Ministry of Construction of Vietnam provides guidelines on criteria for identifying temporary and dilapidated houses from January 20, 2025

Ministry of Construction of Vietnam provides guidelines on criteria for identifying temporary and dilapidated houses from January 20, 2025

Temporary and dilapidated houses are residential structures built on homestead land without disputes, not falling under the cases stipulated in Article 2 of Decision 55/QD-BXD and meeting one of the following criteria:

- Regarding residential area

+ For a single-person household, the area is less than 18 square meters.

+ For family households, the area is less than 30 square meters, and the average area per person is less than 8 square meters.

- Regarding structural integrity of the house

A house with an unstable structure is one where at least two of the three main structures including the foundation, frame-walls, and roof are made from unstable materials, not ensuring the safety of the users. An unstable structure is one that does not fall under the following cases:

+ The foundation is made from materials enhancing the stiffness of the foundation such as cement-sand mortar, concrete, reinforced concrete, brick, stone, tile, or wood.

+ Frame-walls include a system of frames, columns, and supporting foundations. The frame and columns are made from materials such as reinforced concrete, iron, steel, durable wood; walls are constructed from brick, stone, or made of durable wood, metal.

+ Roofs include a supporting roof system and roofing. The supporting roof system is made from materials like reinforced concrete, iron, steel, or durable wood; the roofing is made from reinforced concrete or tiled roofing. In cases where the roof is made from imitation tile sheeting, cold sheet metal, insulated sheet metal, corrugated sheet metal with sturdy supporting structures (iron, steel, durable wood frames) securely connected to built walls, reinforced concrete columns, such roofing is considered durable material.

- Regarding usage duration

Houses built with durable materials have a usage duration of 20 years or more, have not been renovated or repaired, and have now degraded, damaged, and do not ensure safety when used.

- For other criteria (if any) such as functional space (kitchen, sanitation), in-house technical systems (electricity, water supply), fire safety, etc., based on actual local conditions, the people's committees of provinces and centrally-run cities in Vietnam shall consider and decide.

Depending on actual conditions, the above-mentioned parts of the house may be made from locally-sourced materials of equivalent quality, as determined by local specialized agencies and approved by the provincial people's committee or authorized to the Department of Construction for approval.

View detailed contents at Decision 55/QD-BXD, effective from January 20, 2025.

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