Special services for Tet near extortionate prices

The price for guards to protect houses increased by about 15 per cent compared to last Tet and is two or three times higher than normal days, Nhat Viet security service company in Go Vap District told Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper. — Photo baoveanninh24

Residents of HCM City are rushing to book various services from home security to rental cars, despite the dramatic price increases as demand surges during the lead-up to Tet.

Many city folk traditionally take the chance of the long holiday to travel or return to their hometowns. However, concern about the property they must leave behind in the city often overshadows their holiday. Consequently, demand for home security services is growing.

The price for guards to protect houses increased by about 15 per cent compared to last Tet and is two or three times higher than normal days, Nhat Viet security service company in Go Vap District told Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper.

"Customers have to pay at least VND1.35 million (US$64) per day for security services this time of year," said a company representative.

A number of security companies also provide CCTV services to customers who want to keep close watch on their houses but are reluctant to splurge on guards. Dat Viet security company in Thu Duc District offers guard services for VND1.5 million ($71) per day and rents surveillance cameras for VND500,000 ($23).

The price for rental cars has also considerably increased this Tet and is currently about 20 to 30 per cent higher than last year.

"More people chose to rent cars this year, following the drop in the petrol price and the difficulty of travelling by public transport like trains or buses," said the owner of Huy Hoang Salon Auto Co. Ltd. in Binh Chanh District.

Customers pay about VND200,000 ($9) more than the normal price to rent a car during the Tet holiday. Yet demand shows no sign of slowing down. A rental car shop in Go Vap District said that more than 40 per cent of its cars were already booked. The shop expected that the cars would run out soon and the price would rise as Tet approached.

Kindergartens are even charging extra for keeping children four extra days as the holiday schedule for parents, many of whom are state officers, often does not match that of the kindergartens.

Regulations by the HCM City Department of Education and Training state that state kindergartens in the city start their Tet holiday on February 12. However, state officers continue working until February 16, according to the Government's decision.

Seeing the urgent need of parents, many private kindergartens are staying open those extra four days – for a price nearly eight times higher than normal days.

Ngoi Sao Be Kindergarten in Tan Binh District will open from February 12 to 16 at VND150,000–350,000 ($7-16) based on the children's age, compared to about VND40,000 ($2) that parents normally pay for state schools. Meanwhile, Meo Con in District 7 is charging VND250,000 ($11.9) for its students and an extra VND100,000 ($4.8) for children from other kindergartens.

VNS