All About Full-Time Maids

[winth]

Hi MMM,


When we left my ex-maid alone. We took away our house keys.
I know it might sound dangerous during emergency situations, like what if fires break out, need to go hospital etc?

But I feel safer when I know she cannot go anywhere or open the door for anyone else. You might wanna leave a set of keys secretly somewhere or even with your neighbour. So, in case something happens, she can call you and you can notify her of this secret key?

[ChiefKiasu]

MMM:

We are planning a 3D/2 nites trip to genting during school hols. The 1st family outing that includes all my sils and their family...

[Moderator's note: Topics merged.]

[mintcc]

I don’t feel secure leaving my maid alone at home for days. For our last trip, I sent her to my mum’s house.

[lifestylelink]

winth:

Hi MMM,


When we left my ex-maid alone. We took away our house keys.
I know it might sound dangerous during emergency situations, like what if fires break out, need to go hospital etc?

But I feel safer when I know she cannot go anywhere or open the door for anyone else. You might wanna leave a set of keys secretly somewhere or even with your neighbour. So, in case something happens, she can call you and you can notify her of this secret key?

Hi Winth,
It is illegal to take away the house key. It is considered imprisonment. You don't want to hit the headline when you return.

Hi MMM,
I suggest you bring her to stay with one of your relative or friend. If you have no problem of her staying home alone, take jedamum suggestion, make sure there are enough food and perhaps let her pick some DVDs show.

[winth]

Opps…

Hehehe… didn’t know that.

[en107rn.01056yahoo.01056com.01056sg]

For long holidays, I sent my ex-maid to my parents place. Even then, I notify the agents that I will be sending my maid to my parent’s. Reason being I don’t want to leave her alone & not to get her to work at two places. I dont want the maid to accuse the family that she is being asked to work at two places and land us in trouble.

[MMM]

Hi,


We are staying together with pils. So when we travel sometimes with pils or my parents, we would leave her at either place depends on who is staying behind. But this time, all of us including all my sils are gg for the trip.

I think food is not a problem. She can help herself to the food in the fridge. At the rate my mil keeps stuff, it can probably last her a month or more : )

I am thinking of leaving her with just the key to the gate. So she still can go out to throw the rubbish. Also our main door is not those auto lock type so she will not be lock out of the house if the wind is strong,etc… Not likely to have wind in our house too. So she can run out of the house if something happen but she cannot go out and leave the house unattended since the main door cannot be lock from outside wo the key.

I am not too sure about DVD. She might interpret it as wow she can going forward just watch the DVD as and when she wants.

Also, we just shifted to this house 4 months back so don’t have "close neighbours" at this point. The neighbours also kept mainly to themselves. Imagine in the last 4 months, I have only seen my next door neighbours less than 10 times. Also, it was when they are doing gardening so no contact at all too.

Thanks En, I nearly forgot about the fishes. Bet I will need to come up with a list of things to do to keep her occupied. Bet without the kids around, she will have a lot more peace.

[MMM]

EN:

I dont want the maid to accuse the family that she is being asked to work at two places and land us in trouble.

Hi En,

I am not too sure about working at 2 places. Our maid follows the kids wherever they go. Eg. On weekdays, she is staying at my mum's place becoz my kids are there. On weekends, she comes back to our office. But during the day, she only works in 1 house. She will not be asked to do more than that.

This is the stuff that we tell the agents as well. That she will follow the kids to ah mah house or at home,etc... I believe alot of families are doing that too.

[en107rn.01056yahoo.01056com.01056sg]

Hi MMM


I did the same when my kids were younger, sent everyone to my mum’s place. We informed the agent as well of the arrangement.

I also gave her the gate key because if the gate key is ever being duplicated, there is always a pad lock that we can change. The main door key, is the one I dont allow the maid to hold. Just like yours, the main door can be open from inside & out unless it is being locked from inside or locked using the key from outside.

Personally, I feel that you will need to gauge how comfortable you are with the maid. Not all maid can be trusted.

[tamarind]

Check out the Foreign Domestic Worker Employer's Guidebook

http://www.mom.gov.sg/publish/momportal/en/communities/work_pass/foreign_domestic_workers/publications.html

Read page 10:
An exception may be made for FDWs who accompany their employer's children to a caregiver's home to care for the children under the caregiver's supervision. In this case, the FDW must agree to the arrangement and should not be asked to do the full load of housework in both homes.


lifestylelink,
When I employed my maid 2 years ago, her salary was $300. She has 6 months of working experience in Singapore. That maid agency has already closed down.

HappyAvon:

Hi Tamarind

You maybe the lucky one who is able to find good indonesian maids. Honestly speaking many fresh indonesian maids does not know how to speak proper english and this may also include some filipina maids too. Sometimes it also depends on luck.... BTW, it is not true that Filipina are much more expensive..the market rate now is about 340.00 for Indonesian and 370.00 for Filipina - no off day. I would always suggest that you ask for phone interview with the maid..at least you will know their communication skills, their responsiveness etc..

I have employed 5 Indonesian maids before I get my current one. 4 of them are experienced and speak good English. One of them was fresh, her English is surprisingly good. But you are right that many fresh Indonesian maids have problem with English.

I had one fresh filipino maid before, her english is so bad, I sent her away within 5 days.

Filipino maids are still more expensive than Indonesian maids now, $30 is not a small amount to me