All About Full-Time Maids

[Hermes]

Hi

Most maids come with expectation that they live like us,eat like us,use the things that we use.But they have to earn our trust and their keep before we can consider giving them all these fringe benefits as they are never written in the contract. My experience is that even after giving them these extras, they may not appreciate.It is like they are kings in our households,afraid they may take it out on our childrem or old folks someday and we live under their noses.I don’t believe in scolding cos afraid they take it out on my baby (even with our webcam,when damage is done,is there any use of them in jail?).

Please never and do not go to United Channel Employment at katong level 2.Their service is very bad and they are on the side of all their maids. :!:

[Piggymum]

lifestylelink:

ChiefKiasu:

Have you all seen this http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/content/maid-abusing-2-month-old-baby? I think the abuse is just about the worst I've seen. (Update - sorry... the videos were removed from youtube already.)


Here're my experience with maids:
Indonesian - Most compliant, hardworking, but lacks initiative and poor hygiene.

Myanmar - Very hardworking and willing to learn, but poor communications and lacks experience

Philippines - Reasonably hardworking, good comms skills, high initiative but with a mind of their own.

I have a myanmar maid, I like to add comment tha they have poor manners. Not sure if it relates to their poor communication.

My existing maid is leaving soon and likely to get another one from Myanmar. One potential candidate available and she can speak Chinese.

May I know which maid agency are you using? I have a Myanmar maid too. When I was looking ard for one, couldn't find one who can speak chinese. The current one is ok but need to educate on hygiene and manners esp her 1st mth here. English wise, can't speak much but can understand written English quite well.

[mintcc]

I think there are pros and cons.


I am thankful I have a maid the pass few years especially when ds is sick and he vomit all over me and himself, our bed sheet and floor.

She doing the housework at least allows me more time to spend with my kid and get some rest.

The cons is, every thing is every where like what you guys says. If the maid tidy our stuff. she will just stack everything together then we can’t find it. The kid is spoilt by her and when she is around to pick after him, and help him with eating and changing, he tend to nua…

One thing I find is to set house rules very strict in the beggining. e.g. can only eat after we eat, can only use the utensils we give her, allocate the things she can eat, cannot use phone / TV etc. The rest are on request and consent only. May sound very hush but once you give them benefits, very difficult to take away. Rather reward them with benefits when they show good performance.

[winth]

Hi, I have captured (using digital camera) of my maid sleeping on my sofa at 2pm this afternoon, plus photo shots of her undone housework, with dust and dirt on the furniture + floor.


Can I use that to tell agency when I want her to go away? Or will I 惹祸上身? Can anyone advise?

[Hermes]

As long we have evidence that they have done things that they are not supposed to have done,its up to you to take her to agent or police.If you send her to agent and is still entitled to your replacement,agent will replace you a new one.By sending her to police,she will have a record and not be able to transfer out to another employer and u will have to send her back home. Some maids know the police involved will ask to speak with their embassy.If she still has loan outstanding with you,agent will not refund it to you.For those with outstanding loan,best to return agent and just ask for your refund of the loan amount that you have paid upfront.

Its up to you if you wish to give her another chance.If so,show her the video and monitor if she still does what she does or she changes for the better.We all know of videos with maids beating babies or adding urine,occassionally undone housework here and there,I have learnt to close one eye cos I believe there are many worst maids out there.

Hope this give some perspective …cheers

[tamarind]

winth:

Hi, I have captured (using digital camera) of my maid sleeping on my sofa at 2pm this afternoon, plus photo shots of her undone housework, with dust and dirt on the furniture + floor.


Can I use that to tell agency when I want her to go away? Or will I 惹祸上身? Can anyone advise?

You don't have to tell the agency any reason when you want her to go. You are the employer, you can send her back any time you want, no reason needed.

I have sent away 7 maids before, never have to give any reasons.

[tamarind]

Hermes:

By sending her to police,she will have a record and not be able to transfer out to another employer and u will have to send her back home.

The employer cannot send a maid to the police because the maid sleep on the sofa. This is not a criminal offense.

Even if the maid steals or hits the baby/kids, it will be very troublesome if the employer reports to the police. The employer may not be allowed to employ another maid until the investigation is completed. The worst part is that the maid may accuse the employer of abusing her, and there will be no end to the story. My advise is to simply send the maid back to her own country, case close.

[mintcc]

hianz, yesterday, my MIL caught my maid letting another neighbor’s maid into our house. She says that the other maid "her friend" is going back to Indonesia and give her a big soft toy so she open the door and let her in to drink water. when I got home at an unexpected time she is showing another neighbor’s maid the big soft toy.


Our rules is no opening the gate during the day and definitely not letting any one in. I do understand that from their perspective it is pretty harmless but she broke an important rule and it could be very dangerous.What if the other maid is up to no good and rob and steal from the house?

HB wanted to sent her back. But I decide to let her off this time with a strict warning. She have been with us for more than a year and so far have been okay in general, especially dot on our boy and my boy is very close to her.
I am not too soft hearted, am I ?

[winth]

Hi, let go of my maid much earlier than planned. The final straw came when I woke up whole body full of rashes from contact with the bedsheets I slept on. My cheeks to my chin, both hands, back of neck is red and swollen. The areas which were covered by my pyjamas were fine. My hubby who slept with long sleeved pyjamas was fine, except for some red rash on his cheeks.


Got so angry that I decided to end the agony that day. Gave her an hour to pack up and she left to the agency. Flight's the next morning at 630am.

The only thing that I wasn't informed of (by the agency) was that I had to pay for her 'runner' to send her to the airport. She had told me on the phone that she would have everything arranged for me. When I reached there, she said I'll have to pay $60 cash if not, I will need to take maid back my home and drive her there the next morning. That's my not-so-careful part, if I had known I had to pay extra $60, would have long drove her straight to the airport this morning.

[Moderator's Note: Name of agency removed]

Total Cost of Having Maid
1. Paid S$1200 (upfront of 3 months to agency, used her only 2 months and 3 days)
2. Government Levy
3. 3 full meals (bought 3 packs of 10kg rice in the short span of 2 months)
4. Water bills up by a shocking 40%
5. Unclean clothes (hers are very clean bec she used full tank of water for quarter pail of clothes)
6. Medical Bills (children went to see doc and found to have 'poison' grown on their head due to wash improperly & now it's me for the rashes)
7. Air Ticket (S$330)
8. Fee to bring maid to airport (S$60)
9. All the unneccessary stress and worries

Conclusion - It sure is not cheap to have a maid!!!
Pls think many many times before hiring a maid.

[tamarind]

mincy,

I think it is OK to let her off, since this is the first time she did it. Anyone can make mistake, the important thing is whether the maid can learn from the mistake and not do it again.

winth,
Sorry to hear about what happened. All our clothes/bedsheets are washed in the washing machine, so I know exactly how many times they are rinsed. My maid only handwash her own clothes.

My previous agency charge me only $35 to send a maid to the airport.

Yes it is not cheap to have a maid. And it is not easy to find a good maid. We have to be prepared to change until we find a good maid. And changing maids cost a lot of money.