Many workers renting rooms in the area near Bac Thang Long Industrial Park (Hanoi) are struggling with rising electricity and water costs, especially during hot months when electricity demand increases sharply.
Ms. Tran Thi Thu H from Hung Yen came to Hanoi to work as a garment worker at Bac Thang Long Industrial Park for more than 4 years. For the same time, she and her husband lived in a cramped rented room near their workplace.
According to Ms. H, previously, landlords charged 3.8 thousand VND/kWh for electricity. However, from mid-2025, the electricity price increased to 4,000 VND/kWh, and domestic water was 25,000 VND/m3.
The rented room is quite stuffy, so my husband and I had to save money for a long time to buy an air conditioner to keep warm. However, we also don't dare to use it much, only turn it on at night to have a good night's sleep and go to work. At about 4 am, I turn off the air conditioner because if I use it a lot, the electricity bill is almost equal to the rent," Ms. H shared.
Female workers expressed their desire that in the coming time, worker dormitories will be inspected and supervised more closely on electricity prices so that tenants no longer have to buy electricity at high prices.
Sharing the same situation of renting a house far from home, Ms. Nguyen Thi T (Phu Tho) said that she went to Hanoi to take care of her grandchildren so that her two sons could feel secure working as workers in Bac Thang Long Industrial Park. Living in a worker's rented area for many years, she clearly understands the spending pressure that her children have to bear each month.
According to Ms. T, in addition to room rent, electricity and water bills are always a major concern for low-income workers. The boarding house where her family lives collects electricity bills of about 3.8 thousand VND/kWh, water bills of 25 thousand VND/m3. In the hot season, rising living costs make the lives of workers' families even more difficult.
Working far from home already has many expenses to worry about, electricity and water bills have increased, so it's even more stressful. I just hope that the boarding areas will be inspected and supervised to collect the correct price, helping workers reduce difficulties," Ms. T shared.
According to Decision 1279 of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the retail price of domestic electricity currently ranges from about 1,984 VND/kWh at the lowest level to about 3,460 VND/kWh at the highest level (excluding VAT). Meanwhile, many workers renting rooms reflect that they are paying significantly higher electricity bills, making living costs increasingly pressured.
Notably, according to Decree 133/2026/ND-CP on sanctioning administrative violations in the field of electricity, from May 25, the act of collecting electricity bills from tenants higher than the retail price of domestic electricity according to regulations may be fined from 20 - 30 million VND. The new regulation is expected to contribute to tightening the situation of collecting electricity bills exceeding prices, protecting the rights of tenants.
