In May, 2020, due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, I heard about a reduction in electricity bills. However, my landlord charged a higher price for domestic electricity than usual even though the two parties had reached an agreement on the price under the State's regulation. I want to know if my landlord's action was illegal. Please kindly give me an advice. Thank you.
FDVN’s Opinion
Thank you for concerning our legal service. Regarding your case, we would like to provide you with our legal opinions:
To relieve the difficulties due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has issued Official Letter 2698/BCT-DTDL on reducing electricity prices and reducing electricity bills for users affected by the Covid-19 epidemic as follows:
“…
- Retail price for customers using domestic electricity: 10% discount on selling price of domestic electricity from level 1 to level 4 specified in Decision No. 648/QD-BCT.
…
3. Total time that customers are supported to reduce electricity prices and reduce electricity bills is three
(03) months. The specific time of electricity price reduction and electricity bill reduction is as follows:
- For customers using domestic electricity, the customer's used electricity output has a cycle starting in April, May, and June 2020 (determined according to the monthly index recording period of the electricity unit) will be offered a corresponding discount in the electricity bill periods of May, June, and July 2020.
- For customers using electricity for production, business, administrative and non-business...: From the latest invoice period from the date of issue of this Official Letter."
Thus, according to the mentioned Official Letter, the price of domestic electricity will be reduced by 10% of the retail price of domestic electricity within three (03) months of April, May, and June respectively in the periods of electricity bill for May, June, and July 2020.
In case where your landlord took an action of collecting the high-priced electricity fare, he/she violated the law regulation on electricity use. Depending on the nature of the acts, this person may be fined under Clause 6, Article 12 of Decree 134/2013/ND-CP on sanction against administrative violation in the field of electricity, safety of hydroelectric dam, thrifty and effective use of energy:
"6. A fine of between 7,000,000 dong and 10,000,000 shall be imposed on the lessor who collects the electricity charge from the tenant higher than the prescribed price in case of buying electricity at a retailing price for domestic use."
In addition, your landlord is also subject to the remedial measure of being forced to pay the entire amount illegally obtained to the State budget as prescribed in Clause 12, Article 12 of the Decree above.
The above is FDVN's advice regarding your request based on studying legal regulations. FDVN hopes that our advice will be useful to you.
Nguyen Thi Suong - FDVN Law Firm
CONTACT US:
Lawyers in Da Nang:
99 Nguyen Huu Tho, Quan Hai Chau, Da Nang city
Lawyers in Hue:
56A Dien Bien Phu, Hue City, Thua Thien Hue
Lawyers in Phu Quoc:
65 Hung Vuong, Duong Dong town, Phu Quoc island district
Lawyers in Quang Ngai:
359 Nguyen Du, Quang Ngai City, Quang Ngai Province.
Lawyers in Ha Noi
Room 501, 5th Floor, No. 11, Lane No. 183, Dang Tien Dong Street, Dong Da District, Ha Noi
Lawyers in Nghe An
No. 19 V.I Lenin street, Vinh City, Nghe An Province
Website: www.fdvn.vn www.fdvnlawfirm.vn www.diendanngheluat.vn www.tuvanphapluatdanang.com
Email: fdvnlawfirm@gmail.com luatsulecao@gmail.com
Phone: 0935 643 666 – 0906 499 446
Fanpage LUẬT SƯ FDVN: https://www.facebook.com/fdvnlawfirm/
Legal Service For Expat: https://www.facebook.com/fdvnlawfirmvietnam/
TỦ SÁCH NGHỀ LUẬT: https://www.facebook.com/SayMeNgheLuat/
DIỄN ĐÀN NGHỀ LUẬT: https://www.facebook.com/groups/saymengheluat/
Other Articles
- BÀI HỌC TIẾNG ANH PHÁP LÝ: ACCORDING TO
- LAWYERS, LIARS, AND THE ART OF STORYTELLING BY JONATHAN SHAPIRO
- NGHỊ ĐỊNH SỐ 385/2026/NĐ-CP CỦA CHÍNH PHỦ VỀ KIỂM SOÁT THỦ TỤC HÀNH CHÍNH
- VENTURE CAPITAL MODEL AGREEMENT WITH COMMENTARY: A CLAUSE-BY-CLAUSE GUIDE FOR LAWYERS IN ANY JURISDICTION BY HERMAN, HENRY & DOMINIC
- NGHỊ ĐỊNH 371/2026/NĐ-CP QUY ĐỊNH CHI TIẾT VIỆC TUYỂN DỤNG, QUẢN LÝ NGƯỜI LAO ĐỘNG VIỆT NAM LÀM VIỆC CHO CÁC TỔ CHỨC, CÁ NHÂN NƯỚC NGOÀI TẠI VIỆT NAM
- THỦ TỤC XIN CẤP LÝ LỊCH TƯ PHÁP CHO NGƯỜI NƯỚC NGOÀI 2026 / PROCEDURES FOR OBTAINING CRIMINAL RECORDS FOR FOREIGNERS IN 2026
- THỦ TỤC HƯỞNG BẢO HIỂM XÃ HỘI MỘT LẦN CHO NGƯỜI NƯỚC NGOÀI 2026 / PROCEDURES FOR LUMP-SUM SOCIAL INSURANCE ALLOWANCE FOR FOREIGNERS IN 2026
- THE HAPPY LAWYER: MAKING A GOOD LIFE IN THE LAW BY NANCY LEVIT & DOUGLAS O.LINDER
- VIETNAM INVESTMENT PROMOTION GUIDEBOOK 2026 BY VIETNAM TRADE PROMOTION AGENCY - MINISTRY OF INDUSTRY AND TRADE
- THE COMMERCIAL LAWYER'S MIND: UNDERSTANDING BUSINESS WITHOUT BECOMING A BANKER (A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR LAW STUDENTS AND JUNIOR COMMERCIAL LAWYERS) BY BY HERMAN, HENRY & DOMINIC
- QUY ĐỊNH VỀ KHOẢN VAY NƯỚC NGOÀI, HỒ SƠ, THỦ TỤC ĐĂNG KÝ KHOẢN VAY NƯỚC NGOÀI VỚI NGÂN HÀNG NHÀ NƯỚC / REGULATIONS ON FOREIGN LOANS, DOSSIER AND PROCEDURES FOR REGISTRATION OF FOREIGN LOANS WITH THE STATE BANK
- BÀI HỌC TIẾNG ANH PHÁP LÝ: IN VIEW OF
- TỔNG HỢP 10 BẢN ÁN CỦA TOÀ ÁN VƯƠNG QUỐC ANH GIẢI QUYẾT TRANH CHẤP QUYỀN SỞ HỮU TRÍ TUỆ ĐỐI VỚI PHẦN MỀM / COLLECTION 10 UNITED KINGDOM COURT JUDMENTS ON SOFTWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DISPUTES
- TỔNG HỢP 12 BẢN ÁN CỦA TÒA ÁN SINGAPORE VỀ AI, BLOCKCHAIN, TIỀN ĐIỆN TỬ VÀ TÀI SẢN SỐ / COLLECTION 12 SINGAPORE COURT JUDGMENTS ON AI, BLOCKCHAIN, CRYPTOCURRENCY AND DIGITAL ASSETS
- TỔNG HỢP CÁC MẪU HỢP ĐỒNG THỬ VIỆC VÀ HỢP ĐỒNG CÓ ĐIỀU KHOẢN THỬ VIỆC TRÊN THẾ GIỚI / COLLECTION OF PROBATIONARY EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT TEMPLATES AND EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT TEMPLATES CONTAINING PROBATIONARY CLAUSES AROUND THE WORLD
- WINNING THE TRIBUNAL (ADVOCACY, STRATEGY, AND PERSUASION BEFORE THE ARBITRAL TRIBUNAL) BY HERMAN, HENRY & DOMINIC



