How to get your deposit back when your Hanoi landlord says no

Deposit disputes are the most common sour ending to a Hanoi tenancy. Almost all of them are won or lost on day one, not at checkout.

Do this on move-in day

• Walk the apartment with the landlord and a written checklist
• Photograph every existing scratch, stain and fault, timestamped
• Test every appliance, tap and AC unit and note anything broken
• Both parties sign and keep a copy of the condition report

Do this at checkout

Give proper notice in writing, clean the apartment, and do the inspection together with your day-one photos on hand. When you can show the exact state you moved into, "normal wear and tear" arguments collapse.

Where Nest helps

Your advisor prepares the condition report, holds a copy, and is in the room (or on the call) at checkout to keep the conversation fair. The deposit terms are written in plain English in your contract from the start.