Evicted

Tonight Ryan and I were due to pay our rent for the next three months. I had texted our landlord on Monday and made a plan to meet tonight at 9:30. Ryan and I got our money together and knocked on her door right at 9:30. We sat down, ready to pay when she said, "We need to talk."

In broken English she then told us we had to leave the house within the next two weeks. She told us that the Police had called her and said that, "More than two people were living in the house." I told her I didn't believe her that the police called and eventually she conceded "my friend who is a policeman" called me. This I'm also certain is probably a lie.

The fact is our landlord has been rude to us from the very beginning. Her husband has always been a decent guy until the last week when he couldn't look us in the eye and just mumbled complaints about our motorbikes. The problem is simply that they don't want Huyen staying over the house...and now Jessica too. That said, Huyen has stayed over three times in three months which is also the same amount of times Jessica has stayed over.

I'm sure we could argue this and stay but frankly I would feel awkward and don't want to have to come home to a place every night where I'm not wanted. What sucks though is that this house is AWESOME! I just emailed the real estate agent who found us this apartment and he wrote me right back:

Hi Ben & Ryan,

I heard her complaints several times and today she also informed me that she wants you out by 25^th August. It is the bad things of living near the landlord, which are old fashioned that we did not consider before.

Yes, I have a nice house near there, will show you tomorrow.

How long will you stay in Hanoi to calculate from now? If it is too short, it will be a difficulty in renting a house as most of landlord wants long term lease.

Anyway, we will meet and discuss tomorrow. Pls give me a message when you are free.

Regards!

San

So in conclusion, I'm being evicted for the first time in my life. Ironically this is probably the best I've ever behaved in a house. I've literally never even drank a beer here. Never had friends over (without telling the landlords weeks in advance and turning over their passport). Never played loud music. Never broken anything. And never complained except to get rid of a rat and to have internet that works. Ryan and I are just hoping their next tenants are a complete nightmare.

F'ing Vietnam...