Business households return premises due to business difficulties
Instead of brand advertising signs, banners "Rental of stores", "Return to the premises" are the most noticeable announcements on many of the most prime and bustling streets in the capital such as: Kim Ma, Lang Ha, Hoang Cau, Hue Street... at the end of the year.
Located at the intersection between Lang Ha and Duong Lang, many premises have to be covered with tarpaulins and hang signs for rent on the first floor. Ms. Nguyen Thi An - owner of a snail restaurant on Lang Ha Street - said: "We have rented the premises here for about 4-5 years. However, due to economic difficulties and reduced number of customers, I decided to return the premises".
Ms. An said that the landlord only focuses on collecting rent without paying personal income tax or rental tax, putting this burden on the tenants.
"Rental prices have not decreased, even increased every year, while consumers are tightening their spending, the number of customers coming to the restaurant has decreased significantly. Many new tax policies are applied to business households, while I do not receive sharing from the homeowner" - Ms. An sadly shared.
On Doan Tran Nghiep Street, Hue Street - which is considered one of the most expensive streets in the city, the land plot at the corner of 2 frontages and the "million-dollar" premises is also in the situation of no one renting.
People said that these three houses are owned by the same owner, with a total area of hundreds of square meters. Although the premises were paid 3 months in advance, there were still no new tenants. The lowest rental price is also up to 100 million VND per month.
Mr. Phung Quang Minh (Hai Ba Trung ward, Hanoi) saw the scene of shops "inviting each other" to return the premises - commenting: "The reason comes from high premises and changes in consumer culture. A pair of shoes I bought at a familiar place, only about 3-4 million VND, but when I go out of the store, the price can be up to 7 million VND".
According to Mr. Minh, people's consumption culture has completely changed, they prioritize shopping online and with acquaintances. Even if you can directly watch and touch the product, it is not excluded from the possibility of genuine aviation.
Forecast of the townhouse market in the first quarter of 2026
Sharing with Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Anh - Deputy General Director of Batdongsan.com.vn - said that the street-front house market in large cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City has fallen into a less vibrant trend since the period of 2021-2022. The valuation of townhouses depends on the rental ability, while this ability is based on the business activities of the tenant.
This trend has been continuous for the past 2 years and is more evident when consumer demand at the end of the year does not reach expectations. In addition, many small business households have to comply with tax regulations and related procedures, making it difficult for them to balance rental costs.
"Rental prices of townhouses, especially in the Northern region, have remained almost unchanged, creating more pressure on tenants. Meanwhile, townhouses often do not easily reduce rental prices because they are worried about the value of their assets being affected" - Mr. Quoc Anh emphasized.
According to Mr. Quoc Anh, the current business model has changed significantly. Sales people have many options to reach customers through e-commerce platforms and online channels, saving much more costs than renting townhouses. The attractive premises mainly serve F&B chains and banks; while other industries are increasingly difficult to exploit.
Forecasting the street-front market in the first quarter of 2026, a representative of Batdongsan.com acknowledged that this segment has not yet had many changes. In the context of consumers changing their shopping habits, street-front houses are mainly still roomy with industries such as F&B or banking, the choice is increasingly limited.
According to him, the differentiation will be clear, only in truly central areas with large traffic volume can rental demand be maintained.
