Trust with Landlord

ancientpathos wrote:

Monday I returned to my rental house after being gone for 2 days. One of my doors  to the living room/garage was open, my bedroom door open and a laptop and cash taken from a locked desk. None of the landlord property taken. There are 2 flatscreen tv, dvd player and other stuff that could have been taken. Instead just my laptop and money. Keys were needed because the door for bedroom and front door have dead bolts. My position is the landlord or someone he knows did this. He offered to pay me 10 million not to go to the police. I gave him until today to return my property.

Welcome to VN, Laptops are very popular, easy to conceal, and fast movers,  my wife had hers stolen from her house , ( they reached through the window bars  ), while she was in the next room teaching. I think as soon as they know where a Foreigner lives, we are considered easy game.
( Ever considered it might have been ONE of your ex housekeepers, had a key cut, knew where you kept things ??? ).

Welcome to Vietnam, where theft is common.

Well you gave him until today to return your property, what are you going to do, sue him?  I kinda doubt the integrity of the Vietnamese court system.

mikeymyke wrote:

Welcome to Vietnam, where theft is common.

Well you gave him until today to return your property, what are you going to do, sue him?  I kinda doubt the integrity of the Vietnamese court system.

I trust my Landlord completely, oh, wait a minute, I'm my own Landlord!!!

bluenz wrote:

mikeymyke wrote:

Welcome to Vietnam, where theft is common.

Well you gave him until today to return your property, what are you going to do, sue him?  I kinda doubt the integrity of the Vietnamese court system.

I trust my Landlord completely, oh, wait a minute, I'm my own Landlord!!!

Yes but your land belongs to "the people", so you actually have 90 million landlords

mikeymyke wrote:

bluenz wrote:

mikeymyke wrote:

Welcome to Vietnam, where theft is common.

Well you gave him until today to return your property, what are you going to do, sue him?  I kinda doubt the integrity of the Vietnamese court system.

I trust my Landlord completely, oh, wait a minute, I'm my own Landlord!!!

Yes but your land belongs to "the people", so you actually have 90 million landlords

Only the land, not anything that is on it.

ancientpathos wrote:

Monday I returned to my rental house after being gone for 2 days. One of my doors  to the living room/garage was open, my bedroom door open and a laptop and cash taken from a locked desk. None of the landlord property taken. There are 2 flatscreen tv, dvd player and other stuff that could have been taken. Instead just my laptop and money. Keys were needed because the door for bedroom and front door have dead bolts. My position is the landlord or someone he knows did this. He offered to pay me 10 million not to go to the police. I gave him until today to return my property.

If I were you, I would find a better place. Many people are greedy but I believe there are still some people still keep self respect.

Trust no one. My wife has had her bag grabed and stolen when we was out riding. Then last week she left the door open just slightly. Went upstairs for 5 minutes and someone had come into the house and stole her purse. Unfortuatly Vietnam is turning into a nation of theves.

mikeymyke wrote:

bluenz wrote:

mikeymyke wrote:

Welcome to Vietnam, where theft is common.

Well you gave him until today to return your property, what are you going to do, sue him?  I kinda doubt the integrity of the Vietnamese court system.

I trust my Landlord completely, oh, wait a minute, I'm my own Landlord!!!

Yes but your land belongs to "the people", so you actually have 90 million landlords

... and not enough laptops

mikeymyke wrote:

Welcome to Vietnam, where theft is common.

Well you gave him until today to return your property, what are you going to do, sue him?  I kinda doubt the integrity of the Vietnamese court system.

No sueing. I reported everything to the police. Will let them sort it out. Every month I have been buying a couple of cases for the men in green. My insurance for problems. Besides I consider a couple my friends. Once the police do whatever they can, then it is over. Now I am moving.

ancientpathos wrote:

mikeymyke wrote:

Welcome to Vietnam, where theft is common.

Well you gave him until today to return your property, what are you going to do, sue him?  I kinda doubt the integrity of the Vietnamese court system.

No sueing. I reported everything to the police. Will let them sort it out. Every month I have been buying a couple of cases for the men in green. My insurance for problems. Besides I consider a couple my friends. Once the police do whatever they can, then it is over. Now I am moving.

Surely no landlord would be that stupid to steal from a tenant, he would know you would leave, I'd say goodbye to your Laptop, and start looking a lot harder at one of your ex house keepers, or whatever else you like to call them, why would he offer to pay you 10 mil??, the laptop, etc, probably wasn't even worth that, ( not on the black market, anyway ).

In fact, similar I heard and read more than once. So it's not that seldom and shabby enough

You would only get about 5 million tops, for a stolen lap top. I cant see any land lord being so stupid by using a key to get into your place, no forced entry, its just putting himself in the frame if he done it. His offer of 10 million was a great offer. I dont know what sort of lock you had, if it was made in Vietnam, then i would be thinking a kid of 8 could probebly pick it. The last time i went to the police to report my wifes handbag snach, one was pissed out of his head, and the other was trying to chat my wife up.

" The last time i went to the police to report my wife's handbag snatch, one was pissed out of his head, and the other was trying to chat my wife up. "
     Haha, if that hadn't of been true , it would have made a good joke. ( obviously interested in a different kind of snatch? )

Ahhhh but the landlord admitted to coming into the house but just to cover my motorbike with a blanket. If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck.....
Very nice police visit by 3 officers and the number 2 guy at the station. Does it mean anything, proably not...

ancientpathos wrote:

Ahhhh but the landlord admitted to coming into the house but just to cover my motorbike with a blanket. If it looks like a duck, sounds like a duck.....
Very nice police visit by 3 officers and the number 2 guy at the station. Does it mean anything, proably not...

I still don't think that duck could be that stupid. Cops looking for more freebies more like it. Why not Number 1 guy, he always waves to me here.  I often get visits from top Immigration officers from QN, just an excuse for them to take a countryside/beach outing. ( mind you, one is as gay as ).

We need Sherlock Holms on this, and i dont think even he could crack the case. No your not going to get to the bottom of this. All your left with are your suspitions, and that wont stand up in court. The police are as good as an ash tray on a motorbike. There only interest would be if they could get any more beer out of you. Your not going to feel surcure in this property again, so the only thing to do is look for a new dwelling. Theft in Vietnam is becoming an eperdemic.

Personaly, i would have taken the 10 million, rather than puting your hopes in the local police...what ive seen of them, they couldent crack a nut,, let alone a crime.

Freud?

Good luck ap. That really sucks. I agree with others when they said to not trust anybody too much and to get the heck outta there. Some of these maids come from an agencies and who knows exactly the kind of networking they have goin' on. Don't let anybody in and around your current apartment know where you're moving to.

Buy a machete.

Jeff Brewster wrote:

We need Sherlock Holms on this, and i dont think even he could crack the case. No your not going to get to the bottom of this. All your left with are your suspitions, and that wont stand up in court. The police are as good as an ash tray on a motorbike. There only interest would be if they could get any more beer out of you. Your not going to feel surcure in this property again, so the only thing to do is look for a new dwelling. Theft in Vietnam is becoming an eperdemic.

speaking of Sherlock can you get those programs on the net?

Key duplication is very cheap in Vietnam 
No need any documents for key duplication here.
I remember that I got my car key duplicate in the second time with car registration certificate in India !
And here locksmiths (robbers too?) are incredible with an amazing speed to unlock within seconds!!
Most of the landlords are very nice to their tenants.
There may be some exceptions too!
If you feel insecure then change the lock or fix an extra lock (to satisfy out mind).

The only places in VN you can truly feel secure are complexes guarded by security staff at every entrance, and that's only after you become friendly with the staff and give them beer and coffee money from time to time. I also give my guys red envelopes at Tet. (It has been posted on this blog by others that security staff are frequently in on the thefts from the places they guard.) This is my M.O. and has been for many years without incident. I've left my key in my motorbike and had it returned to my door by one of the guards, and have forgotten to lock my apartment door on several occasions. Never had any theft to this point (knock-on-wood).

Update, the police assisted us in getting some satisfaction. Police made landlord pay me 40 million dong, 20 million for prepaid rent and 20 million for laptops. It does not cover the whole amount but it is 4 times the offer from the land lord. They are also not allowing him to rent to foreigners. The Police were a great help in resolving this issue.