Advise on Baby & Maid Exps

valnsw,
You have to first check your agency contract. If the maid has not finished repaying her loan, then normally you must return her to the agency, so that you can get a replacement maid, or get your loan refunded depending on whether your contract allows it.

Normally when the maid has finished repaying her loan, then the agency has nothing to do with her anymore. You can cancel her work permit online, buy her an airticket and send her back to her own country. Yes she must be repatriated within 7 days of cancellation. After 7 days she becomes an illegal immigrant.
 


Hi tamarind,

Thks for your quick reply.

I also called MOM and they confirmed abt the 7 calendar days.

As for the repayment of the loan, let's say I don't mind forgoing the last 1-2 mths of her loan period and not to use back the same agency, will it still be ok?

I mean I can cancel the WP online without the agency, so I guess it's up to me whether I want to bring her back to agency before her loan is paid off right?
 
valsnw,
Usually if you don't mind forgoing the loan, there should be no problem.

However, previously I encountered one agency which stated in the contract that the maid must be returned to them if she had not completed her loan. If I did not return to them, then they may take action against me since I signed the contract.

If your agency contract did not have anything like this, then you can go ahead and cancel.
 
Hi rachelC, nellu,
yup yup. thanks for your thoughts. Finally found time to visit the agency yesterday (was on leave). Agent says if we want to keep her, then bring her back for counselling. Otherwise, just select another maid. hahaha. Looked through some bio-datas yesterday, but was not able to contact all of them. duh. hahaha.

at first, hb feels can try to keep this maid. but over CNY, spoke with a few relatives, all say, since she asked to go, let her go. Her heart may not be here already. may end up with more problems.

btw, do you mummies ask ur maid abt how much AP (ang pows) they receive during CNY? we did ask (coz after maid #1 stole from us, hb just wanted to play safe, esp when my parents' home got crowd visiting my grandma, he didn't want any misunderstanding). So, we told maid to let us know asap, who gives her the AP, so that we can thank the person. 1st day, went to hb's grandma place first. 1 aunty gave maid AP. Maid immediately came to tell us abt it. Ok, that's good. Subsequently, throughout the whole day, she didn't mention anything else. And, throughout the whole day, we went to 3 other relatives' homes (1 is hb side the others are my side). But no word from her...no APs? hmmmm. I knew that was not possible, coz my cousin did tell me that she was going to give my maid AP. Yet, maid didn't say anything? So, at the final stop (my parent's home for dinner - just my parents and us only), hb just casually asked maid if anyone else gave her AP. She said yes, and told hb that his uncle gave her. That's all. But I knew that was not possible, coz my cousins and other relatives do give the maids AP. So in the car, we asked her further. Then she revealed that my aunties and cousins had given her AP too.

Hb was quite irritated by it. His point was, (a) she was supposed to tell us abt it asap so that we can thank the person, afterall she's a new maid, not that she's been with us for a loooong time that all the relatives know her well kinda thing; (b) he had asked her if anyone else gave her, but at that point when he asked, she only revealed ONE name, omitting the many others who had given her. Was she trying to hide anything? Why dun just reveal all?

Then hb asked her if she has counted and how much. She says she counted, abt $40. When we reached home, hb told her to open and count all in front of us. And it was close to $60. Hb got irritated again. coz he felt that why did she "under-declare" the amount? I was thinking, maybe she was afraid we would want to keep her $$, so she just under declare, then she can still keep the "excess". But, hb's point is, it's not honest at all.

Then 2nd day of CNY, maid was soooo happy. Happily volunteered the AP to count. And she was smiling as she did that. hahaha. Coz it was quite a stack of APs. It was quite some amount lah. So anyway, took the chance to point out to her...if we had sent her back in Dec (she was making noise how come we still haven't sent her back yet since she had already requested to be sent back in Dec), she wouldn't have gotten these APs. She just smile smile. Haiz, really manz...see $$, eyes big big. For that day, her work was not bad. But the following day (yesterday), all the silly mistakes came back again. Totally not focused on work. Haiz.
 
oh oh...another story (hahaha...entertain you all here. HB says he feels so blessed that he gets free "entertainment" daily).

on CNY eve, we went relative's home for reunion lunch. Fetched my sister and brother there too. So, had to 'reconfigure' the sitting arrangement in the car. Usually maid sits in front passenger seat coz I'm behind with baby in car seat. On the eve, told maid to sit behind (not the first time though). Maid sat next to the door. Arrived at relative's place. Maid didn't know how to open the door!! OMG. We all could hear her struggling to open the door - hand touch this that, hitting the door kind of sound. Hb pointed out the door handle to her then she opened the door. OMG....my car only has 4 doors...each door is different???? hahaha. Each door is the same mah...dunno how come she dunno how to open. My car is old car, so the windscreen is those non-electronic type (must manually wind-up/down). Apparently maid wound down the windscreen, thinking that would open the car door!! *faint*. Best part, she didn't tell us she wound it down. And hb didn't notice it (ok, his fault) when he locked the door (she was just seated behind him, so hb shd have noticed, but he didn't.) So for the entire few hours at the HDB car park, the car's rear windscreen was wound down!! We were soooo lucky, our car is old and small, that nobody wanted to steal from us. We could have lost the whole car.

hb was so mad...is there anyone more stupid than that? Everyday travel in the car (everyday she goes with my baby to my parent's place), but once change seat, dunno how to open the car door? I assure you, all the door handles are the same...Wind down windscreen, dunno how to tell pple? Expect the windscreen to go up on its own after she winds it down?

Hahahaha....
 
csi fan,
your maid pretending to be stupid lah...

i got story to tell also...not my maid but my Bil's maid.

This CNY we went back together with my BIL's family to Msia. Since my BIL got 2 kids, he brought the maid along. This maid hor, super pretend. Kept carrying baby, pretend to be busy and never lifted a finger to help carry bags or wash up the kids' bottles and other things....

i see already i super buay song. Told my bil and his wife to make the maid do all the hard work and they attend to their kids, which they did. Then the maid got shocked why suddenly her sir not serving her! Walao...

the best part came on tuesday nite. The maid smacked one of the kids' hand! my Bil and his wife saw it and questioned her. Somemore she denied. They threatened to send her to the police. Then she started her drama. Cry father cry mother, threatened them say she wants to go home. I saw it, cannot take it so went into the room to see what happened. After hearing the story and also the history (the maid apparently always threaten to leave everytime aft get scolding), I told my bil and his wife to just send this maid home and get a new maid. No point keeping her if she's always threatening them like that.

I also found out that my BIL had been v nice to her. Buy $10 phone card for her EVERY week for one whole year! Gave her extra $30 of allowance during her loan repayment period (over and on top of the $50 allowance that she gets!). Bought things for her kids, never ask her to pay them back (this had been a few times already!).she never do all the housework, they also close one eye. She was stubborn and refuse to follow instructions. they also let her be....

and my BIL's wife said cos she's worried about her kids...sigh...but why be so nice and always be threatened for the whole year like that???

told them to just select a new maid and send this one off...no pt right??

if this maid was to work for me, I doubt she would have survived past 2 weeks!
 
nellu,
yah manz, I think she pretending too. When relatives came to my parent's place, she kept volunteering to look after my gal, when I explicitly told her to help my father's maid out in the kitchen the whole day. That poor indo gal was in the kitchen herself, preparing food, cleaning up etc. And mine kept wanting to look after my gal. To put it in an evil way: dunno if she's thinking, "I'm with baby. Pple sure come to see baby and give baby AP. either (a) can take baby's AP, or (b) pple see me (the maid) will also give me AP". That's an evil thought lah...but well, it's not impossible.

Nellu, your BIL is very nice to his maid leh...even my parents (they are very nice to their maids) also not as nice...Agree with you...why be so nice, but end up always threatened? The nice-ness is not appreciated. Waste efforts being nice...but your BIL probably also quite busy...no time to go look for another maid and to train the maid again kinda thing. I think that's the biggest hurdle for most of us - time to look for maid plus time to train the maid...
 
tam,
probably the procedure of getting mainland chinese workers is quite complex so that is why they don't really allow?

anyway why would anyone want to hire mainland chinese FDW? a few frens who hire DW in China told me that they are more difficult to manage than the Ph and Indo maids that we have.

csi fan,
yes i really think my BIL and his wife are way too nice with the maid. I could see during the trip that even when my BIL or his wife told her to do something, the maid will sort of ignore them or give them face..and they just let it go! Wah, if it's me I would have scolded her already lor.

not just the time involved.. i think a lot of pple are also afraid of the unknown, scared the next maid will be worse...but sigh, if you want to hire maid you'll just have to accept this lor...
 
hi CSI,
saw ur post abt ur maid didn't tell u when the things r finished. I oso hv the probs wf my new maid.what i did is to ask her to give me the inventory list every morn.

For e.g. how many tomato left,how many bread left? I hv had a hard time to get her to start the list,then i made the final instruction:i wanna to see the list every morn 8am,if not,u go bk to agent.

I realise maids always treat our words lightly.Then one fine day, my hb n me got fed up n called the agent immediately.She was terrified.The agent scolded her thru the phone.
 
hi avocado,
hehs...yup. that's what we told her too. But she still dun prepare the list. And still can ask us, when are we sending her back to agent. So in the end, hb told her, "you didn't prepare the list. Ask u to do something, u take so long to do. Then why should I rush myself to do what you ask me to do? Besides, without the list, how to handover to the new maid?"

But I told her...."no list? As you to prepare the list and show us every week, you never prepare. Give you chance, again never prepare. Give you several days to prepare, also never do. You give me the impression that you are not suitable for domestic helper work. I think it would be better to just send you back home, instead of going back to agent. Otherwise, you will face same problem with another family and you will end up feeling even more miserable. I will pay your air ticket. (and I flipped newspapers, commented on Tiger airways prices etc in front of her, to hb...pretend pretend)" Well, she came up with the list the next day. hahahahaha.

I know her heart is not here anymore. So now, I'm looking for new maid...but haiz. the bios...the education quite high one leh (bachelor of something), and young (abt 23, 24, 25 y.o.). scared will not be willing to do housework type. dunno how ah.....grrrrr...
 
avocado,
true that maids take our words lightly a lot. but i personally won't threaten to call the agent/send her back over a small issue like this. cos aft a while this threat will lose its effectiveness...

csi,
my most recent maid was a grad. Overall she was good. but the prob was she was scheming. the younger and more educate ones may be harder to manage in the sense that they can be intelligent lah...not that they may not be willing to work...
 
hi csi,
nowadays maids r smart,they kinda know we just "say say" only...

i lecture my maid everyday...but seems she doesn't bother.So i cut down her food..anyway,she is slightly plump.I told her eating less is good for her.

I realise u've to understand ur maid n know her weakness.My maid is those type "wanna face" one.If I scold her at home,she doesn't bother.So I purposely scold her when other maids r ard,i mean,my neighbours' maids.

And she is those quite ego type.She always acts smart,but always did the wrong ways.So I purposely ask her to stand besides other maids n learn from them,how they wash cars,how they sweep floor.Make her feel like an idiot.The more she's stubborn n ego,the more I embarass her.Coz this is the best way to make her to be more humble.

And whenever I give her instruction,I ask her to stop doing anything,stand there n listen to me.But I realise her body language signals me that she is bo chap.Coz she keeps shaking her body. So I make her "squat" down n listen to me.

I can speak Malay....but yet,she oso has prob following my instructions.I even give her timetable everyday.Sometimes,I feel like i crazy woman,yelling here n there.But I cannot control leh...she can do some funny or stupid thing to agitate me.

Last time,I used to give her a whole loaf of breads,food such as curry. Told her umpteen times that she nid to put the curry or cake or food etc..to the fridge if she cannot finish.But she doesn't listen.Left the curry or cake outside for whole day n ended up spoilt.When I asked her to throw away,she said she wanna eat.I forbidden her to eat coz if she gets stomach upset,then hv to send her to c doctor.
So nw I fed up,I just hv to distribute her food daily.

I always sarcastically asked her how come u wanna come to work in S'pore since u r so rich?Coz u always nvr tak care the food that I give u?

That day,she just threw away the stem of the brocolli.Then,she told me she doesn't eat the stem in indonesia.I was so mad.I oredi showed her once how to cut the brocolli...

but for all the mummies out there,the maids nowadays r very cunning,the more if ur maid doesn't like to cook or tak care children,the more u shld get her to do.My maid is relatively good in hsework,but she doesn't like cooking or tak care my one n only 4y.o son.I told her off.I told her:u hv the choice,u can go bk to agent,they might send u to tak care of elderly man,who u nid to clean his shit or urine everyday.Or they might send u to a household who has 3 or 4children.Sickening! all these maids do not know how to appreciate.

My maid can't even make barley drink despite i showed her many times.But I am still asking her to make once per day.She hates to wash to car,the more i make her wash.She lazy to use recycle water to mop floor or wipe window,the more I make her carry the recycle water to wash car,mop floor....

I told her:u hv no choice,this is my house,u've to follow my instructions.If u dont like it,i can send u bk to indonesia anytime.Agent won't tak any maid anymore coz nowadays economy is bad,they do not wanna keep maid,they rather use ur salary n send u home.

Nellu,
i agree wf u that threat will lose its effectiveness.So I oso run out of idea how to deal wf them.I know I've to be firm.I've stopped being nice to her coz she tak it for granted.Sometx,I ignore her.I try to treat her transparent.I've no choice but to endure coz i know if I get another maid,the same prob will surface.So long as she doesn't give me huge prob such as stealing,lazy,run away, i just close one eye.

is ur current maid indo or phil?
 
avocado,
now i remember...from all the older posts in this thread...hehe...me got no maid now. Super fed-up with all the rubbish that the maid brings.

Recently just sacked one who's phil. Full of schemes but pretend to be innocent. Work is not bad. Attitude at first also quite good. Aft loan payment is up, stupid things happen. I didn't feel good so did a spot check and found her hiding another hp. Not that I dun allow..but the thing is when she came she surrendered one willingly and told us to safekeep for her, thus creating the impression that she had only one phone.

I checked thru her 'secret' phone and found some evidence that probably one of the staff in the agency is in cahoots with her. Told the agency boss as well.

initially wanted to let her transfer. But agency boss was angry with the matter and ordered that she be sent home. I wasn't charged the air ticket as well.
 
nellu,
how did she manage to get the hp?She has off-day?

luckily,ur agency boss is good...which agency?

hmm....i wonder if it is true that the agency boss reali has sent the maid back to Phil?
 
avocado,
apparently the maid had that 'secret' phone all the while. She came with 2 phones. One surrendered to us very willingly for safekeeping, the other she held in secrecy.

the maid doesn't have an off day. That's why when I first discovered it, i thought she might have stolen our money and sneaked out to buy or got someone to get for her...but aft I checked through her phone, then it was clear that she had the phone all along!

she was sent back to Phil for sure, cos when I logged on to WP online and checked on her WP. There are no records.
 
Hi mummies,

Happy Blessed Chinese New Year to all.

Just want to ask, if I need maid to ferry my girls(sometimes when I'm not in town or cant send them myself).. and maid must reach home in certain period. Any suggestion, how to tell nicely?
Example, go n come back within/or half an hour. For me, usually only need 20mins.Just to avoid maid go other place or meet other ppl,make bg relationship, which happen to my ex maid(current maid dont hav off day).
 
Nellu, your maid are smart to hav 2phones. I think maid are smart in all ways, except do their work. Mostly, not all maids are same.

My current maid, I dont know what to say..just hav to tolerate..close eyes..here are some of her action:

1) When I asked her to put a box of tissue paper in living room(with chinese new year type of cover)..she took my pads(in lace cover,square shape like tissue box) which keep in my wardrobe instead. Think, when she packed my wardrobe and saw it. Lucky, I noticed, or my guest will get pad and not tissue paper.

2)Always give me silly excuses,when she make mistake..now, my toddler, on toilet training..I told maid to be safe..bring her to pass urine abt every half a hour..end up, always urine everywhere..maid can said,my girl didnt say want to urine.. worst, my girl urine on matress(morning), maid just change a new bedsheet, matress stil wet, cause new/clean bedsheet also wet, maid cover with pillow..by the time i put my girl to nap(afternoon)..realise wet..maid can reply, she do that cause she know my girl need to nap, wait after her nap, only sun the matress.

3)I saw my girls toothbrush so dirty and black, asked maid to change a new one and I throw away(afraid maid use it on my girl again).Till lately, noticed my girls have smelly mouth. Asked my girl to open mouth, the white yellowish thing so thick, make me remember abt the dirty toothbrush. I asked maid, do you let her clean mouth? She can tell me, she dont know where is the new toothbrush..that was like 2weeks ago..what if I didnt ask, so just let my girl's mouth rotten..what type of excuses..dont know mean nothing wrong? Everything just said dont know.
 
hi Jo,
ur maid is simply bo chap.I don't wanna say..coz my maid oso likes that.Until now,she's still doesn't know how to wear a jacket for my son.She oso very lazy to squat down to wear clothes or feed my son.So I'll scream at her everytime she doesn't squat down.

Sometimes,I can't help but to scream at her coz she seems like dreaming when we give her instruction.

Ur point 1),maid mistook the pads reali very ridiculous.See...sometimes they reali do stupid things that drive u nuts.

I ever asked her a few times if she has attended school,coz she doesn't seem to understand simple english or use logical thinking.

Seem like all the maids hv this prob:don't know but don't ask.I always scold my maid,if u don't know,u shld ask; don't act smart or blur.

I am those more of stubborn type,the more she lazy to mop floor or she anymore mop,the more i ask her to do.

nellu,
that's good.She beta stay Phil for good.Dishonest maids cannot be kept. Aiya,actuali,all maids r not honest.My maid oso lies.Once I caught her,I make her wipe few times n few days.
 
Wah lau Jo....sick man! The pad thing is something my newly ex-maid would have done. So stoopid right!

I would be so angry if my maid didn't tell me she couldn't find the new toothbrushes. There's no excuse for that. She caused your girls not to brush their teeth for 2 weeks!

That is exactly why I will NEVER trust a maid to take care of my kids. They just don't give a damn if the kids suffer you know!

Anyway, my ding-dong maid left on Wednesday. Got my new maid today and she's sooooo much better. Ex Jordan 2 years. Automatic and clean. I only need to show her once and she can do. Hope I will not be disappointed.
 
Hi Liana, Happy new year...glad to hear ur new maid so much better.

I also dont trust maid with childcare..I can only tried to minimun maid handle children.

About the toothbrush..maid should know where the place, cause I keep all the children's belonging in a drawer(whole cabinet kept children's items).
When maid come, I actually asked her to pack the whole house, so she knows where we keep those things.

My current maid, do less childcare, kids go to CC day time, only help to prepare them before and after CC.So little care also can hav silly excuses..simply blame other, or said DONT KNOW..

Happen once, my toddler, have soap on her hair after shower..asked maid, she can reply, my girl dont want to wash hair, but maid cant just let that be..hair stil soapy.
Haiz, I told her, kids cant think, but we adult, knows what is right and what is not..

Maid can said my children naughty,dont listen to her..I replied, if children can listen, there are not children but adult,(sometimes adult like maid also dont listen).

Haiz, really dont know want to laugh or vomit blood..

The was once make my hubby laughed.. maid tried to open a new bottle of sauce but closed very tightly.. so hubby suggested used rubber band,help less friction(dont know the right word), easier to open..end up, maid tight rubber band on glass bottle(below cap/cover), which make no different and tried to open again.

Pray maids will improved for better, be great help to all employers.
 
Hi Jo,
Gong Xi Fa Cai to you and family too ;)
You planning to keep your current maid? She's not very good leh. Left soap in your girl's hair, never brush their teeth for 2 weeks cos too lazy to get new toothbrush, really give you headache, especially she got no childcare duties.

Nellu,
You planning to get another maid?
 
Liana,
thought about you just yesterday. Wanted to ask if your new maid was here already. Good to hear she's better than Ms Dumbo. Hope she'll stay that way.

I'm not too sure if I should get a maid again. Still thinking...You know all these maid issues, sometimes make me feel like I'm the weird one.
My neighbour (the husband) tries to tell me that I'm stupid to have sacked the maid. A lot of my friends also said somewhat similar things. Ya...sounds like I was really draconian over the phone issue. But as I tried to explain (and am really tired of explaining) that the root of the issue is a BIG question on her integrity. I shudder to think what other potential danger we could be exposed to if she is around. Maybe I'm paranoid...

if i tell my hubby now maybe we should hire a maid again. he'll sure hantam me.. :p...
 
Hi Nellu,
Well, it wasn't the phone that you were mad about, it was the fact that your maid was untrustworthy and sneaky to have made you think she surrendered her phone when she secretly had another phone. I understand your reasons and why you did what you did.

My current maid is really ok. Maybe you want to consider ex-middle east as the employers over there are really strict. Some examples of what I have noticed so far:

1. really tries to save electricity. She handwashes in her bathroom without the light on to save electricity. Never uses the dryer. Everything is hung up to dry. Ex-maid used to stuff into the dryer all the time.

2. she never left the house for 2 years previously and was not allowed near the windows to even look outside

3. she took care of 5 kids alone and was ok slogging 5am to midnight.

4. handwashes everything...even though we don't expect her to. I told her she can use the machine to wash her clothes but she said she will handwash to save electricity as well as that machine is only for employer.

5. eats her food inconspicuously after all chores are done. never leaves any dirty dishes in the sink. as soon as there is a dish in the sink she washes it immediately.

6. very used to cleaning until spotless

7. She doesn't speak at all like a Filo. She's got a middle eastern accent. Her english is very good. It's like I've hired a middle eastern maid and not a Filo which is really WONDERFUL.

She's still a bit slow cos getting used to the house but overall I can see the effort is there and she can remember most things.

But who knows, it's still too early to tell....she could turn into a lazy, ungrateful pain in the ass like some of my previous maids.

Anyway, I told you my ex-maid biodata stated 2 employers only and finished contract both times. Well, when I checked MOM online she had 6 previous employers not including myself and never finished a single contract. Probably those employers couldn't keep her cos she was so darn low IQ.
 
Liana, when I think of changing maid, all the maids I get, sure have problems, only different set.

This current maid, always make me vomit blood with her silly behaviour/action..like she leave her brain in Indo or not function.

Work with me a month, everytime I make milk, boiled water, I will make a cup of drink for myself, either coffee or tea. Maid know this.

At 12pm, I prepare the milk bottle,and tea bag..waiting to make after children's lunch,so I went to my room.Kids eat lunch, clean up, drink milk n take nap.

10mins ago,is good that, she offer to make milk for my toddler..she came to my room(I'm online) and I said sure.

Guest what? Maid just leave the tea bag, only make milk.
 
Yesterday, we went to SIL's hse for dinner, and brought maid along.. she really act like guest.

My girls dont want her to feed, so I feed(in living room,TV on). While feeding soup, my girl spilt some on my tight, my 2hands holding soup bowl n spoon.. maid only seat there...my sil, quickly get me a tissue paper to wipe..maid like stone watching us. Haiz..

Maybe no brain is better than scunning. But what I dont like, is when she tell lies/excuses.

Hse chores stil ok,cooking no body eat,so I cook.
Cant handle my children. Just tell myself, at least I dont hav to do hse work.

Liana, at this moment, will just use current maid..will see how for next 2-3mths. Change also get same(hav problems)..sian lor.
 
Liana,
i think you understand my pt cos I think you've been through some really serious crap yourself. Thanks for that. At least i'm not made to feel like an idiot here!
happy.gif


Sounds like your new maid's a good catch. Previously my agent did recommend some ex-Saudi maids to me but I was a bit apprehensive. Plus my hubby wasn't really keen on getting experience maids...but hahaha..the last laugh was on us since the recent ex-maid actually was ex-HK except she didn't finish her contract!..maybe she was fired in HK because of the same problem too! only we are idiots to have treated her nicely by not going through her things and trusting her to a certain extent.

hubby was mad that he was made a fool for the last 8mths!
 
Hi all... Long time no post..... Busy and lazy... hehe

Happy Lunar New Year.....

Need some advice here. The contract of my current maid will expire in Aug 09. I intended to extend her contract for another 2 years. When is the best time to tell her that I have this intention? She needs time to consider whether to continue with me and I also need time to search for a replacement in case she does not want to stay with me.

How much increment I should raise if she decided to stay with me? Currently paying her 370. As u know the current economic crisis is affecting everyone, I can't afford to raise too much.

How come this is no announcement of salary decrease for FDWs???? Haiz....
 
CSI_Fan:

aiyo... yr maid not sure is she out really to make u angry.

avocado:
Ya. I think these days, these are not that poor some how. Like 3 of my maids including the current one, dun eat the skin of apples which I eat. Yesterday, I told my maid to pluck veg, she wanted to throw the stem of the Cai Xin, so I show her how to peel and later use it for frying. And she told me in the kampong, they throw it away. Usually I also will tell them to peel and cut up the stem of brocolli. Hmm... seems like maid these days very rich lei...

My Indo maid is here for 2 weeks plus already, so far she is ok but only find that she has bad breathe... ask her got toothache, she said no, asked her to rinse her mouth after food or if at home, brush teeth and gave her a new toothpaste, so got smell... and I don't know how to directly tell her....
 
CSI_Fan / Avocado:

Why don't you consider changing yr maids since they really make yr blood boil. I mean no guarantee that the next one will be good also but at least, better than putting up with the current one.

I don't mean my current maid is good. As I can't really speak malay but we still can manage with a little malay and show her using actions how to do house work and etc. so still manageable.
 
Rachel C,
heehee...I will be changing my maid...just that I got no time to go sift through bios lah...only had time (coz I was on leave) on 3rd day of CNY. So now, still trying to contact some of the maids for phone interview lorh...hehs.
 
Rachel/CSI Fan

If I am not mistaken, both of your agent is Best Home, right? Yday I went down to sign the documents to apply for my maid and I was told by one of the staff (as Joann was still on leave) that according to their policy, there will be a penalty fee of $400 to the employer if in the event that we decided not to get anymore replacment maid from them during the loan period. Did you all also have the same term?

Lucky thing for me is that as I have taken the $398 package since my chosen maid can speak Mandarin, after deducting the agent fee of $398, I just need to pay them a $2 ($400 - $398) processing fee to them if I decided not to take any replacement maid from them during my maid's loan period. However, if for someone who took the $298 package (fresh maid package), the employer will have to pay $102 ($400 - $298) to Best Home!

I find this is very unfair to the employers as I have never encountered this type of term before with any of the previous agencies leh...
 
kristen_mum,
no idea leh. think have lah. but i'm still within the free replacement period. In fact, hb is now thinking of paying the maid's loan in instalments. so that we wun be tied to the agency, if maid changes her mind abt working etc...
 
Mummies,
I realize I probably don't need a maid! I spent all afternoon with the new maid and she finished doing upstairs in like an hour...I went to check, it was spotlessly clean. Nothing to do from 2pm onwards! Now she's cutting the grass, after cleaning the cupboards....I wonder why my previous maid couldn't really manage her time...
 
Liana,
cos the previous one takes her own sweet time! And it's really weird sometimes. All my previous maids can't really finish the cleaning, but they have time to sit in the kitchen to fold plastic bags!! I didn't even need them to do that!! Stupid right? Just plain wanting to skive lah!

CSI_fan,
actually it doesn't really matter whether you paid the loan in full or in installments wat. In the event the maid fouls up during the loan period, the agent will have to refund you the remaining money. In the case of installments, they just stop depositing the post-dated cheques and return them to you only mah.

kristen_mum,
agree that this condition from the agency is a bit unfair.
 
Liana,

That is the difference between a "good and efficient" maid and a "lousy and slow" maid ;P

I really believe that if a miad has the heart to work for you and is hardworking by nature, they can finish their work fast and do a good job whereas if a maid is lazy, they will take their own sweet time to do even a simple job just to drag their time so that they can do lesser work.

Hope your maid maintains her standard throughout the 2 years with you
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Nellu,
Yeah..it is definitely an unfair term but since in my case I only need to pay $2 to them if I dont want to take any replacement maid from them, I think I can still bear with it cos I like the maid that I have confirmed. Also, I am getting near to my EDD and no more energy to go around scouting for maids already...really hope that God will bless me with an OK maid to last me through at least for the next 6 mths..dont dare to hope for more
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Hi mummies,

I intended to extend my maid's contract. Her current one will expire in Aug 09. When is the right time I should tell her about my intention?

Is it too early to tell now?
 
Well, it may be good to let her know that u are extending her. She will feel happy unless she does not wish to extend.

My helper came Oct 07 & somewhere mid last year, we already told her that we wish to extend if she is willing. Then she immediately told her family that she wants to stay for 3 yrs then she will go back for home leave or for good.

Of cos, things may change but at least we have 1 less thing to worry.

cheers
 
Mummies,

Need some advise. What precaution should i take if i want to leave my 15 months baby with maid at home. Currently we are satying with in laws & in law help to keep an eye on maid. So far so good. But i am scared that wen no one supervise she might ill treat my son.
 
kristen_mum:
why don't u choose a maid that only work in their home town. Don't choose a ex-something maid...? I mean no guarantee that work only in their home town is good but at least they are not so explore to the outside world for the time being and easier to manage. Mine worked 3 yrs in her home town. I won't say she is that good. But it's a OK maid lor. And can follow instructions so far, not sure when I go back to work.

However, she can only speak very simply english. Hope yr new maid is OK.
 
Rachel C,

The problem with those that have only work in their country is language. I cannot speak Malay and I want to get a maid that I can at least communicate with. Otherwise, it will be very frustrating for me to communicate with her or teach her. So far the English for those fresh maids which I have interviewed were very poor leh..cannot understand simple English.

This maid that I have chosen is an ex-Msia with Chinese family for 3 years. Although she cannot speak English well, she can speak some mandarin when I interviewed her on the phone. So, hopefully things will be easier for me and her when comes to communication.

Have you popped already?
happy.gif
 
Nellu,
I think all maids must get an A+ for folding plastic bags at the training centre! My ex-maid can fold Cold Storage bags into tiny triangles! 50 bags can fit into one small tiny bag!

Kristen Mum,
I really must have have been in need of punishment with my previous 7 maids and now I've finally redeemed myself and got a decent one....thank you God.

This morning my maid was afraid she would not finish her morning chores so she woke up at 5am and by the time I came down in the morning, she had completed everything as well as cleaned the fridge which my previous dumbo maid NEVER did. Amazing...I didn't even ask her to do it and it's so neat. Previous maid used to leave food in there until it started growing fur and the veggies turned BLACK!

When I got home she asked me if the job she did was ok and she will wait for me to check her work in case she needs to fix anything.

See! Small things make we employers happy! I really hope she stays like this. She's got no loan.

She doesn't need to get up that early though and she did realize she had plenty of time to complete her tasks but I do appreciate that she was motivated enough to ensure she was able to finish what I'd asked her to do.

Yesterday afternoon I went to the agency to pay my fee ($388 with one free replacement) and my ex-maid was in there! Still can't find a job. Loitering in the agency waiting for "walk-ins". We exchanged greetings though and it was pleasant. At that moment I felt very sorry for her....but I can't recommend her, she's not very competent.
 
kristen mum
Maybe your should find out your ex malaysia maid is working in a house or coffee shop or factory...mine was from coffee shop, lots of discipline problem as they are overly exposed to the outside world.Just my humble thought.
 
Mummies...

my "maid-auditor" hb shortlisted 1 potential from the list that I had initially narrowed down for him. She worked for a Korean family back in Phil for 2 yrs and subsequently, worked in a hospital in Phil for another 2 yrs. Any thoughts, anyone?

Some of you may remember that I posted before that my hb is always asking maid to think of activities, expecting maid to teach my gal etc...(I give up telling him not to expect that of a maid...otherwise they wun be maids liao mah...) well, so I included a few currently working as pre-school teachers in the initial list. hehs...he interviewed them over the phone, and I think he's beginning to change his mind (finally!)...hahaha. He says they dun seem to be able to work as maid types, lazy and likely to have more problems. hahaha.
 
Liana,
if my maids were like yours, I'll be totally over the moon!

yes and the stupid plastic bags thingy drives me absolutely NUTS! Cos we have a plastic bag organiser (those from Ikea). You just have to stuff the bags in there! yet the maids just kept on folding and folding....<roll>

Csi_fan,
ya, tell you hb he has to lower his expectations to level -100000...
 
hey nellu... i also hv the same prob. my maid likes to knot plastic bags then put in my organiser, then we cant pull out! already told her dun, but...

anyways ladies, juz want to share a real "amazing" story lor, hope it will make your suffering feel lesser! guess wat? my maid juz accused me of stealing $60 from her ang baos!!! we hv a "she dun hold $$" policy so i wanted to take over her ang baos and record it in our lists. but i was busi so i left the ang baos, clipped together, on the table.

she told me she already counted, so after 2 days, we sat down last night and ask her to count in front of us. she counted, then look at me and said "madam, its not right". i look at her in astonishment, unable to believe wat she juz said, and replied i din touch the ang baos. she insisted again it is short, and when i also insisted i din touch anything, she showed my hubby her notes on how many $10s and $2s she had counted. hubby was also so shocked, and asked her if she really think we took her money, and she replied "i dun noe!!" OMG!!! i've never been so humiliated in my life!! $60!!! tats not even enuff for her share during our CNY dinner, which she ate the exact same foods as we did!!!

she's been bothering me so much since she came a mth ago, and tis was the last straw. she's now bac at the agency.
 
nellu,
my maid oso same.She enjoys folding plastic bags.She always choose to do the easy chores.Nowadays,i nvr give her chance.I'll ask her to write all the things that i asked her to do.Last time,i used to give her a timetable but she ignored it.I scolded her many times.Keep telling her this is my hse n she has to follow my rules.

So now i make her write down the list of chores that i asked her to do instead of giving her the timetable.On top of that,i asked her to repeat the list again coz i wanna make sure she understands.

all the maids r very "pretend" type.My maid even worse,she ironed my pyjamas,stupid,right?Ironing to her is easy.She rather irons than to learn cooking fr. me.

Liana,
reali so envy that u've found a good maid.My idiot maid always very ya-ya.She always throws away the food or wash the clothes that i left on the bed without asking me.Scolded her million of times but she doesn't listen.

I tink it is her character.She is very ego despite i try to lecture her to be humble.I realise character cannot be changed.What's the point of keeping a maid who keeps doing the jobs accoding her ways than mine?

Her hsework is fine but i couldn't stand her attitude.She doesn't bother to thank us when we give her clothes or food,despite i told her many times.She doesn't bother to apologise for the mistakes she done.

Ur maid is reali good.This show that she is sincere n humble.At least she has the heart to work n able to connect wf u.This is very impt.My maid nvr ask me if i satisfy wf her job.When i asked her to do again,she showed me that kinda stupid face.

Today i asked to squat down to wipe some of the corners which cannot be reachable by using mop,then she told me her knee pain.I told her:eek:k,then i shld beta send u bk to agent so u just nid to stand there for the whole day n don't nid to squat.She immediately said she can stand properly n no pain liao.

Rachel_C,
my maid is 23 fresh indo maid.When she first came,we were quite happy wf her performance.We even bot her new pants,nice food.But she takes things for granted.
She started to do things on her own ways,lying.We scream at her almost everyday coz she nvr listen.She doesn't tak care of the food that we gave to her,for e.g.the whole loaf of bread that we gave her,she left it outside until it expired.I kept telling her to keep the bread inside the fridge if she can't finish.

Though she is relatively good in her hsework,i cannot tak her coz i realise she cannot do the things she doesn't like to do.For e.g.she hates feeding my son,she oso dislikes cooking.She oso doesn't respect me.I cannot tak a maid who is strong character.

Despite i know how to speak simple malay,she oso cannot communicate well in malay.She can't speak n understand simple english n she refuses to speak even simple english.
 
Kristen_mum:
Saw yr earlier posting about paying some penalty if didn't get the replacement maid from that agency. Is there such thing?

Anyway my current agency is Labour Express and the prev agency did mention that she will refund my prev maid's loan to me, even though I didn't get the replacement from her. I mean I have not received the money yet, so don't know got any drama or not.

Not yet pop. Will pop in end Apr. U?

Agree with Joy474, somehow the maid in Msia can work in restuarant or coffee shop or domestic home. So really need to check. My prev maid had 2 yrs exp working in Msia and used to working in big house, so not sure to working in my small flat.

nellu / are:

my maid fold the plastic bags in triangle, actually I quite like it as it won't take up space. But told her if finish all the housework and if nothing to do, then fold the plastic bags.
 


are,
bad maid you have there. so daring to accuse you of taking her money. seriously did she really think her $ was such a big deal?!?!

luckily you sent her off. god knows what other nonsense she'll come up with.

avocado,
maids folding plastic bags all the time. They think we employers are stupid and can't tell that they are skiving? sometimes i let it go, if there is nothing much else to do. but most times, i 'suan' them to say they are so silly to do 'double work' like that. Then there are others when i get really fed up, i take out ALL the plastic bags, unfold them and crush them up and make a whole mess and make the maids do it ALL over again. Fold until their hands go soft! Since they like it so much, go do it lah! :p i bad or what?!?

If I were you I'll make the maid iron all the hankerchieves and underwear. iron until she go soft! hahahah!
 

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