How to Book Pest Control in Vietnam Without Speaking Vietnamese

The language barrier stops more people from dealing with a pest problem than the cost does. This page sets out exactly what happens, step by step, so there are no surprises.

Step 1 — Send a message, not a phone call

Written messages are easier for everyone. Zalo is the messaging app almost everyone in Vietnam uses, and it works on a foreign phone number. Message us on Zalo, or use the contact form. Write in English.

Send these five things and we can quote without a visit in many cases:

1. A photo of what you have seen — the insect, the droppings, the damage. A blurry photo is still more useful than a description.
2. Where in the home, and roughly how long it has been going on.
3. Property type and size: apartment or house, how many square metres, how many floors.
4. Your district or compound name, and the tower and unit number if it applies.
5. Whether children, pets or anyone pregnant lives there. This changes which products we use, so tell us up front rather than on the day.

Step 2 — The survey visit

For anything beyond a simple one-room treatment we come and look first. The survey is free and takes twenty to forty minutes for a typical apartment, longer for a house with a garden. You do not need to clean beforehand — we would rather see the property as it normally is.

The technician will want to look at places you may not expect: under the kitchen sink, behind the fridge, inside floor drains, on the balcony, in the service shaft, on the roof terrace. If any of those are locked or blocked, tell us when you book.

Step 3 — The quote

You get a written quote before any work happens. It states the area covered, the pests covered, the number of visits, the warranty period, and the price including tax. If you need the invoice made out to a company or to your landlord, say so at this point — changing it afterwards is harder.

Will the technician speak English?

We will be straight with you: our office correspondence is in English, and we make sure the person who comes to your home can handle the practical exchange — what they are treating, where, and what you need to do afterwards. Not every technician is a fluent English speaker. What we do to make that work:

• The scope is agreed in writing, in English, before the visit — so nothing important depends on the conversation at your door.
• Post-treatment instructions are given to you in writing, in English.
• If something needs discussing during the visit, the technician calls the office and we translate on the spot. Ask them to do this. It is normal and nobody minds.

Preparing your home

For a general treatment:

• Put food, plates and cooking utensils away in closed cupboards or the fridge.
• Cover or move fish tanks and turn off the air pump. Tell us if you have a tank — this one matters more than people realise.
• Take pets out for the treatment and for the re-entry period.
• Clear the floor along the skirting boards and the space under the sink.
• Do not mop or wash treated surfaces afterwards for the period we tell you, or you remove the treatment you just paid for.

Payment and invoices

Bank transfer or cash on completion. Vietnamese VAT applies. If you need a red invoice for a company or an expense claim, ask before the visit and give us the company name, tax code and address — it cannot be issued retroactively without difficulty.

How long it takes and when we can come

A typical apartment treatment takes forty-five to ninety minutes. Houses with gardens take longer. Where a building allows it we work outside office hours and at weekends, which is usually easier than taking a day off. Buildings that require contractor registration need a day or two of notice — give us the tower name and we will arrange it.

Related

• Is it safe for children, pets and pregnancy?
• Who pays — landlord or tenant?
• Price list