Advise on Baby & Maid Exps

Why all maids like to lie????

Today I caught my maid lied to me even after I have repeatedly told her I cannot tolerate my maid lies from day 1 but I can accept if they tell the turth. My maid tried very hard to cover her lies initially but in the end she confessed lying after she saw that I was really mad and knew that I did not believe her!

She really knew how to find all sorts of excuses trying to cover her lies but I knew from her look and the evidence of the work that she was not telling me the truth. I even asked her many times whether she was telling the truth and do not lie to me but she still insisted to lie..sigh..

So diappointed with her esp I thought that she is good as she behaves like the obedient type and has a good attitude. Anyway, I have already given her warning that she cannot lie to me again but to tell the truth.

How do you all handle maids that lie to you over housework, ie lied to you that she has done soemthing or followed your instructions when in actual fact she did not at all! Worse, she could even think of all sorts of excuses and more lies to try to cover up!
 


The reason I am so angry over my maid lying is becos I would need her to help me take care of my baby next year. I am thinking if this maid is the kind that likes to lie over her mistakes or undone work, how much trust can you have in her to take care of your baby in the future??
 
Kristen Mum,
Maids lie because they are intrinsically lazy. Your maid is testing you to see how much she can get away with by skiving. I don't blame you for being angry but I doubt you are surprised.

The thing is, when it comes to babies, one should never trust a maid. Lots of maids don't feed the kids on time, let them go hungry and thirsty and LIE to the employer that the kids ate, drank etc. Even worse if they abuse your kids or don't keep an eye on them and they get injured then they tell you the kid fell over when all the while it would never have happened if she was doing her job properly instead of daydreaming about some foreign worker, or smsing or watching tv or reading ma'ams magazines or painting her nails or watching tv etc.

If a maid can lie once over something as simple as housework, she'll sure lie about taking care of your kid. Especially if you don't catch her or close one eye.

In my humble opinion, maids are only good for housework...even then it's questionable that they will do the job properly. Such is life with a maid.
 
Kristen mum

Maid telling lies is very common.I dont know why, maybe its their culture or in them.

My maid when lied also never blink her eyes.Till now, you dont know whether she is telling the truth or not.

I never leave my children under her care.She just handle the housework.If she does something wrong, I tell her off .
 
Liana/Joy747

I know all maids like to lie but I just dont understand why cant they just dont lie and tell the truth so that the employers are not so angry with them and can trust them better. I have warned my maids that I cannot tolerate lies but I can accept if they just tell the truth that they did not do something or have forgotten to do. So far, I have not scolded my maid for telling the truth but I get really upset when they lied to me.

This morning my maid told me that she wanted to go back to agency after I scolded her for burning my expensive WMF pot. She totally forgotten to turn off the gas after the fish was steamed until the water dried up and burned the pot. The whole pot was black and she did not even tell me until I smelled something and went to the kitchen to see. I was so angry when I saw the pot was burnt and scolded her. A few minutes later she told me she wanted to go back to agency!

I called my agent and told her what had happened and the agent scolded my maid. My maid then told the agent that I have been scolding her almost everyday and she could not tolerate. I was very angry to hear that cos I have only scolded her twice since she started work with me a week plus ago. Once was last night when I caught her lying and the second time was this morning over the burnt pot.

Actually I was ready to grant her wish and send her back to agent but my hubby asked me to try to talk to her to see if we can change her mind since we are in need of a helper now when my MIL has just discharged from hospital and cannot really take care of my active girl. So I talked to my maid and explained to her why I scolded her and even told her that agent would charge her the transfer fee if she goes back. However, she still told me that she wanted to go back but she agreed to wait till I get a new maid first.

My agent told me that it is now up to me if I still want to continue to retain her to give the maid another chance or look for a new maid immediately. She said that my maid told her she does not mind to wait for 3-4 months until my maid comes.

Mummies, as I am due for my no. 2 in March next year, do you all think that I should return the maid now and get a new one or try to see if we can chnage the maid's mind? So far she can help to take care of my girl like bathing her, feeding her and playing with her and has also started to get familiarise with the housework.
 
Kristen,
When they do something wrong or spoil things, it depends on if they do it accidentally or purposely. Cannot be helped if things are spoiled as long as they do not do it on purpose. All humans err too. better don't buy expensive stuffs for maids to handle. very common situation whereby maids spoil clothes when they are ironing. My maid burnt my husband's shirts and a relatively new timberland shirt too. Can't be helped since what is done cannot be undone. As long as they are honest to come forward and inform me about it, apologise and not do it in future, am willing to let it go. i would tell them firmly that I apreciate if they treat our stuffs as her own stuffs and treat them delicately.

I cannot tolerate liars too. This was the one and foremost rule that I tell my maids when they arrive on day 1. I would tell them that I would not hesitate to send them back if I found out tha thtey lie to me, no matter small or big matters. I share with them as well, we trust them with the entire household and family members. To stay in the same roof with strangers, there has to be a certain level of trust between parties. It is ok to be absent-minded at times but lying to get over the simplest things cannot be not forgiven. When i sense that the maid is keeping some info from me, I would remind them the #1 rule which would have been documented in her handbook.

When my first maid took her off day and return home late giving a long story before arriving at the conclusion that her watched stopped, we gave her the benefit of doubt. Later on, I found out from my BIL's maid that both of them were together and mymaid told her that she needs to be home at 6pm instead of my given time of 5pm. I did not hesitate to call agency , search thru bios and send her back home to Indon. I was totally disappointed with her.

If you are willing to give your maid another chance, sound her out if she is willing to stay on or return back to agency. Since she is willing to stay till you find another maid, might want to go thru bios for someone suitable. She can use the chance to consider too. No point retaining her maid if her heart is not with your family.

fyi, my 1st maid arrive within on the day that I discharge from hospital after first delivery.. during my 2nd preg, my maid arrive 1 wk after I delivered.. The arrangement went well because I was able to teach and monitor maid as well as manage my MIL's expectations as she did my confinement for me. My MIL does not stay with me but comes over daily to look after my son and it is not easy to manage MIL's expectations of maid. The few times that we had to change maid was bcos of MIL...
 
Kristen

I used to face similar situation like you.I agreed to her transfer and immediately I comb thr the biodatas.In the end, she decided not to transfer, and I give her strong warning that I allowed no such nonsence.

Meanwhile, you can start searching and at the same time see how things go.You dont have to retain her or she will think she is indispensable.
 
tsp/Joy747,

Thanks for your comments.

On one hand i am not willing to retain her since she has said that she wanted to go back to the agency as I do not want to let her think that I could not do without her. However, on the other hand, the thought of retraining another maid within such a short period of time makes me feel so sick and tired esp when I am now preggy into my 3rd trimester. Really losing all the patience and energy each day..

My hubby did try to counsel my maid yesterday when I was in the shower and explained to her that if she just call it quit after the employer scolded her, she would not be able to work long with any family. Which employer does not scold the maid for their mistakes. She said she understood but just kept quiet. My hubby told her to reconsider and let him know again. So far, she has not told my hubby anything and she still behaved as her usual self and deliver her work.

I will most likely go and look thru the new bios and find another maid. Even if she decided to stay, I think I will not keep her long cos I feel that if she can ask to go back to the agency over a scolding from me and moreover it was also due to her mistakes that I scolded her, she will do it again in the future. I do not like the feeling of being threatened by her.

Also, after coming to 2 weeks with us, I notice that my maid is the type that always wear a smile on her face even when she is lying. She can smile all the way at you and comes out with alot of lies to cover up her undone work. Sometimes, I really dont know to believe her or not...
 
Kristen mum

Just take your time to find a new maid since you are in the upper hand as in the maid will be here till you find a new one.

If she really wants to work for you, she will open her mouth and beg to stay...so you just continue your plan to get a new maid.

Its better that such thing happen now then after your bb is out...

Take care and relax...she is only a maid, not worth to think much about her.
 
Joy747,

This morning my hubby pretended to ask the maid if she really wants to go back to the agency so that we will go and look for a new maid today. My maid replied that she wants to continue to work but she said that she finds it difficult to communicate with us in English. She worked for a Malay family previously. My hubby then told her that she can slowly learn and pick it up and explain the advantages of knowing English to her. My hubby was keen to retain her cos he finds her still quite ok.

After my maid told my hubby that she wants to continue with us, she then requested to remit some of her salary from her previous employment to her family. My hubby then asked me when I came out of the room and I just said that I will help her to remit when I am free. I did not ask my maid about her decision to stay on cos in my mind I have decided to look for another maid.

I feel that my maid has a lot of thoughts in her. Just that day when she asked to go back to agency, she asked me to help her buy a luggage bag and some new clothes before sending her back to agent becos she knows that the agent will charge her a transfer fee and she will end up with no money to buy those things. This morning, she asked us to help her remit her money back to Indon when all these while she knows that she will need to pay the agent a transfer fee if she goes back. Really dont know what is up her sleeve!
 
Kristen mum

All maids are alike, you dont know what thoughts they have.

You just continue to look for a new maid, if time comes, you feel that your current maid is still ok, then you retain her.Let her know, you have the choice, and not she.I did the same to my current maid.

From the way you write, she is quite smart to plan her move on her money.How many years of working exp she has ?In sin or elsewhere?
 
Joy747,

My maid worked for 11 mths with her previous Malay family. She looked after 2 kids aged 2 and 4 independently at home.

My agent told me that her ex-employer ever commented that this maid is rather smart for a fresh maid that has never worked in SG before. After with me for about 2 weeks, I agree too based on her fast response and way of using smiles to cover up her lies.
 
Kristen mum

She is a transfer maid/What is the reason for the transfer?

If her ex employer are at work type, probably she will feel uneasy with people at home watching her.

I think she is smart.So, you have to be smarter than her.
 
Kristen, my exp with maid that hav worked with malay family, told me that malay employer very chin chai..no rules..they just leave the kids to play and maid look at the kids.

My ex maid(2yrs with malay employer)also very jialat. I will not hire maid worked with malay family again.

Sometimes, maid taste water..for example, one of my ex maid(6yrs ex sin), very smart/very exp, know the right way to do but complain to me abt her previous employer, method of doing work(wash dishes,dry,keep cabinet)..which is my requirement too..but she dont like,and told me the 1st day, before I told her my rules..so i know she is not the right maid from start..so she only work with me 2weeks.
Exp maid smart, know how to do but willing to do is another problem.

Just search for biodata,if hav any suitable, see how's ur maid performance. then decide.
 
Hi mummies,

my new maid came and told us she doesn't want to work for us because of my dog. As she doesn't want to take care of the dogs. And now the my Phil maid has not found a new employer, so I can't request for a new maid.

Yesterday I went out but I turned on the CCTV, I saw my maid watching TV from 10 plus in the morning to the time we come back e.g. 8 plus in the evening. I did see her do some house chores but anyhow do and one eye on the TV and the other eye sweep floor.

I saw her sitting on my sofa with her legs up on my sofa while watching TV, taking her pillow out and sleeps, rest her legs on my bb's exersaucer while watching TV, basically do all these in front of the TV and locked up my dog for 3 to 4 hrs in a room instead at the kitchen so that he can eat, pee and poo.

And whenever my dog want to sit on the sofa, the maid will chase him away with a roll up newspaper so that she can sit there and watch TV. Aiyo.... don't know how when my Phil maid still have not found a new employer...

Any mummies encountered such things?
 
My current maid is choosy and waste food. I found out that she likes to eat meat than vegetables. Went to food court to eat, she ordered fish and yet can't finish. Ordered her to finish cause it cost me $2 per piece. Bought her vegetables and meat ended finished the meat but not the vegetables. Made her finished all cause to wasteful. I cook porridge, she gave me that type of face, eeek, eat porridge. Think she never finish. Eat breakfast must eat bread with milo. She doesn't drink coffee. Told her cannot drink milo everyday cos too heaty. Ended no milo drink so she didn't eat bread. Really must tell her off next time don't want to eat never mind, go and buy yourself using your own $. Provide meals for her still so choosy. Told her she should be grateful. Also tell her in future if she can't help me when bring her out, next time will ask her stay at home do housework better. Go into the lift stand in the centre and never help to press the lift, talk to her like talking to the walk never have eye contact.
 
Rachel C,
i think ur maid is a little too much.. she basically has no respect for u and ur family... are u intending to change her (is tat the new maid you said wanted to change cos of ur dogs)?
if i were u, i will question her what she did and look for 'signs/evidence' to show wat she did in case she denies it... at the same time, look for another one to change when u can...

maureen,
seems like most maids are like that, dun really know how to hav initiative for simple tasks like pressing lift buttons... my maid also, whenever my hb is around, she will presume that he will hold the lift for all of us (which he usually does)... she never really try to hold the lift for us, but always trying to be the 1st one to rush into the lift and get out of the lift! buay-tahan...

as for food, mayb if u ask her to go get her own food and tell her that whatever she order, she has to finish it.
 
Joy747,

The reason given by my agent was that her ex-employer's parents are moving in with them therefore the employers are not hiring maid again. However, I asked my maid and she told me different stories. She said the grandpa does not like her cos she would inform her Maam whenever the grandpa scolded the children and the Sir was not happy with her for "carrying tales". The other story she told me was her ex-employer wanted to get another maid from another agency therefore lied to my agent that they are not hiring maid anymore. So, I also dont know which version is true..hahaha..

Jo,
Yeah, I also have the same thoughts as you. I did not mean to be rude or offend any Malay mummies here but I also think that Malay employers are not as strict to their maids as compare to Chinese employers. Also, I think that we have a higher expectation from the maid. This is the reason why I am never keen to hire ex-Malaysia maids.

RachelC,

OMG! Your maid is really daring huh? If I were you, I would have send her back to agent. Show the CCTV record to the agent and the maid at the agency.

I dont leave my new maid at home alone esp when they just started working with me cos I dont feel at ease. It is usually like after a month or so then I would leave them at home if I see that they can be trusted to leave them alone. So far, I always bring the maid out with us if we need to go out long.

check your contract how long is the max period your ex-PH maid has to find a new employer. I think is usually 21 days and after that if she still cannot find a new employer, you have the right to terminate her WP.

Maureen,

Tell your maid off for wasting food! Tell her that if she continues to waste food, you will not buy any food for her but she has to eat plain bread. I usually order the food for my maid and they have to eat what I order for them.
 
maureen, plim,
same here. My current PH maid also like that. Initially, she like expect US to hold the lift for her (when I'm carrying baby, and hb is holding my bag etc). Then she will rush to go into the lift first. The thing abt the lift at my place, it closes quite fast (think it's a bit faulty, but nobody complains lah) and once it closes, it will auto go down to B1, if nobody presses any other floor. So, with me carrying baby, of course I wouldn't dare to rush into the lift after her, in case the door bangs on me or baby...

We did this: One day, she rushed in and into the corner, we just stood outside to look at her. Then lift door started to close. She still stand there. We (on the outside) never press to open the door lah. So it closed and lift went down to B1. Then it came back up (must be she press one lorh), and ta da...she was inside, smiling. We still refused to step into the lift. Lift door started to close again. The whole thing happened a second time! hahaha. Finally, on the 2nd time up, she held the lift door. And ever since, she never rushes in, and if she does go in, she will hold the lift door for us. hahaha. She tells us that in PH, they have pple holding lift doors for them and even pressing the floor for them.
 
CSI_fan, think I should try your method. But the problem is my kids often run in very fast and yet she did nothing to the lift.

Kristen_mum, first few times I buy for her. I want to train her make her buy for herself and not sitting there and wait for her food to be served to her. Even I carried my food to the table, she just keep on eating without helping me removing the food from the tray. I told her your rice wont fly away.

When going out last sat, she walks slowly, I told her you are not a model please walked fast. Do you know what is model mean? From the day she came, my hubby told her my house only got 3 models who are my mil, me and my girl.
 
Rachel, watch TV when employer not at home, this happen to my ex new indo maid. 1 of my house rules, she is not allow to watch TV, as I need her to take care of my infant(now toddler) when I'm not at home.

I also have a Dlink camera in living room, I recorded, and saw her seat behind my FIL, watching TV munching biscuits after dinner,she eat like no tomorrow. I remember she can finish a tin(800gm) in 3days, worked..i hand wipe cabinet,another hand biscuits. Eat big 3meals. About 9plus, eat supper bread,a bottle of jam 450gm, a tub of margerine 500gm, can finish 1week all by herself. Basically, eat all days..work little.

Maureen, just buy whatever food for ur maid, if she choose, ask her to buy herself using her own money.
 
Ex-Malaysia maid, can work in coffeeshop, more to worker..not fully housemaid. My mum's ex maid also very lucky, dont cook. Cause my mum cook. My mum said she(maid) very lazy, and eat good food, will complain and choosy. Think maid will see, if the elderly not fierce or can take advantage, the maid will. My mum is those soft approach. My PIL, so far, all my maids think they are too weak, thus dont bother, like no PIL at home,maid do whatever she likes. Haiz..Pray get suitable maid.
 
Rachel,
Seems like you need to find another maid. Did you call the agency up to request for new bio and return the maid? Can you return the agency first? This way, agency has the urgency to look for another employer with her and you only need to pay her levy up to max of 14 days.

Maureen,
I had one maid who was choosy with vegetables and toufu. So I told her to finish all the food and not be choosy. I myself am a vegetarian but would buy meat and fish for her if I tapao. Told her I would cook the same food everyday till she learns to eat them if she continues to waste food like that. When we are out, I wld ask if she has any preference for food while I order for her. If she does not state her claims, she would have to eat whatever that I order for her.

CSI,
I like your experience with your maid on the lift. Will keep that in mind if I encounter such maid in future... hee
 
TSP, can I know what u use to subtitute pork when cook soup? For example, lotus root soup, black bean soup..those soup that used to cook with pork. If I dont want pork, what are the ingredient,name,brand..vegetarian meat? Hope you can share with me, PM me. Thks.
 
mummies,

just wondering, do you leave a set of keys with your maid, when you go out with family, but maid stays home?

on a separate note:
Usually my maid will have mopped the floor and wiped bb's playmat and toys by 7am. But this morning, I woke up at 7am, the floor still not mopped. she was just starting only. So I casually asked her, how come today so late still haven't mop floor yet? (she has to mop by 7am coz sometimes bb wakes up early. Then I can at least put bb out on the playmat, while I get ready for work.) She answered me, "I was waiting to finish boiling the water first". Huh?? *scratch head* So i asked, "so the whole time you just stand here and watch the water boil?" It's a 5L stove top kettle...so takes a while to boil. She said, no, she keep plates, boil water then dunno-what-she-mumbled, that's why haven't mopped floor yet. I was rushing to go off to work. I thot being Eve, traffic will be less, good chance for me to finally get into office early...hahaha. But, end up, got this kind of "obstacle" pop up. haiz. So in the end, I didn't bother lah. Just told her to hurry up mop the floor. Lucky thing hb not working today, so we don't have to rush out. Otherwise, sure cham...
 
Kristen_mum, Jo, Plim, tsp,

I have requested for a new maid but as I have only 1 kid, so paper work can't be processed as my Phil maid still have not an employer.

And by 5th Jan my Phil maid has not found any employer, I will have to pay over stay fee for my current maid (moreover current maid wants to go back to agency becos got dogs). Not sure what the Phil agency going to do with the Phil maid? I don't think they want to bear the cost to send the maid home as she still owes loan. So maybe in the end, I will lose her loan owed to me and as well as incur her air tickets.

Sigh.... Wonder when all these can end....

Maureen:

I also dislike maid to waste food. Whatever they order they should finish. If not, pack the remaining to finish the next day.

mummies, I think MOM should change some rules to protect the employers, these days maids are so fussy about work and then we employer will be stucked with their paper work, liable for their cost and etc....
 
Rachel,
why not read up MOM's website on employer's liability for maid? If I did not remember wrongly, one needs to pay their levy for max of 14 days only. Think they do have a limited period of stay here or they will have to go back. Tamarind has a very good website of FAQs on maids that you can refer to - http://singaporemaid.blogspot.com/
 
rachel C,
may I ask which agency did you get this current maid from? Can check with them on the loan bit also...some allow refunds (pro-rated).
 
mummies,
i think it has started! my maid just completed her loan on new year's eve. on new year's day, she started doing stupid things. Today also do stupid things....been with us for more than 6mths liao still take forward to clean and cut veggies...it's as if she's giving them a massage...and when my boy keeps going into the kitchen while I'm cooking, she pretends like she never see and continue to 'massage' the food! Until today I got so angry, i actually screamed at both my boy and her. my poor boy kena scolding from me when he's too young to even take responsibility of his action of wanting to come into the kitchen. Stupid maid still doesn't get it. Tried to run away from her duty when my boy ran into the master bedroom to look for his daddy who's in the bathroom! GRRRR.....
 
hello mummies
Happy New Year to all! Glad I found this thread again. Well, I'm still maidless and have returned to the work force for 7 mths+ now. My girl is doing very well under the care of MIL.

It seems that the maids are still giving the same old problems....sigh!

Nellu
You are very observant, once the loan is paid up, the maids show true colors or do stupid things.... they are so silly cos if they opt or want to return to the agency, they will kena penalty, or work for free for an extended period of time that actually eat into their saving$...Sigh

They never realise it or learn...it is extremely difficult to understand what's in their mind. What to us is logic or intelligence...they refuse or cannot understand good employers' good intention. For whatever pride reasons, they end up hurting their pockets and the employers.... perhaps in their mind, they really don't care since they are in hardship most of the time..Perhaps, majority of them did not have a chance to taste the fruit of their hardwork, or experience a level of comfort, so cannot appreciate the value the $$ more. If only this pool of maids can "tong" to see the real value of $$,then they will have a better attitude towards working as a domestic helper.

Though I am maidless now but MIL's house has one indo maid and recently we found out that she has a foreign worker boyfriend near the block. BTW, she's married with kid in Indo. Worst, she does not have off days but have personal space, alone in the house on Sat eve and Sun. Her 2 yr contract is almost up, so the family let the matter rest. She hid a h/p given by her boyfriend under a steel cabinet in the balcony. Can't imagine that this can happen cos MIL's house is usually very pack and noisy. Isn't she clever?
 
I have returned my maid to JF last Friday evening. She made me so angry that I chased her out of my house! I could not stand the sight of her anymore.

She kept changing her mind to stay or continue to work with me. When my hubby scolded her for forgetting to bring my daughter's bedtime bolster back from my MIL house last friday despite that we have told her many times that my daughter needs her bolster every night, she came to me and said she wanted to go back to agency again! Basically, she would ask to go back to agent each time she was scolded by us. Also, she would bug me to help her buy the luggage bag and clothes first thing in the morning until she spoilt my mood every day. She would also keep complaining to me about my MIL about the housework saying that my MIL made her overworked which was not true at all. My MIL was so kind to her to give her tea break everyday and nice food and yet she lied to me that my MIL mis-treated her.

Mummies, my maid's name is Sumiyati. I actually wanted to send her back to Indon as the agent was also not willing to help her find another employer but as we are not willing to pay more for her air-ticket, we decided to transfer her out instead.

tsp,

I went to Best Home at Bt Timah that day to look at their bios for Indon maids. I talked to Joann. I have shortlisted 2 maids but they do not have any passports. According to Joann, she said it would probably takes about 3-4 weeks for the maids to come over and it would be around 1st to 2nd week of Feb.

I note from their service agreement that they charge $5 per day for maid's lodging if we return the maid to them but she said that if is due to maid's faults, they would waive the charge. Is this true? Has any mummies ever been charged for the maid's lodging from Best Home before??
 
Kristen_mum,
Yup, that is Best Home's charges for maid's lodging. Good thing is if you go holiday, you can put your maid with them at $5 per day. The charge is basically to cover their meals which is provided by best Home.

I returned my maids to best Home but was never charged before. Reasons for returning them was because the maids requested to change employer, could not get along with my MIL and the other was waiting for transfer to my SIL. think Best Home also assesses employers' reasons for returning maids. Some employers are problematic so I guess they are charged for the lodging.

Is your maid, Sumiyati from Best Home? Let Joann know that it was your maid who requested to go back to agency so you do not need to pay for her lodging?
 
Kristen_mum, so you go to best home have to pay the agency fees again?

So far this maid is about going to 2 weeks so far ok just start waste food. After telling her off is better. Does work is much more faster than my previous maid. She can ask me need to do this and that. She can take out her note book I wrote for her to read and refer. But it is still early to comment anything. Hopefully she is ok and can complete 2 years.
 
tsp,

My maid was not from Best Homes. She was from JF. I have not confirmed any maid from them yet...just shortlisted a few only. I will call Joann tomorrow to ask more about the maids.

Maureen,
Yes, if I were to go to another agency, I would have to pay agency fees again
sad.gif
I still have one free replacement maid from JF but we are contemplating whether to take any more maids from them because it seems that I do not have any luck with their maids. The previous time I shortlisted 3 PH maids and none was able to come. Finally they introduced one ex-SG PH maid who was highly recommended by the agent and turned out to work only 1 week. Now, this Indon maid who was also highly recommended by the agent turned out to be as such..sigh!! They can tell me that I have no chemistry with their maids!!

Also, I was quite pissed off with them for being very inflexible. Initially we wanted to send our maid back to Indon but we can only get the earliest and cheapest air-ticket on next Thurs. So I asked them if they can let me put my maid with them until next Thursday but they refused and wanted to charge me $10 per day for her lodging. I requested them to waive since I will be taking a new maid from them but they just simply refused. They even frightened me that if my maid run away from their agency, they are not going to be responsible.

They kept telling me that they could help me get a cheaper air-ticket for me to send my maid off but the price they quoted is much more than what I have sourced myself. They are smart to make use of me to send the maid back to her country all at my expenses.
 
Kristen_mum,
I have not been charged any lodging etc by Best Home when I sent my #1 maid back to them. My #2 maid has asked to go back, but, so far, she never ask again. haha. So, we also haven't started our search again lah. I have until end Feb for it to be 10 mths FOC replacement...Should I ask the maid again, if she wants to go back to agent? Or shd I just keep quiet about it?

nellu,
oh my. So irritating, isn't it? I guess we can only scold and scold (make ourselves cynical?), give pep talks...and monitor a bit more. Otherwise, change her job scope to such where she cannot "siam" her duties...

Just to rant: My maid, always wait till the items have finished then she tell me. Be it milk powder, milo, instant noodles, nappy liner, detergent, rice, cooking oil etc... Always when left 1 sccop (for milk powder) or zero, then she say. So I got fed up. We decided we will not bring her out anymore, except to church and supermkt. One day, told her to cook instant noodles herself, she said no more noodles. So I asked her how? no food. I'm on diet, so dun intend to eat. But what about her? Then I left it at that. (at the risk of being complained for not giving my maid food). But in the end, told her to cook porridge (she tried to cook rice...for 1 person! how much electricity is that manz...turn on cooker to cook rice for ONE person.) But she still dun get it lorh. After that day, on night, can still tell me, nappy liners left only 3 pcs. Wah lau. ask me go where and buy at night?? Sianz. HB says, too bad lorh. no liner, then if my gal poops, she will have to handwash. Haha. True.

oh, my 'maid auditor' hb has finally seen the light *yeah!*. He decided, since she cannot and refused to let herself be coached on childcare, he will let her handle all the housework (childcare, just do basic - feed, clean, make sure not injured), and the housework must do till very good standard. Then at least we don't have to worry abt housework, and we can focus on my gal (and her development) when we are home. I don't disagree with him, but after the many times my maid fails to tell us abt items that are finishing, I wonder how good her housework can be also.

oh, oh...haha. more things to rant about...(pai seh). Yesteray, maid heated up left over chicken and rice (from relative's New Year's party). Hb asked her if the chicken and rice were ok. She says, still ok. But after heating up, I noticed this really sour smell from it (think it was going to turn bad). Told hb, but he said, ok lah. can still eat. Which he did. But we noticed maid didn't eat. Usually, she eats what we eat, unless we specifically tell her that the food stuff is not for her. So, asked maid why didn't she eat, she just smiled. Asked her again, she says "you didn't tell me to eat, so I didn't eat that". To which, hb shot back, "other times I also never tell you to eat the rice or vege, but why you eat those?" hahaha. I think maid didn't eat the chicken coz she noticed the sour smell, but didn't say. Hehs...
 
aiyo... today the Phil agency wants to cancel the work permit of my Phil maid and now MOM website is down. And if paper work is not done by today, my new maid will not be able to come until 3rd Feb as agency close for CNY. Aiyo... of all these days today MOM website must be down...sigh....
 
CSI_Fan:
I called and MOM told me if it's not cancelled by today I will be penalised. And told me that it has already been penalised, so I asked why? And they told me since my new maid came on 16th Dec, so I have only 14 days to cancel instead of 21 days. So now getting a bit confused, as been told my 2 agencies that 5th Jan (21 days) is the last day but MOM said different thing.

Guess I will be maidless for a few weeks. Think I will just let it be.
 
Kristen_mum:
I can understand yr stress and frustrations as I am undergoing the same thing. Why JF so inflexible one? I remembered visiting them, some of the agents are quite tough and not easy to deal with, so I think if I have problem with the maid, they will not be able to help. So I decided not to take maid from them after talking to them but still I didn't expect the maids to give me problem.
 
Kristen,
Sounds like JF is trying to make money from you. Perhaps it is indeed time to change agency. Not sure if you or agency has to be responsible if maid runs awy when under their care, prob gotta check with MOM.

CSI,
sounds like your maid also quite smart leh.. Maids find excuses when they do not like certain foods, faced same problem before. haiz, what to do..

Rachel,
I vaguely remembered that employers are responsible fo hte maid's levy for 14 days, so I gathered that permits had to be cancelled within 14 days too.. Didn't your agency keep track of that? If your new maid is already in, how come the maid agency did not expedite the processing of her work permit?
 
CSI,
you sure your maid didn't add 'liao' into the food. My mum + all her auntie friends always tell me that if the maid doesn't eat the food that she has prepared, then have to be careful liao. Either got black magic/charm, or add something inside. Even my previous PT cleaning lady told me the same thing too and a story abt how her cousin's family got charmed by one maid they hired.

anyway from what you described, i think you maid really cannot make it at all. Cannot do housework, cannot do childcare. Then can do what?

you know, aft i posted abt my maid doing stupid things here, she 'challenged' herself and achieved a new 'record' by only telling me that she has finished using the spray starch when she has 20pcs of clothing to iron!! to top that, she told me quite late at night over the weekend! So now the 20pcs of clothing still hanging on the rack and it's just going to add on...damn sian...

now, i'm lagi more sian cos my boy has started childcare so now my maid is damn free at home. I'm desperately trying to find things for her to do!!! I'm very reluctant to let her cook all the meals. Now she does only the rice, veggies and soup. All idiot proof. I want to enjoy my food. If I let her cook everything then the whole meal will suck!!
 
hi ladies...

seems like still got lots of maid problems... with the economy so bad, tot maid will "ren zhen" work cos family need money but yet still so many problems.

my younger boy will be starting childcare yr end.... hoping to go back do more "full-time" work, want to earn lots of money
happy.gif


btw, any advises on renewal work permit and make new passport for maid. which agency cheap and wat documents need to prepare? can we make maid passport here at embassy? mine is PH.
 
Kristen, which branch did you go. I hate to take transferred maid and ex sing maid. Really got problem. I am still keeping my fingers crossed hope that this maid is ok. Don't believe in the highly recommend, normally turn out the other way round.
 
Dear ALL

Can I ask : when the agency says they give you FREE replacement - what does it actually mean?

For example, i have a maid from agency ...maid has been with me for 1 month but she cannot make it ... cannot handle kids, cannot cook, cannot speak nor understand simple english ...all these despite her 3 years work experience in Malaysia!
So I have since asked for a replacement maid ...
Can i ask
(1) what will happen to this current Indon maid i intend to give up?
(2) if agent cannot find her a suitable employer, who has to pay for her air ticket home?
(3) i know i stand to lose the Bond Waiver & Medical insurance which i paid $204 ... but on top of losing this money, do i stand to lose anymore money ? Must i pay for her ticket home or agency pay ? Can't be the maid pay cos she has no money ...

Can anyone enlighten me ? Thanks very much
happy.gif
 
YingYing,
Free replacement = no need to pay agent fees again when selecting new replacement maid. That's all.

The agent would try to place out the maid that you return. That is one way that the agent makes $$ (agent takes 2 mths of maid's salary if she's transferred). But you will be liable for her levy till she gets placed out.

Not sure abt the air ticket bit.

Is that the average price for Bond Waiver & Medical Insurance? Coz I paid $131...with NTUC Income. Erm, I think that's all that you lose. Coz if there's any outstanding loan amt, agent would offset against the next maid's loan. and you top up the difference in the loan amt, if any. But I'm not sure if it's different for different agents...
 


Hi mummies,

I am planning to get a maid. Would appreciate if you could share some info here.

JF is Jack Focus? How much is the agency fees? Looks like they are not very flexible.

How much is the agency fees for Best Home?

Aside to Ying Ying, Free replacement, is free to change maid with no additional agency fees, but you still have to pay for the insurance and admin/handling fees? So, in another word, not 100% FREE.

New in getting maid. Other mummies, correct me if I am wrong.
 
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