Mini-apartment buildings to get legal status

A mini apartment building is one with two or more floors, each containing apartments, according to changes in the housing law that were approved by over 85% of lawmakers Monday. This is the first time a mini apartment building has been defined in the law.

An individual who wants to construct such a building for the purpose of leasing or selling the apartments needs to acquire permits to operate as a property developer, and the apartments that meet national housing standards will be given a title deed, said the law, which comes into effect Jan. 1, 2025.

Under current laws, a property developer needs to obtain permits and inform authorities about the construction progress, number of apartments and cost, along with other required information.

The Standing Committee of the National Assembly said that the changes in the law were proposed to prevent the construction of low-quality mini-apartment buildings that contain many safety hazards, particularly in relation to fire regulations

Mini apartment buildings, however, are still an important type of property as they are being used by millions of people, especially in major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and therefore should be legalized, lawmakers have claimed.

Debates about the legal framework for this type of property have been heated in recent months after a fire broke out at a mini apartment building in Hanoi’s Thanh Xuan District on Sept. 12, killing 56 people and injuring 37 others.