Pest control (category guide)

Hire only NEA-registered Vector Control Operators (VCOs); technicians need VCT/VCW credentials for vector work. Bed bugs need multi-visit heat/chemical plans — a single fogging session is the Reddit failure mode when agents try to pay for ‘one of three’ treatments. German cockroaches need nest/egg work and baiting, not panic sprays that scatter the colony; tape rubbish-chute gaps before estate fogging so roaches are not driven into kitchens. Termite / structural infestations are usually landlord / MCST territory — document with photos and a VCO assessment before withholding rent (rent strikes usually worsen deposit leverage). Who pays: first-30-day defect-free clauses and move-in discoveries lean landlord; long-term housekeeping failures lean tenant — your TA wording wins over Facebook lore. Ask for a written scope (species, visits, warranty, pet-safe options), keep invoices for deposit fights, and escalate shared-chute / common-area issues via the managing agent. Pair with aircon servicing for humidity/mould adjacency and with dengue-cluster living for mosquito habitats (separate from bed-bug contracts). This is a category guide, not a ranked pest-company list — verify the firm on NEA’s VCO registry yourself. Recovery weeks at home fail harder with active pest treatments — schedule spraying away from discharge week when you can.