Shortening the time to confirm dossiers
Decree 54/2026/ND-CP amending and supplementing a number of articles of decrees in the field of housing and real estate business has adjusted a number of timelines in resolving social housing procedures.
At some stages, the "15 days" period is replaced by "10 days", and the "30 days" period is replaced by "20 days".
Shortening these time milestones aims to speed up the processing of dossiers and reduce delays in the process of considering and approving social housing policy beneficiaries.
For cases where people do not have labor contracts but are eligible for social housing policies, the commune-level police at the place of permanent or temporary residence or current residence is responsible for confirming information within 7 days from the date of receiving the application. The applicant must declare and commit to income; the police agency coordinates to verify when necessary.
Specifying the process of selling social housing
The Decree amends and supplements regulations on the order and procedures for selling, leasing, and leasing social housing in a more detailed and clearer direction.
After 30 days from the start of the project, the investor must publicize project information, including: Project name, investor, construction location, scale, number of apartments, area, temporary selling price, expected time to receive dossiers... on the electronic information page of the Department of Construction, the People's Committee of the commune where the project is located and channels according to regulations.
The public disclosure of the start and end of dossier receipt must be done at least 30 days before receiving the dossier.
People in need can submit dossiers directly, online, through postal services or through agencies and units where they are working. The minimum dossier receipt time is 30 days from the date of starting receipt.
Within 10 days from the deadline for submitting the application, the investor must summarize the registration list and send it to the Department of Construction to check whether the registered person has enjoyed housing support policies or not. The Department of Construction is responsible for responding in writing within 10 days.
After reviewing, the investor publicly announces the list of eligible and unqualified dossiers. The list of eligible dossiers must be publicized within 30 days from the deadline for submitting dossiers; dossiers that do not meet the conditions must be returned and clearly state the reasons.
Lottery when exceeding the number of apartments
In case the number of eligible applications is more than the number of apartments expected to be sold, the investor organizes a draw to select people to buy social housing.
The draw must be supervised by representatives of the Department of Construction, the People's Committee of the commune level and the commune-level police where the project is located to ensure publicity and transparency.
The Decree also stipulates the order of priority for subjects when buying social housing, including: people with meritorious services to the revolution, relatives of martyrs; people with disabilities; people arranged for resettlement in the form of buying social housing; and women in some cases as prescribed.
Lease-purchase and lease are carried out according to the same procedure
The order and procedures for leasing and buying social housing are implemented similarly to the sales process.
For social housing rentals, tenants are not required to submit documents proving housing conditions and income; in case of renting social housing belonging to public assets, they must submit documents proving that they are eligible for exemption or reduction of rent (if any).
In addition, in case of renting social housing according to previous regulations and having a need to buy it back before the deadline of 10 years, the investor is prioritized to sell if the lessee meets the conditions according to regulations.
Increase transparency, update data
The Decree requires updating transaction information and subjects who have purchased social housing to the housing and real estate market information system according to regulations.
Along with that, dossiers can be submitted directly, online or through postal services; the results of processing procedures are returned in electronic form and have legal value like paper copies.
The Decree takes effect from February 9, 2026.
