decisions on application of coercive property-related measures to recover the demolition costs.

Article 87.- Lodgings for households, individuals upon demolition of their houses

1. House owners must find lodgings for themselves when their houses are subject to demolition.

2. Where the houses subject to ground clearance are demolished, the lodgings of households or individuals  shall  be  settled  in  accordance  with  the  policies  on  compensation,  support  and resettlement  upon  land  recovery  by  the  State  but  the  principle  that  the  new  lodgings  of households and individuals must be equal to or better than their former lodgings is guaranteed.

Article 88.- Demolition of houses currently on lease

1.  The  house  lessors must  notify in  writing  the  house  lessees of  the  time for  demolition,  their rights and obligations during the demolition process at least three months before carrying out the demolition, except for urgent cases.

2. In cases where demolition is carried out for reconstruction of houses during the leasing term, the  lessors  shall  have  the  responsibility  to  arrange  new  lodgings  for  the  lessees  during  the reconstruction of houses, except where the lessees agree to find lodgings by themselves. When the house reconstruction is completed, the house lessees shall be entitled to continue renting the houses until the expiration of contracts. Where the lessees find the lodgings by themselves, they must  not  pay  rents  for  the  period  of  house  demolition  and  reconstruction;  the  demolition  and reconstruction period shall not be counted into the house-leasing term.

Article 89.- Demolition of houses at house owners’ demands

1. Demolition of houses at house owners’ demands must comply with the provisions of Articles 84 and 85 of this Law.

2. Demolition of condominiums of many owners at demand must be agreed upon by two-thirds of the total number of condominium owners and must comply with the provisions of Articles 84 and 85 of this Law.

3. Where condominiums are demolished for reconstruction, there must be projects approved by competent  state  bodies,  ensuring  the  rights  to  resettlement  and  the  legitimate  interests  of condominium owners according to the provisions of law.

Chapter V

HOUSE-RELATED TRANSACTIONS

Section 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS ON HOUSE-RELATED TRANSACTIONS

Article 90.- Forms of house-related transactions

House-related  transactions  cover  forms  of  sale  and  purchase,  lease,  rent-purchase,  donation, exchange,  inheritance,  mortgage,  lending,  permitted  temporary  stay  by  others  and  authorized management of houses.

Article 91.- Conditions for houses to be transacted

1. In the transactions of sale and purchase, donation, exchange, inheritance, mortgage, lending, permitted temporary stay by others, authorized management of houses, the houses must satisfy the following conditions:

a/ Having house ownership right certificates as provided for by law;

b/ Being free from disputes over ownership rights;

c/  Not  being  distrained  for  execution  of  judgments  or  execution  of  administrative  decisions  of competent state bodies.

2.  For  leased  houses,  apart  from  the  conditions  stated  in  Clause  1  of  this Article,  they  must ensure  the  quality,  safety  for  house  lessees,  the  power  and  water  supply,  environmental sanitation and satisfy other essential conditions.

3.  For rent-purchased  houses,  the  standards provided for in  Section  4,  Chapter  III  of  this Law must be ensured.

Article 92.- Conditions on participants in house-related transactions

1. House sellers, lessors, lease-sellers, donors, exchangers, mortgagors, lenders, temporary stay permitters and management authorizers must satisfy the following conditions:

a/ Being house owners or representatives under the provisions of civil law;

b/  Having civil  act  capacity, for individuals;  having housing business function, for organizations selling  or  leasing  houses,  except  for  cases  where  organizations  sell  houses  not  for  business purposes.

2.  House  purchasers,  lessees,  rent-purchasers,  exchangees,  donees,  borrowers,  temporary stayers,  management  authorized are organizations or individuals; if  being domestic individuals, they must have civil act capacity regardless of their places of permanent residence registration; if being overseas Vietnamese, they must be subjects entitled to own or lease houses in Vietnam under the provisions of this Law; if being organizations, they shall not depend on their places of business registration.

Article 93.- Order and procedures for house-related transactions

1.  The  parties  shall  directly  or  through  their  representatives reach  agreement  on  the  sale  and purchase,  rent-purchase,  donation,  exchange,  mortgage,  lending,  permitted  temporary  stay, authorized management of houses (hereinafter referred collectively to house contracts). In cases where legal persons donate houses, there must be house-donation documents.

2. House contracts, house-donation documents must have the following contents:

a/ Names and addresses of the parties;

b/ Description of characteristics of the houses;

c/ Price and payment mode, if the contract contains the agreement on price;

d/  Time for  hand-over  and  receipt  of  the  house;  the  warranty  duration  (if  any);  the  duration  of house leasing, lending, permitted temporary stay, authorized management;

e/ Rights and obligations of the parties;

f/ Commitments of the parties;

g/ Other commitments;

h/ Day, month, year of signing the contract or document;

i/ Signatures of the parties (the seals and the positions of the signees, for organizations).

3. House contracts must be certified by public notaries or authenticated by district-level People’s Committees for  urban  houses,  authenticated  by  commune-level  People’s  Committees  for  rural houses, excluding the following cases:

a/ Individuals lease their houses for less than six months;

b/ The house sellers, lessors are organizations having the function to deal in houses;

c/ Rent-purchase of social houses;

d/ The house donors are organizations.

4. Either of the parties shall, according to their mutual agreement, pay taxes and fees according to provisions of law.

5. House purchasers, donees, exchangees, heirs shall have to submit dossiers for being granted house ownership right certificates according to the process provided for in Article 16 of this Law, except the cases where the house sellers are organizations having the function to deal in houses or  where  the  parties  otherwise  agree.  The  house  ownership  rights  shall  be  transferred  to  the purchasers, donees, rent-purchasers, exchangees as from the time the contracts are notarized, for  house-related  transactions between  individuals or  the  houses have  been  handed  over  and received  as  agreed  in  contracts,  for  house-related  transactions  to  which  a  party  is  a  house- dealing organization or from the time of opening the inheritance, for cases of inheriting houses.

6.  For cases of  leasing,  lending,  permitting  temporary  stay  in,  authorizing the management  of, houses  for  six  months  or  more,  the  lessors,  lenders,  temporary  stay  permitters,  management authorizers must  submit  to the commune-level People’s Committees of  the localities where the houses exist the copies of contracts regarding the provisions in this Clause.

7. The order of mortgaging houses shall comply with the provisions of civil law. Mortgagees may keep the house ownership right  certificates in the mortgage duration,  except  otherwise agreed upon by the parties.

Section 2. HOUSE TRADING

Article 94.- House trading prices

House  trading  prices  shall  be  agreed  upon  by  the  parties.  In  case  the  house  price  bracket  is provided for by law, the trading prices must not exceed such bracket.

Article 95.- House trading with deferred payment, installment payment

1.  House  trading  with  deferred  payment  or  installment  payment  shall  be  agreed  upon  by  the parties and  stated  in  house-trading  contracts.  In  the  period  of  deferred  payment  or  installment payment,  the  house  purchasers  are  entitled  to  use  the  houses  and  have  the  responsibility  to maintain such houses, except the cases where the houses remain in the warranty period under the provisions of law on construction or otherwise agree upon by the parties.

2. After the house purchasers have fully paid the house sellers and carried out the procedures for grant  of   house  ownership  right  certificates,  they  shall  be  granted  house  ownership  right certificates by competent state bodies.

3. The house purchasers may sell, donate or exchange houses to other persons only after they have made full payment to the house sellers, except the cases where the parties otherwise agree upon.

4. Where the house purchasers wish to return the purchased houses within the period of deferred payment or installment payment and obtain the consents of the sellers, the two parties shall reach agreement on modes of returning the houses and refunding the money paid for the houses.

Article 96.- Trading houses under common ownership

1. Sale of houses under common ownership by integration must be consented in writing by all the owners

In cases where an owner of a house under common ownership does not agree to sell it, the other owners of such house may file their application requesting the court to settle the case according to  the  provisions  of  law.  Owners  of  the  houses  under  common  ownership  shall  have  the preemptive right to buy the houses; if the owners of houses under common ownership do not buy the houses, such houses can be sold to other persons.

In cases where an owner of a house under common ownership is absent, who has been declared missing  by  the  court,  the  remaining  owners  of  such  house  may  sell  the  house;  the  house ownership right value of the missing person shall be handled according to the provisions of civil law.

2. In cases where an owner of a house under common ownership sells his/her ownership right, the other house owners shall have the preemptive right to buy it; within three months as from the date of receiving the notice on sale of ownership right and the selling conditions, if not any owner buys, such ownership right part shall be sold to other persons. In cases where the pre-emptive rights are violated, the violators shall be handled according to the provisions of civil law.

Article 97.- Trading of houses currently on lease

Where owners sell houses which are currently on lease, they must notify the lessees of the sale and the house-selling conditions; the lessees shall have the preemptive rights to buy if they have no other lodgings and have fulfilled their obligations, except the cases where the houses belong to  personal  ownership  and  houses  belong  to  common  ownership.  Within  one  month  after  the receipt  of  notices,  if  the lessees do  not  buy,  the house  owners may sell  such houses to other persons, except where the parties otherwise agree on the time limit.

Article 98.- Prior-purchase of houses

When the parties have already signed contracts on house trading but the State has the demand to buy such houses for use for national interests or public interests, the presidents of provincial- level People’s Committees shall issue decisions on prior-purchase of  such houses. The prices, conditions  and  payment  modes  shall  comply  with  the  agreement  in  house-trading  contracts concluded by the parties. The State shall pay damages to the parties (if any). The house-trading contracts concluded by the parties shall be no longer legally valid.

Section 3. HOUSE LEASE

Article 99.- House-leasing prices

1.  House-leasing  prices  shall  be  agreed  upon  by  the  parties.  Where  the  house-leasing  price bracket is provided for by law, the leasing prices must not exceed that bracket.

2. Where the contracts have not yet expired but the house lessors renovate the houses and get the  consent  of  the  lessees,  the  lessors may  adjust  the  house-leasing  prices.  The  new house- leasing  prices  shall  be  agreed  upon  by  the  parties;  where  they  cannot  reach  agreement,  the lessors may unilaterally terminate the house-leasing  contracts and must  pay compensations to the lessees according to the provisions of law.

Article 100.- Lease of houses under common ownership

1. Lease of houses under common ownership must be consented in writing by all the owners of such houses, except the cases where owners of the houses under common ownership lease the house sections under their respective ownership.

2. Owners of  houses under common ownership may agree to nominate their representatives to sign house-leasing contracts.

Article 101.- Lease of houses under state ownership

1. Lease of state-owned houses must be for the right subjects. The house lessees must use the houses for the right purposes, must not assign, exchange or sublease them.

2. Units assigned to manage state-owned house funds shall have to manage the use of houses, maintain and renovate them according to regulations on management of state-owned houses.

Article 102.- Cases where house-leasing contracts terminate

1. House-leasing contracts have expired; where contracts fail to identify the term, the contracts shall terminate after six months as from the date the lessors notify the lessees of the termination of the contracts.

2. The leased houses no longer exist.

3. The lessees have died without anyone living together.

4. The leased houses are heavily damaged, in danger of collapse or located in areas subject to land recovery, ground clearance or house demolition under decisions of competent state bodies.

Article 103.- Unilateral termination of performance of house-leasing contracts

1. The house lessors may unilaterally terminate the contracts when the lessees commit one of the following acts:

a/ Failing to pay rents as agreed upon in contracts for three or more consecutive months without plausible reasons;

b/ Using the houses not for the agreed purposes;

c/ Deliberately damaging the leased houses;

d/  Repairing,  renovating,  exchanging  the  houses  they  are  renting,  or  subleasing  such  houses without the consent of the house lessors;

e/  Causing  disorder,  environmental  unhygiene,  which  seriously  affects  the  daily  life  of  people around and has not been redressed even though such acts had been recorded for the third time by the lessors, population group leaders, village or hamlet chiefs.

2. The lessees may unilaterally terminate the house-leasing contracts when the lessors commit one of the following acts:

a/ Failing to repair their houses when they are heavily damaged;

b/ Increasing the house-leasing prices unreasonably or increasing the prices without notifying in advance the lessees thereof as agreed upon;

c/ When the house use rights are restricted due to interests of the third person.

3.  The  party  unilaterally  terminating  the  house-leasing  contracts must  notify  the  other  party  at least one month in advance, unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties.

4. The party unilaterally terminating the house-leasing contracts violates the provisions of Clause 3 of  this Article; if  causing damage, it must  compensate therefor according to the provisions of law.

Article 104.- The right to continue renting houses

1.  Where  house  owners  die  while  the  house-leasing  term  has  not  expired,  the  lessees  may continue  renting  the  houses  until  the  expiration  of  the  contracts.  The  heirs  shall  have  the responsibility  to  continue  performing  the  previously  signed  house-leasing  contracts,  unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties.

In cases where there is no heir under the provisions of  law,  such houses shall  belong to state ownership  and  the  current  lessees may  continue  renting  the  houses until  the  expiration  of  the contracts.

2.  In  cases  where  house  owners  transfer  the  ownership  rights  to  the  houses  currently  leased while the house-leasing term has not expired, the lessees may continue renting the houses until the  expiration  of  the  contracts;  new  house  owners  shall  have  the  responsibility  to  continue performing the previously concluded house-leasing contracts, unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties.

3. When the house lessees die while the house-leasing term has not expired, the persons who lived  together  with  the  lessees  may  continue  renting  the  houses  till  the  expiration  of  such contracts, unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties.

Section 4. RENT-PURCHASE OF SOCIAL HOUSES

Article 105.- Procedures for rent-purchase of social houses

1. Rent-purchase of  social houses means that the house lessees are recognized by competent state  bodies  to  have  the  ownership  rights  over  the  houses  they  are  renting  after  fulfilling  the lessees’ obligations within a set period of time.

2. Rent-purchase of social houses must be carried out under contracts concluded between units assigned to manage the social-house funds and the rent-purchasers.

3. Upon the expiration of the contractual rent-purchase term, the rent-purchasers of social houses must  carry  out  the  procedures  according  to  the  provisions  of  Article  16  of  this  Law  for  being granted house ownership right certificates.

Article 106.- Rights and obligations of social-house rent-purchasers

1. Social-house rent-purchasers must not transfer the rent-purchase rights in any form. In cases where they no longer have the rent-purchase demands, they must return such houses to social- house managing units. Social house-managing units must refund a sum of money equal to 20% of the contractual value initially paid by social-house rent-purchasers.

If  the  social-house  rent-purchasers  transfer  the  rent-purchase  rights  to  other  persons,  social house- managing units shall be entitled to recover the houses without having to refund the money amounts initially paid by social-house rent-purchasers.

2. Where a social-house rent-purchaser dies, the case shall be settled as follows:

a/ If his/her lawful heir(s) has (have) coinhabited in that house, such lawful heir(s) shall be entitled to continue to rent-purchase that house;

b/  If  his/her  lawful  heir(s)  has (have)  not  coinhabited  in  that  house  and  the  social-house  rent- purchaser has gone through two-thirds of the rent-purchase duration, the lawful heir(s) may fully pay the money amount  corresponding to the remaining one-third of  the rent-purchase duration and shall be granted house ownership right certificates by competent state bodies according to the provisions of this Law;

c/ If lawful heirs are available but not the subjects defined at Points a and b of this Clause, such lawful  heirs  shall  be  refunded  by  social  house-  managing  units  20%  of  the  money  amounts initially   paid  by   the  social-house  rent-purchasers   plus  the  interests  thereon  according  to regulations of the State Bank;

d/  If  there  is  no  lawful  heir,  the  social  house-  managing  units  shall  have  the  responsibility  to manage such houses.

Section 5. HOUSE DONATION

Article 107.- Donation of houses under common ownership

1. In case of donation of houses under common ownership by integration, the written consent of all the owners of the houses under common ownership is required.

2. In case of donation of houses under common ownership by shares, owners may only donate the  shares under  their  respective  ownership  and  guarantee  not  to  affect  the  interests of  other owners of the houses under common ownership.

3. Donees of houses under common ownership shall be recognized as owners of donated houses under common ownership as from the time house donation contracts are notarized.

Article 108.- Donation of houses currently on lease

1.  Owners  of  houses  currently  on  lease  must  notify  the  house  lessees  of  the  donation  of  the houses.

2. The lessees may continue renting the houses until the expiration of  the contracts concluded with the donors, unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties.

Section 6. HOUSE EXCHANGE

Article 109.- Exchange of houses under common ownership

1. Exchange of houses under common ownership by integration must be agreed upon in writing by all the owners of the houses under common ownership.

2. In case of exchange of houses under common ownership by shares, the owners of the houses under common ownership can exchange only the shares under their respective ownership and guarantee not to affect the interests of other joint owners.

Article 110.- Exchange of houses currently on lease

1. Owners of houses currently on lease must notify the lessees of the house exchange.

2. The lessees may continue renting the houses until the expiration of  the contracts concluded with the former house owners, unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties.

Article 111.- Payment of value difference

If a house exchange entails difference in value, the parties involved in the house exchange must pay such value difference, unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties.

Section 7. HOUSE INHERITANCE

Article 112.- Inheritance of houses under common ownership by integration

If the heir(s) of a house under common ownership by integration is (are) the remaining owner(s) of  the  house  under  common  ownership,  these  persons  are  entitled  to  inherit  such  houses according to testament or law. In cases where a heir is not owner of  the house under common ownership by integration, such heir shall be paid with the house value part he/she is entitled to.

Article 113.- Inheritance of houses under common ownership by shares

For houses under common ownership by shares, the shares of the estate leavers shall be divided

to testamentary or at-law heirs; if the houses are sold for division of their values, the heirs shall be given priority to buy them; if  the heirs do not  buy the  houses,  the other owners of  the houses under  common  ownership  shall  have  the  preemptive  rights  to  buy  the  inherited  parts  of  such houses and pay the value of the purchased houses to the heirs.

Section 8. HOUSE MORTGAGE

Article 114.- Conditions for house mortgage

House owners may mortgage their houses to ensure the performance of one or many obligations

if the values of such houses are bigger than the total value of the obligations but each can only mortgage his/her house at one credit institution.

Article 115.- Mortgage of houses under common ownership

Mortgage of houses under common ownership must be agreed upon in writing by all the owners of such houses. Owners of houses under common ownership shall bear joint responsibility for the performance of obligations of the house mortgagors according to the provisions of civil law.

Article 116.- Mortgage of houses currently on lease

House owners can mortgage their houses currently on lease but must notify the house lessees of the mortgage in writing. The lessees may continue renting the houses until the expiration of the contracts.

Where  houses  currently  on  lease  are  put  to  auction  for  performance  of  the  obligations  of  the house mortgagors, the house lessees may continue renting the houses until the expiration of the contracts, unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties.

Article 117.- Cases where house mortgage contracts terminate

1. The obligations guaranteed by the mortgage have been performed.

2. The house mortgage has been cancelled or replaced by other security measures.

3. The mortgaged houses have been handled.

4. Under agreement of the parties.

Article 118.- Handling of mortgaged houses

1. Handling of mortgaged houses for performance of obligations shall be effected through auction according to the provisions of law on property auction, except where the parties otherwise agree upon.  The  mortgagees  shall  be  given  priority  in  payment  from  the  proceeds  from  the  sale  of mortgaged houses after minus the expenses for preservation, for organization of house auction.

2. The purchasers of mortgaged houses shall be recognized as house owners from the time of concluding the contracts.

Section 9. LENDING, PERMITTING OTHERS TO TEMPORARILY STAY IN, ONE’S HOUSES

Article 119.- Lending, permitting others to temporarily stay in, houses under common ownership

1.  Lending of,  and the permitted temporary stay in,  houses under common ownership must  be agreed  upon  in  writing  by  all  the  owners  of  such  houses,  except  lending  of,  or  the  permitted temporary  stay  in  houses  under  private  ownership.  The  house  lenders  shall  have  the  right  to reclaim their houses according to provisions of the Civil Code.

2. Owners of  houses under common ownership may agree to nominate representatives to sign contracts on lending of, or permitted temporary stay in, their houses.

Article 120.- Cases of termination of contracts on lending of, permitted temporary stay in, one’s houses

1. The duration of house lending or permitted temporary stay has expired.

2. The houses lent or permitted for temporary stay by others no longer exist.

3. The house borrowers or the persons who are permitted to temporarily stay in others’ houses die without anyone living together with them.

4. The houses lent or permitted for temporary stay by others are in danger of collapse or subject to ground clearance, demolition or land recovery under decisions of competent state bodies.

5. Under agreement of the parties.

Section 10. HOUSE MANAGEMENT AUTHORIZATION

Article 121.- Contents of house management authorization

1.  House  management  authorization  means  that  house  owners  authorize  other  persons  to perform  the  owners’ responsibilities in  the  management  of  houses.  The  authorization  contents and duration shall be agreed upon by the parties and stated in the authorization contracts; if there is no agreement on the authorization duration, a contract on authorization shall be valid for one year as from the date the authorization contract is concluded.

2. The house management authorizers must pay managerial expenses, unless otherwise agreed upon by the parties.

Article 122.- Authorization of management of houses under common ownership

1.  Authorization  of  management  of  houses  under  common  ownership  by  integration  must  be agreed upon in writing by the owners of such houses.

Owners of  houses under  common ownership  who  possess  parts under  private  ownership  may authorize other persons to manage such privately owned parts but must not affect the interests of other owners.

2. Owners of houses under common ownership shall have the responsibility to notify other house owners  of  the  authorization  of  house  management,  except  where  the  persons  authorized  to manage the houses are also joint owners of such houses.

Article 123.- Cases of termination of contracts on house management authorization

1. The authorization contract has expired.

2. The authorization contents have been realized.

3.  The  authorizer  or  the  authorized  unilaterally  terminates  the  house  management  contract according to the provisions of Article 124 of this Law.

4. The authorizer or the authorized dies or has been declared dead by the court.

5. The authorized has been missing or been declared by the court as having lost civil act capacity.

6. Under agreement of the two parties.

Article 124.- Unilateral termination of performance of house management authorization contracts

1.  The  house  management  authorizers  shall  unilaterally  terminate  contracts  in  the  following cases:

a/ If the authorization covers management expenses, the authorizers shall not have to notify the authorized in advance of the unilateral termination of performance of the authorization contracts but must pay the authorized all management expenses corresponding to the work performed by the authorized and pay damages to the authorized;

b/  If  the  authorization  does  not  cover  management  expenses,  the  authorizers  must  notify  the authorized of  the unilateral termination of  the performance of  the authorization contract at least one month in advance.

2. The authorized shall unilaterally terminate the contract in the following cases:

a/  If  the  authorization  covers  management  expenses,  the  authorized  need  not  to  notify  the authorizer in advance of  the unilateral termination of performance of  the authorization contract, but must pay damages to the authorizer (if any);

b/  If  the  authorization  does  not  cover  management  expenses,  the  authorized  must  notify  the authorizer of the unilateral termination of  performance of the authorization contract at least one month in advance.

3. The house management authorizers and authorized must notify the relevant third party of the unilateral termination of performance of the house management authorization contracts.

Chapter VI

VIETNAM-BASED HOUSES OF OVERSEAS VIETNAMESE, FOREIGN ORGANIZATIONS OR INDIVIDUALS

Section 1. RIGHTS TO HOUSE OWNERSHIP

Article 125.- Rights of foreign organizations and individuals to own houses in Vietnam

1.  Foreign  organizations  and  individuals  investing  in  the  construction  of  houses  for  lease  in Vietnam  shall  be  granted  by  competent  state  bodies  certificates  of  ownership  rights  to  such houses.  The  duration  of  house  ownership  shall  be  the  duration  stated  in  the  investment certificates and specified in house ownership right certificates.

2. Foreign organizations and individuals investing in the construction of houses for sale, after the completion of construction under projects, investors may sell these houses to subjects entitled to own  houses  in  Vietnam  defined  in  Clause  2,  Article  9  of  this  Law.  Purchasers  of  houses  of organizations or individuals defined in this Clause shall be granted by competent bodies a house ownership right certificate according to the provisions of this Law.

3. Organizations or individuals investing in the construction of houses for sale shall have to pay land use levies and fulfill other financial obligations as provided for by law.

Article 126.- Overseas Vietnamese’s rights to own houses in Vietnam

1. Overseas Vietnamese returning to Vietnam for long-term investment, being persons with merits of  making  contributions  to  the  country,  cultural  activists,  scientists  wishing  to  conduct  regular activities  in  Vietnam  to  serve  the  cause  of  national  construction,  persons  permitted  to  lead  a stable life in Vietnam and other subjects defined by the National Assembly Standing Committee, may own houses in Vietnam.

2. Overseas Vietnamese other than those defined in Clause 1 of this Article, who have returned to Vietnam for stay for six or more months may each own a single house or an apartment.

Article 127.- Dossiers of application for house ownership right certificates

Dossiers  of  application  for  house  ownership  right  certificates  of  overseas  Vietnamese,  foreign organizations or individuals shall each comprise:

1. Application for house ownership right certificate;

2.  Copy  of  the  investment  certificate,  for  foreign  organizations  or  individuals  investing  in  the construction of houses for lease; the original of the contract on trading, donation of house, house inheritance papers as provided for by law, for overseas Vietnamese;

3. Papers certifying the subject entitled to own houses in Vietnam under the provisions of Clause 1, Article 125 and Article 126 of this Law;

4. Plan of the house, residential land.

Article 128.- House ownership right certificate-granting order, procedures

1.  Foreign  organizations and  individuals,  overseas Vietnamese  investing  in the  construction  of houses  for  lease,  after  the  completion  of  investment  construction,  shall  have  to  carry  out procedures for being granted house ownership right certificates as provided for in Article 16 of this Law before leasing the houses.

In case of investment in the construction of houses for sale, investors must carry out procedures for competent bodies to grant house ownership right certificates to house purchasers.

2. Overseas Vietnamese trading in, donating, inheriting houses under the provisions of Chapter V of  this  Law  must  compile  dossiers  for  competent  state  bodies  to  grant  house  ownership  right certificates.

Article  129.-  Rights  and  obligations  of  house  owners  being  overseas  Vietnamese,  foreign organizations or individuals

House  owners  being  overseas Vietnamese,  foreign  organizations or  individuals shall  have  the rights  and  obligations  defined  in  Articles  21  and  22  of  this  Law  but  have  to  comply  with  the following provisions:

1. To mortgage houses at credit institutions licensed to operate in Vietnam;

2.   To   sell,   donate,   bequeath   houses   to   domestic   organizations   or   individuals,   overseas Vietnamese entitled to own houses in Vietnam. In cases of  donating or bequeathing houses to other subjects, such subjects can only enjoy the value of such houses;

3.  When  their  investment  certificates  expire,  foreign  organizations  and  individuals  defined  in Article 125 of  this Law shall  have the responsibility to hand over the houses for lease and the unsold  houses  not  subject  to  demolition  to  the  provincial-level  People’s  Committees  of  the localities  where  such  houses  exist.  The  provincial-level  People’s  Committee  presidents  shall issue  decisions  to  establish  state  ownership  over  such  houses  and  assign  enterprises  with function  of  managing  state-owned  houses  to  manage  the  use  of  such  houses  according  to provisions of law.

Article 130.- Other provisions applicable to house owners

The procedures for grant, change, re-grant of house ownership right certificates or certification of changes after the grant of certificates shall comply with the provisions of Articles 12, 13, 14, 17, 18 and 19 of this Law applicable to overseas Vietnamese, foreign organizations and individuals.

Section 2. HOUSE RENTING

Article 131.- House lessees and renting conditions

Foreign organizations and individuals that are allowed to enter and stay in Vietnam for three or more consecutive months and overseas Vietnamese may rent houses in Vietnam.

Article 132.- Conditions on leased houses

Houses   in   Vietnam,   which   are   leased   to   overseas   Vietnamese,   foreign   organizations   or individuals, must fully satisfy the following conditions:

1. Being granted house ownership right certificates under the provisions of this Law;

2. Being separate houses or enclosed apartments;

3. Ensuring quality and safety for lessees;

4. Ensuring electricity and water supply, environmental sanitation and other essential conditions;

5. Being free from disputes over ownership rights or use rights.

Article 133.- Other regulations on house leasing

The provisions of Articles 92, 93, 99,  100, 102,  103 and 104 of  this Law shall be applicable to overseas Vietnamese, foreign organizations and individuals that rent houses in Vietnam.

Chapter VII

STATE MANAGEMENT OF HOUSES

Article 134.- Contents of state management of houses

1. To formulate and direct the implementation of orientations, programs, plannings and plans on housing development.

2. To promulgate legal documents on housing and organize the implementation thereof.

3. To promulgate house standards and manage house quality under house standards.

4. To recognize house ownership rights.

5. To permit or suspend the construction, renovation of houses.

6. To manage house dossiers.

7. To conduct surveys and statistics and build data on houses.

8. To research into, apply science and technology, and promote international cooperation in the housing domain.

9. To train human resources to meet housing development and management requirements.

10. To manage housing brokerage activities.

11. To manage house-related public services.

12.  To  examine,  inspect  and  settle  complaints  and  denunciations  and  handle  violations  in  the housing domain.

Article 135.- Housing development orientations, programs and plannings

1.   Based   on   socio-economic   development   programs,   the   Government   shall   promulgate orientations  for  national  housing  development,  which  shall  serve  as  bases  for  formulation  of specific policies to satisfy the people’s essential demands for improvement of housing conditions.

2.   Based   on   national   housing   development   orientations,   housing   policies,   provincial-level People’s  Committees  shall  draw  up  programs  for  housing  development  in  their  respective localities and submit them to provincial-level People’s Councils for adoption.

3.  Povincial-level  People’s  Committees  shall  have  to  elaborate  and  approve  plannings  on residential areas and housing development and draw up plannings, plans on the use of land for housing  development;  direct  the  implementation  of  housing  development  programs,  plannings and plans in their respective localities.

Article 136.- Promulgation of legal documents on housing

1.  Based on the Housing Law,  the national  housing development  orientations and the practical national   socio-economic   development   situation,   the   Government   shall   promulgate   legal documents on house management and use as well as housing development.

2. The central agency performing the state management of  houses shall, within the ambit of its tasks  and  powers,  have  to  promulgate  or  propose  competent  bodies  to  promulgate  legal documents on house management and use as well as housing development.

3.  Provincial-level  People’s  Committees  shall,  within  the  ambit  of  their  tasks  and  powers, promulgate  legal  documents on  house  management  and  use  as  well  as housing  development and organize the implementation of provisions of law on house management and use as well as housing development.

Article 137.- Permission, suspension of the construction, renovation of houses

1. Permission of house construction or renovation must be based on plannings on construction of urban centers and rural population quarters.

2.  Presidents  of  provincial-level  or  district-level  People’s  Committees  shall  approve  housing development projects in their respective localities according to decentralization.

3.  House  construction  or  renovation  requires  construction  permits  of  competent  state  bodies, except  the  cases  which  are  not  subject  to  construction  permits as  provided for  by  the  law  on construction.

4. House construction or renovation which fails to comply with the provisions of Clauses 1, 2 and 3  of  this Article  shall  be  suspended  by  agencies  competent  to  approve  housing  development projects or to grant construction permits.

Article 138.- Recognition of house ownership rights

1.  Competent  state  bodies  shall  have  to  grant,  change  and  re-grant  house  ownership  right certificates  to  organizations  and  individuals  that  lawfully  establish  their  houses  under  the provisions of this Law.

2.  The  central  agency  performing  the  state  management  of  houses  shall  have  to  inspect  and supervise the grant of house ownership right certificates throughout the country.

Article 139.- Management of house dossiers

1. Provincial-level house management agencies shall have to manage house dossiers defined in Article  66  of  this  Law,  for  cases  where  provincial-level  People’s  Committees  grant  house ownership right certificates.

2. District-level People’s Committees shall have to manage house dossiers defined in Article 66 of this  Law,  for  cases  where  district-level  People’s  Committees  grant  house  ownership  right certificates.

3. House dossier-managing agencies shall have to supply information on house dossiers when so requested by organizations or individuals. The information requesters must pay charges therefor according to the provisions of law.

Article 140.- Surveys, statistics, building of data on houses

1. People’s Committees at all levels shall have to make statistics and build up data on houses in their  respective  localities  in  service  of  requirements  of  elaboration  of  housing  development programs, plans.

2.  Once  every  five  years,  the  central  house  management  agency  shall  conduct  surveys  and synthesize data on houses throughout the country.

3. The Government shall allocate budget for surveys, statistics and building of data on houses.

Article 141.- Scientific and technological research and application, and international cooperation in the housing domain

1. The State adopts policies to encourage and create conditions for scientific and technological research  and  application  and  international  cooperation  in  service  of  housing  development  and management requirements.

2. The State shall provide funding supports for the application of new technologies, new materials in construction of houses to ensure construction quality, progress and cost reduction.

Article 142.- Training of human resources for housing development and management

1.  The  State  adopts  policies  on  training  of  cadres  and  public  servants  in  service  of  housing development and management.

2.  The  central  agency  performing  the  state  management  of  houses  shall  define  the  program contents and coordinate with provincial-level People’s Committees in organizing the fostering and raising   of   knowledge   on   housing   development,   business   and   state   management   for   the contingent of cadres and public servants.

Article 143.- Management of housing brokerage activities

1.  Organizations  and  individuals  conducting  housing  brokerage  activities  must  register  their housing brokerage business activities according to the provisions of law.

2. The Government shall specify the conditions for participation in housing brokerage activities.

3. The central agency performing the state management of houses shall promulgate regulations on organization of housing estate brokerage activities.

Article 144.- Management of house-related public services

1. House-related public service-providing organizations shall be set up to meet the demands of organizations and individuals in house management and use.

2.  The  central  agency  performing  the  state  management  of  houses  shall  issue  regulations  on house-related public services for nationwide application.

3. Provincial-level People’s Committees shall decide on the establishment of house-related public service-providing  organizations  and  promulgate  regulations  on  the  operations  thereof  in  their localities.

Article 145.- Inspection of the observance of law on housing

1.  The  specialized  construction  inspectorate  shall  have  to  inspect  the  observance  of  law  on housing.

2. Local house management agencies shall have to inspect the observance of law on housing in their respective localities.

Article 146.- House management agencies

1. The Government shall perform the unified state management of houses.

2. The central  agency performing the state management  of  houses shall  be answerable to the Government for performance of the unified state management of houses.

3.  Ministries and  ministerial-level  agencies shall,  within  the  ambit  of  their respective  tasks and powers, have to coordinate with the central agency performing the state management of houses in performing the state management of houses.

4.  People’s Committees of  all levels shall  have to perform the state management  of  houses in their respective localities under the Government’s decentralization.

The Government shall define the model of housing development and management organizations, efficiently ensuring the attainment of housing development objectives specified in this Law.

Chapter VIII

SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES, COMPLAINTS, DENUNCIATIONS AND HANDLING OF VIOLATIONS OF LAW ON HOUSING

Section 1. SETTLEMENT OF HOUSE-RELATED DISPUTES, COMPLAINTS, DENUNCIATIONS

Article 147.- Settlement of house-related disputes

1. The State encourages the parties to settle disputes over houses through conciliation.

2. Disputes over houses shall be settled by People’s Courts according to the provisions of law.

Article 148.- Complaints, denunciations and settlement of complaints, denunciations

1. Complaint, denunciation and settlement of complaints and denunciations shall comply with the provisions of law on complaints and denunciations.

2. While lodging their complaints, denunciations  or  initiating lawsuits,  organizations   and individuals  shall  still  have  to  abide  by  administrative  decisions  of  competent  state  bodies, excluding  decisions  on  coercive  demolition  of  houses.  Upon  the  issuance  of  decisions  on settlement  of  house-related  complaints  or  denunciations  by  competent  state  bodies  or  court judgments or rulings which have taken legal effect, the concerned parties shall have to execute such decisions or judgments.

Section 2. HANDLING OF VIOLATIONS OF LAW ON HOUSING

Article 149.- Handling of violators of law on housing

1. Persons committing acts of violating the law on housing shall be administratively handled or examined for penal liability, depending on the nature and seriousness of their violations.

2.   Organizations   and   individuals   that   build   houses   in   contravention   of   planning   without construction  permits,  for  cases  the  permits  are  required,  or  at  variance  with  permits,  shall  be handled according to the provisions of law.

3. Those who take advantage of their positions or powers to act against the provisions of law on housing, show irresponsibility in management thus letting violations occur or commit other acts of violation, thus causing damage to the rights and interests of  house owners, lawful house users shall  be  disciplined,  administratively  handled  or  examined  for  penal  liability  according  to  the provisions of law, depending on the nature and seriousness of their violations.

Article  150.-  Handling  of  violations  of  the  law  on  housing  which  cause  damage  to  the  State, organizations and/or individuals

Persons who commit acts of violating the law on housing, if causing damage to the interests of the State, the legitimate rights and interests of  organizations and/or individuals shall, apart from being handled according to Article 149 of this Law, still have to pay compensations therefor.

Chapter IX

IMPLEMENTATION PROVISIONS

Article 151.- Implementation effect

This Law shall take effect as from July 1, 2006.

Article 152.- Legal validity of house ownership right and land use right certificates issued before the effective date of the Housing Law

House ownership right and land use right certificates issued in previous periods, land use right certificates issued under the provisions of the land law which have recognized the houses build on such land shall remain legally valid and must not be changed under the provisions on house ownership right certificates of Article 11 of this Law, except where house owners wish to change them for new house ownership right certificates.

Article 153.- Implementation guidance

The Government shall detail and guide the implementation of this Law.

This  Law  was  passed  on  November  29,  2005,  by  the  XIth  National Assembly  of  the  Socialist Republic of Vietnam at its 8th session.

 

 

CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

 

 

 

 

Nguyen Van An

 

 

Đã xem:

Đánh giá:  
 

Thuộc tính Văn bản pháp luật 56/2005/QH11

Loại văn bảnLuật
Số hiệu56/2005/QH11
Cơ quan ban hành
Người ký
Ngày ban hành29/11/2005
Ngày hiệu lực01/07/2006
Ngày công báo...
Số công báo
Lĩnh vựcBất động sản
Tình trạng hiệu lựcHết hiệu lực 01/07/2015
Cập nhật7 năm trước
Yêu cầu cập nhật văn bản này

Download Văn bản pháp luật 56/2005/QH11

Lược đồ Law No. 56/2005/QH11 of November 29, 2005, on housing.


Văn bản bị đính chính

    Văn bản được hướng dẫn

      Văn bản đính chính

        Văn bản bị thay thế

          Văn bản hiện thời

          Law No. 56/2005/QH11 of November 29, 2005, on housing.
          Loại văn bảnLuật
          Số hiệu56/2005/QH11
          Cơ quan ban hànhQuốc hội
          Người kýNguyễn Văn An
          Ngày ban hành29/11/2005
          Ngày hiệu lực01/07/2006
          Ngày công báo...
          Số công báo
          Lĩnh vựcBất động sản
          Tình trạng hiệu lựcHết hiệu lực 01/07/2015
          Cập nhật7 năm trước

          Văn bản thay thế

          Văn bản gốc Law No. 56/2005/QH11 of November 29, 2005, on housing.

          Lịch sử hiệu lực Law No. 56/2005/QH11 of November 29, 2005, on housing.