A 10-square-meter rental room in the newly formed Ninh Binh province was found filled with trash and infested with insects, stunning the landlord and neighbors after months of silence from the tenant.

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The 10-square-meter room was overwhelmed by garbage. Photo: T.N.

A video recently shared on social media has gone viral, showing a small, cluttered room overflowing with garbage, including takeout containers, single-use cups, and plastic bottles. The clip has sparked widespread outrage over the renter’s lack of hygiene and responsibility.

Mrs. V., the landlord from Nam Dinh Ward (formerly Nam Dinh City), said her family has been renting out rooms to female students for over 20 years and had never encountered anything like this.

According to Mrs. V., the tenant, a young woman named Q. (born in 2003 from Quang Ninh), had been renting the room since 2021 at a monthly rate of 400,000 VND (approximately $16). Q. was known to be reserved, often staying behind closed doors, though she appeared well-dressed and tidy when seen outside.

“When she moved in, Q. told me she was a university student studying nearby. I used to see her cook often, but since early 2024, she stopped cooking and started ordering food instead,” Mrs. V. recalled.

In August 2024, Q. informed the landlord she was returning home for summer break and would be back in September. However, she never returned. Though Q. had paid rent through late 2024, she stopped all payments afterward and never officially vacated the room.

Mrs. V. attempted several times to contact Q., urging her to clean and return the room so repairs could be made. Q. repeatedly promised to return but never did, and she has now owed over six months of unpaid rent. The latest promise to clean up was made just last weekend, but she again failed to appear.

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Cockroaches and insects were found crawling throughout the room. Photo: T.N.

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Mrs. V.’s family and neighbors helped clean the room, filling 10 sacks with trash. Photo: T.N.

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The room after being cleaned. Photo: Trong Tung

"Since she never officially moved out, I was afraid to enter the room, thinking she might have left behind documents or valuables," Mrs. V. said. "But after half a year of silence and unpaid rent, I finally opened the door, only to be met with a horrific sight."

Upon opening the door, trash spilled out into the hallway. The stench of mold and decay filled the air, forcing Mrs. V. to wear a mask. The refrigerator was still plugged in, containing rotting food. The bed and mattress were covered in mold and infested with maggots and cockroaches.

“The room, just 10 square meters, was packed with trash - thousands of single-use cups, takeout boxes, instant noodles, blankets, clothes... I’ve never seen anything like it in over two decades of renting,” Mrs. V. said.

Her children and two neighbors joined in cleaning the room. It took nearly three hours and ten large sacks to clear the garbage, requiring three cyclo trips to dispose of it all properly.

Trong Tung