Students flock to homestay accommodation because of its low prices.

Homestay-style shared accommodation rental services are booming

According to a survey conducted by PV on social networking groups and associations, typing in the keyword "homestay", a series of results appear one after another with specific, eye-catching information and images.

Vuong Minh Phuong (3rd year student, Academy of Journalism and Propaganda) staying at a homestay in lane 29 Dich Vong, Cau Giay said: "I have been here for nearly a year. Every month I have to pay about 1.3 - 1.5 million VND for renting a room, including 1 million VND for the room and the rest is for other expenses such as electricity, water, and sanitation".

According to Phuong, each room she is staying in has an area of about 25 square ^meters with 4 bunk beds for 8 people.

"Most of the roommates are students at universities in the area, so it's quite easy for us to "get into the swing of things" with this collective lifestyle.

Homestay-style boarding houses are being advertised widely on social networks. Photo: Khanh Linh — Homestay-style lodgings are booming and are being advertised widely on social media. Photo: Khanh Linh

Speaking of inconveniences, there are certainly. In a room of only a few dozen square meters, 8 people living and working together, it is difficult to avoid difficulties. For example, the different eating, sleeping and working hours of each person can also affect the others.

However, I still choose to rent a homestay because I can save some monthly expenses. Living here, I have more friends to share and help each other" - the female student confided.

As a new student coming to Hanoi to study, Tran Hong Quyen, a student at the College of Tourism, also chose to rent a homestay instead of living alone.

Quyen shared: “Recently, my family and I also researched the rental prices in some areas such as Pham Van Dong, Ho Tung Mau, Hoang Quoc Viet.

The rent for a single room will range from 2 to 2.5 million VND/room, not including many service fees. If you can't find a roommate, you will have to spend about 3 million VND per month on rent.

According to Quyen, she chose to rent a private homestay. With the current rental price, she will have to spend about 2 million VND per month but can use many amenities such as a kitchen, private bathroom, TV, air conditioner, washing machine. The room is much more spacious and airy than cheap single-room rentals.

Fear of potential risks

According to a landlord on Pham Tuan Tai Street, the main tenants are students and learners studying language at nearby centers.

"In general, the number of tenants is relatively stable, long-term from 6 months to 1 year, some have even stayed for nearly 2 years.

If you stay in a normal rental, you may have to pay from 1.7 to 2 million VND/month excluding other service fees, but with the homestay form, guests only need to spend 1.7 million VND to use electricity, water and many other utilities such as washing machine, internet, parking,... This is a suitable option for students and workers who want to limit living expenses" - this landlord said.

Homestay-style accommodation helps save costs but also has many potential problems due to differences in lifestyle and culture, and possibly conflicts when many people live in a cramped space. Photo: Thuy Dung

According to many real estate experts, the trend of turning traditional rented rooms and apartments into homestays has been implemented in countries around the world for many years and has only recently been implemented in Vietnam.

"This helps rebalance the supply and demand of housing in a period of increasingly high housing prices. Tenants also solve economic problems but still enjoy good services," said real estate experts.

However, this also makes many people worry that conflicts will arise when the living space is too cramped, as well as differences in culture and lifestyle.

Homestay is a new type of accommodation that has appeared in Hanoi for over a year now.

This is a dormitory style room with many bunk beds, the room is redesigned in hotel style, fully equipped, private bathroom, shared kitchen area, drying yard, washing machine separate from living space to ensure hygiene.

Modern rooms, monthly rent 1.5-2 million VND, including service fees such as electricity, water, internet.

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