Need Advise on Maids

D

Didadi

Member
Hi mummies,
It is first time for our family to have a maid so need some advice:

1. Does your maid have her own wardrobe?
We have a wardrobe in the common room but it currently stores our baby clothes, not sure if we can give the helper a box to keep her clothes or need to empty some space in the current wardrobe for her

2. Do you have any time table and house rule to share ?
The job scope of the maid is to take care of my 2 year old boy and an infant, generous housework and cooking.

Thank you very much!
 


Hello Didadi,

My maid has a little drawer for her own clothes and stuff. I think its good to separate her stuff from the rest of the family.

Time-table? You mean like which day to do laundry, which day to clean which room, etc?
 
JoyceC80 said:
Hello Didadi,

My maid has a little drawer for her own clothes and stuff. I think its good to separate her stuff from the rest of the family.

Time-table? You mean like which day to do laundry, which day to clean which room, etc?
Click to expand...

Thanks JoyceC80! Ok I will probably give her a separate drawer to keep her own belongings.

I know some employers will set some house rules and daily/weekly time schedule when the maid first arrives so that she knows the expectations from the beginning.
 
Yes, I give her a daily schedule and they'll usually follow. If the're fast and flexible, I allow them to change the schedule to what suits best for everyone. But most are pretty clueless, especially is they're new in SG, so they'll just follow the schedule.
 
We will be hiring a helper for the first time soon too. I have a question.. Do helpers have to have their own room?
 
I give her a stack of 5 plastic drawers (like those sold at supermarkets) to store her personal stuff. She has her own room so does not use the wardrobe space in the other rooms.

I don't give her a hard fixed schedule to follow but instruct her on which areas I want to be clean daily, alternate day, twice a week or weekly. As there are days that I'll need her help to do some non-routine task or expecting guests that will keep her more busy. I try to be flexible to best suit, but of course will tell her if there's any areas that needs additional attention or cleaning.

The general house rules are what time to wake up, turn in time I'm flexible as long as she finishes her work and I don't need help from her. And what are the main duties to be done daily.
 
karoosel said:
We will be hiring a helper for the first time soon too. I have a question.. Do helpers have to have their own room?
Click to expand...

I think not compulsory if there's space constraint. Below are the guidelines from MOM.

Accommodation
You need to ensure that your FDW's accommodation meets the following requirements:
  • Adequate shelter: the accommodation must adequately protect your FDW from environmental elements such as sun, rain or strong winds.
  • Basic amenities: you must minimally provide your FDW with a mattress, pillow and blanket.
  • Sufficient ventilation: your FDW’s accommodation must be sufficiently ventilated. Mechanical ventilation (e.g. electrical fan) should be provided if natural ventilation is inadequate.
  • Safety: your FDW should not sleep near any dangerous equipment or structure that could potentially cause harm or hurt to her.
  • Modesty: your FDW must not sleep in the same room as a male adult or teenager.
  • Space and privacy: you should provide your FDW with a separate room. If that is not possible, you should ensure that her accommodation has adequate space and privacy.
 
We are all learning and sharing :) I'm also a recent first time employer of a helper. Oh btw, you'll need (if you're going to be the employer) to attend a course for first time employer (can do it online though I don't quite understand why it's more expensive for online course since we don't take up physical space and time) to get the certificate before the maid agency can process your application.

http://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-pe...uirements/employers-orientation-programme-eop
 
MistyCloud said:
Yes, I give her a daily schedule and they'll usually follow. If the're fast and flexible, I allow them to change the schedule to what suits best for everyone. But most are pretty clueless, especially is they're new in SG, so they'll just follow the schedule.
Click to expand...

Thank you MistyCloud!
 
karoosel said:
We will be hiring a helper for the first time soon too. I have a question.. Do helpers have to have their own room?
Click to expand...
Hi Katoosel,

We asked the maid during the interview if they expect to have her own private room, some used to have a price room in the landed houses and they expected that to happen.

For our case , we have a common room for her but we still keep our baby stuffs in the wardrobe, and we have our study table and iron inside as well. But at night she has her privacy.
 
Not all helpers with employers staying in landed houses have their own room. My helper ex-employer stays in a 3 storey landed house, but she has to sleep in the kitchen. Best to communicate frankly to the agent the housing conditions, expected duties and number of persons in the household (incuding pets if any), so the agent can brief the maid and no differences in expectations. This will greatly reduced mismatch of helper and employer.

For example, some helpers prefer to work in condo vs landed house as the area to clean is much smaller. Or some like to work only with old folks vs young children or babies.

As long as we being employers are reasonable, helpers should understand that we may have space constraints. To have the common room at night with privacy beats sleeping openly in the kitchen.
 
They don't need their own rooms. Even our own children may not get their own rooms. If a maid request for that, I'll definitely not employ her as that's a princess mentality. But of course, do communicate all these to her before employment. Let her know who she'll be sharing a room with.
 
Smiggleprincess, good idea! This way works well for both sides.

Poppybb, not sure though my helper told me she has to sleep in the kitchen at her previous employer's place. You can highlight this to the agent, and see if the helper you've chosen is agreeable. If she agress, then no concern. But otherwise, if she complains to MOM, not sure how as MOM has certain guidelines given to employers on the helper's accomodation. These and other guidelines are taught during the employer's certificate course (for first time employer) so we as employer can't say we don't know about these guidelines.
 
Hi mummies,
How do you keep your valuables in the house ? Do you keep them in a safe or normal drawer with key ?

Is it necessary to have a CCTV in the house? Where do you usually put the cctv?

Thanks in advance !
 
For my case, i keep stuffs in safe box..

One thing in mind, never never NEVER NEVER trust them fully...i heard many stories, even my own maid change few time.
Their pattern is alot.

Must be strict from start, must stand firm. Even easy-going person also cannot play play with them.

No need give them whole cupboard, they come to work, not come to holiday, plastic box/ a row of drawer can liao...

Schedule is up to you, like when wash toilet/clean kitchen cupboard, everyday sweep floor / mop floor, when clean window etc.

House rules differs ... best is give her before hand.
Every household different..

My wife give schedule...
Me is tell here must automatic...see where dirty auto go clean...take it like own home.
Sometime have to brainwash them, say things like..
XXX, If u dilly dally, everything slow slow, i no happy, u go back agent, u pay agent fee again, u waste time & money..so good good working etc..
They hear they will owe $$ more, most prob they deligent for some days..

Then slowely slowely they do things slower..have to keep remind lor..
Some are f*ck tub, some are good. Depends on your luck.

Slp no need give them 1 whole room to herself..But give matterest /pillow/blanket etc..
Living room also can slp, but have not heard b4 slp kitchen yet.
(Can share room)

Food wise, my maid is i eat what, she eat what. I order pizza, also will have her share.
Buy a loaf of bread let her eat lor...
My current maid morning will drink tea, eat bread.

CCTV i mount on wall, my one can turn, so it can turn to see kitchen & turn to see living room.
Another cctv is aim corridoor inside living room leading to rooms & can turn to see main door.
Go to sim lim square/tower buy.. not expensive..do add in memory card, accessable from hp.

Sometime have to see what they do, starting time they kanjeong, work either good to show u, or do silly mistake..starting mah..

Really depends on luck to get good maid.
How to turn maid into good depends on you liao.

EDITED: Want to know maid good or not is "See if she wants to learn or not.."
Stuffs like cooking, take care child etc.. Willing to learn is a good sigh..BUT it can also be a prelude to "Gaining your trust, then pattern come out without you knowing".
 
Need some advice from mummys.
I hired an indo maid this year now about 8 months. At 3rd month she secretly bought a Samsung tab from another maid downstains. and since than she every afternoon busy playing with handphone when we are out to work. at 6th month we caught her going out of the house between 2am-4am. when looking at her phone record she could have went out about 12midnight to meet her boyfriend.
my husband had fear after that and in the middle of the night keep waking up fearing.. He has been asking me to change the maid but I was hesitant as I am the close two eyes kind of employer and my only concern is she treat my son well... the rest like housework all these I don't quite care. but lately I noticed some more and more marks on my son's leg. I don't know if he knocked himself or something cause he is very active up and down chairs and tables kind. just two days back on opening my gate, I heard my son scream from bathroom than when he came out with a towel wrap around him, he told me and my husband, kaka beat me. he repeated it several times with my maid denying it. I didn't scold her. even the time I caught her coming home at 4am I also didn't scold her, I was just too tired and my husband just told her don't do it again. we never scold her since we know our son is in her hand.

but after two days ago incident and I decided to go down to my maid agency and was told I need to pay for replacement maid cost and insurance and a lot other costing total I think I need to pay additional 800-1000 just to have another maid and I am just eight month into the two years contract.
I was telling my husband if i caught her hiting my son again or causing those marks on his legs, i will just give her a ticket and send her off.
my question now is what is employer's rights.. i mean now she is caught galavanting should i be the only person sheltering all the cost. i think its very unfair to me. I already close two eyes as far as i could and i can say we treat her decently what we eat she eats. lately she has also been throwing away my son's food when my son refuse to eat.
I so stress now... on the one hand i am the kind of person ... just do your things and i will leave you alone kind. but on the other hand my son is 4 years old ... he is my only concern.

whats our rights.. i mean ... sleepless really...
this morning i was just so tempted to call it quit just give her an airticket home or to send her back to agency.
 
bellsbells said:
Need some advice from mummys.
I hired an indo maid this year now about 8 months. At 3rd month she secretly bought a Samsung tab from another maid downstains. and since than she every afternoon busy playing with handphone when we are out to work. at 6th month we caught her going out of the house between 2am-4am. when looking at her phone record she could have went out about 12midnight to meet her boyfriend.
my husband had fear after that and in the middle of the night keep waking up fearing.. He has been asking me to change the maid but I was hesitant as I am the close two eyes kind of employer and my only concern is she treat my son well... the rest like housework all these I don't quite care. but lately I noticed some more and more marks on my son's leg. I don't know if he knocked himself or something cause he is very active up and down chairs and tables kind. just two days back on opening my gate, I heard my son scream from bathroom than when he came out with a towel wrap around him, he told me and my husband, kaka beat me. he repeated it several times with my maid denying it. I didn't scold her. even the time I caught her coming home at 4am I also didn't scold her, I was just too tired and my husband just told her don't do it again. we never scold her since we know our son is in her hand.

but after two days ago incident and I decided to go down to my maid agency and was told I need to pay for replacement maid cost and insurance and a lot other costing total I think I need to pay additional 800-1000 just to have another maid and I am just eight month into the two years contract.
I was telling my husband if i caught her hiting my son again or causing those marks on his legs, i will just give her a ticket and send her off.
my question now is what is employer's rights.. i mean now she is caught galavanting should i be the only person sheltering all the cost. i think its very unfair to me. I already close two eyes as far as i could and i can say we treat her decently what we eat she eats. lately she has also been throwing away my son's food when my son refuse to eat.
I so stress now... on the one hand i am the kind of person ... just do your things and i will leave you alone kind. but on the other hand my son is 4 years old ... he is my only concern.

whats our rights.. i mean ... sleepless really...
this morning i was just so tempted to call it quit just give her an airticket home or to send her back to agency.
Click to expand...

Hello!

Wow it must be really tiring for you to go through this.
you are actually too kind to your helper. i would have send her back before the 6 months.
Most agency provide free replacements of up to 6 months. so if you replace 2 months ago it will be lesser than 800-1000.

Anyway my advice is to send the helper home ASAP. she is like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.
I also feel that you should change an agency, it seems to me that your agency is not really that helpful. the agent should have called and talk to the maid to find out her issues.

You can call the agent that i used for my helper, quite helpful and is responsive. Phng@86605975. Maybe he can help.

Hope everything work out fine!

Cheers
 
i also have such trouble earlier ,then i install a IPcam to monitor my house, 2 should be enough ,my one can tilt and pan from my phone remotely . when i installed the monitor , i clearly told my maid that it was a monitor , she was fine with this . you can call Mr Zhang at 92797316 for CCTV inquiry. price are really affordable . Hope can help you .
 
Thanks all for sharing:)

Would like to know if you go out with the maid by MRT or bus, do you pay her the transportation fee?

We went out with the maid last Sunday and I wanted to scan my spare ezlink card for her and she said no need she bought her own card .
 
Hello all, my new maid has worked for me for 16days and ran away. I don't know what happened. Most likely its because she felt work too overwhelming for her.
We have 3 kids and she has onlu looked after the elderly.

We were out to have meet the parents session for our children's extra curriculum classes.
When we came home we found her missing.
I am assuming she has ran to the embassy as my agent has told me that my maid has not contacted her.

Can I ask what happens if she runs to the embassy? Fine? Payment of flight home?

Also do I report her missing after 24hours or now?
 
queenie08 said:
Hello all, my new maid has worked for me for 16days and ran away. I don't know what happened. Most likely its because she felt work too overwhelming for her.
We have 3 kids and she has onlu looked after the elderly.

We were out to have meet the parents session for our children's extra curriculum classes.
When we came home we found her missing.
I am assuming she has ran to the embassy as my agent has told me that my maid has not contacted her.

Can I ask what happens if she runs to the embassy? Fine? Payment of flight home?

Also do I report her missing after 24hours or now?
Click to expand...
Hi queenie, did you keep her passport & work permit ?
 
Bad Maid Agency to Avoid - 123 Employment Agency at Katong Shopping Centre (agent Cindy Hong Tek Tju)

Had a very bad experience with 123 Employment Agency.

They sided with the bad maid who kicked my 3yo son (in the morning before he went to the childcare centre) and ran away from my home to the agency. Bad after-sales service. Only cared about $$$ Cindy Hong asked me when we were going to give her the cheque for the replacement mai when I called her to say the Myanmar maid ran away (she ran away when my mum was cooking in the kitchen!)

This agency was known as Sunway Employment Pte Ltd in the past but its licence was revoked by MOM. Refer to the link below.

http://www.mom.gov.sg/~/media/mom/d...gencies/revoked-employment-agencies.pdf?la=en
 
@bellsbells - Not sure what has gone on since December. It is probably better to cut your losses since your son's welfare is at stake. The $800-1,000 extra to get a new maid would not be much if something really happens!

We made some enquiries recently with MOM when things with our helper were not going on very well. The best way from a work permit perspective is to send her home directly since you, as the employer, is responsible for all her actions in Singapore until her permit has been cancelled or transferred to someone else. You would still be responsible for her time spent at the agency if you sent her back there until her new employer has taken over the work permit.

Agencies will always ask you to send the helpers back to them since they can use the same maid to earn another round of commission fees.

Obviously sending the maid to the airport itself can be quite a harrowing experience which we have not had to do yet..
 
i paid $50 for the agency to send a driver to pick up my maid from my house. 30 mins before the driver came i told her i am sending her back. At least with the driver around i am not so scared she go crazy. i think this driver is freelance type but always help the agency to ferry maids to airports.
 
sunny_side_up said:
i paid $50 for the agency to send a driver to pick up my maid from my house. 30 mins before the driver came i told her i am sending her back. At least with the driver around i am not so scared she go crazy. i think this driver is freelance type but always help the agency to ferry maids to airports.
Click to expand...

This was sending her back before or after her contract was up? Thanks for sharing.
 
this was before her contract finish. she worked for me 4 years then started doing funny things after i recontract her again so i send her back.
 
Didadi said:
Thanks all for sharing:)

Would like to know if you go out with the maid by MRT or bus, do you pay her the transportation fee?

We went out with the maid last Sunday and I wanted to scan my spare ezlink card for her and she said no need she bought her own card .
Click to expand...

If the helper is running an errand for me, she would use my ezlink card. Thus on Sundays, her off day, she cannot use mine.
 
Hi this is my first maid so I would like to seek some advise. Cos my current maid agency hasnt been helpful nor clear in their explanation.

My maid is completing the 2year contract n would like to return to indo. Date of expiry of her work permit is 11/03/2016. So when is the latest date that I've to send her back?? She herself has no particular date in mind.
 
Hi baby bob, she have to go bk latest by 16 March. Work permit have to cancel by 10th March. Once you confirm the ticket, please send a copy of the ticket to the agent and inform them when the maid is going bk.
 
Thanks kimturtle, that means it's ok to make her work from 12/3 to 15/3, the few days while work permit had been cancelled?
 
richiemccaw said:
@bellsbells - Not sure what has gone on since December. It is probably better to cut your losses since your son's welfare is at stake. The $800-1,000 extra to get a new maid would not be much if something really happens!

We made some enquiries recently with MOM when things with our helper were not going on very well. The best way from a work permit perspective is to send her home directly since you, as the employer, is responsible for all her actions in Singapore until her permit has been cancelled or transferred to someone else. You would still be responsible for her time spent at the agency if you sent her back there until her new employer has taken over the work permit.

Agencies will always ask you to send the helpers back to them since they can use the same maid to earn another round of commission fees.

Obviously sending the maid to the airport itself can be quite a harrowing experience which we have not had to do yet..
Click to expand...

Hi Richiemccaw, you are right we employer is responsible for the maid even though she is with the agent and will only be discharged when the WP is cancelled! My 1st encounter 1st time getting maid blurred blurred not sure what to do agent says must send back to them i follow instructions and he earned another round of commission by transferring her out to other employer and from me again for replacement. This round my 2nd replacement, i just sent her direct to airport and back to her home without going back to agent. Now am without maid i felt so comfortable 1 pax lesser to care for and watch out for my FREEDOM is back without a stranger at home :)
 
Baby bob, by right is cannot. But by left, if you have to talk your maid and she willing to do then ok. When she do everything have to be very careful.
For your info, once permit cancel means insurance and security bond all terminate.
 
richiemccaw said:
@Blessed in disgust
It is good that we learn from our past experiences. Nice to know that you are doing better :)
Click to expand...
Hi richiemccaw,

Thanks. Hv been busy juggling Btwn work and housework. Though tough and tiring at least I don need to be financially burden paying salary and upkeep of the maid and in the other hand have to fork out extra expenses to change the tiles for serious cracks or chips. Hv been tolerating for the passed months she hv been with us I think I hv to put a stop to it. It is no way that she wants to earn a living and on the other hand load on me to pay and pay. Seriously with high medical expenses of my parents we are struggling to our means to get her in and instead of helping us off load she added more stressed and burden to us. That's why I am blessed to hv sent her off without much consideration of allowing her to work 2 more mths otherwise I could hv ended up with more losses to pay. I hv already forfeited all that is paid out front expenses no more I could bear!
 
Yes agreed. Thanks for your encouragement and compliments! Am not only worry abt losses but more concerned on the safety of both my old parents. Not considering getting another maid but not sure in the future as I need to work to earn a living can't 24 hrs taking care of them when they need special care or attention though I wish I could do it myself
 
Blessed in disgust said:
Yes agreed. Thanks for your encouragement and compliments! Am not only worry abt losses but more concerned on the safety of both my old parents. Not considering getting another maid but not sure in the future as I need to work to earn a living can't 24 hrs taking care of them when they need special care or attention though I wish I could do it myself
Click to expand...

That is a very real problem too. Finding a cost effective way to take good care of our parents.
 
Hi mummies,
Would like to know if your maid separate your clothes from hers when washing. I noticed she put her clothes together with ours in the washing machine. Is it not very nice if I ask her to separate ? My concern is we dont know her personal hygiene

I wanted to put a camera in the kitchen but my hubby didn't think it's necessary. Then we saw her using the plastic tub which we use to hand wash clothes to wash vegetable ( we have another one for washing vege) ... So I told her need to separate for different purposes for hygiene when I saw this ... A few days later , she used another plastic tub which we used for washing baby and infant clothes to bleach her own clothes with blood stain ...

She's quite efficient, helpful and smart , but I'm a bit concerned about the level of hygiene. How do other mummies enforce this?

Thanks in advance!
 
Hi Didadi,

We do have a washing machine but we only use it to mainly spin dry and wash thick heavy clothings or quilt. We hand wash our clothings all these while before we have maid because we do not have much loads to wash everyday. To use washing machine to wash, it will be waste of electricity and water. During the time when the maid is still with us, after completed the daily routine housechores, everyday afternoon she does have free time watching TV with my mother before my mother cook dinner (she only wash up and mop the floor after cooking).

Need to educate her different tub is for different usage cannot mix and best to get different colours for easily to identify for cooking or washing use, let her know that she need to wash her hand each time she is require to handle food or the infant.

Give your maid a separate personal pail, let her know that she can start hand wash her own clothings in that pail only and separate pails for washing your family clotings. Tell her what you expect from her personal hygiene that she will have to separate her clothes washing from your family especially infants as their body is very delicated pronge to virus or fungus attack. In fact infants clothings should not be washed together with adults and have her wash separately from the adults. Ask her to repeat so to ensure she understand what is your expectation from her, if she is the forgetful type ask her to write down in a book so she can refer to if she forget (no excuse that she don't know or forget).

Also cloth for cleaning, my maid use one piece of cloth to clean table, chairs, table top and then clean the surface of the airport and rice cooker. Saw it from the kitchen cctv, told her the hygiene issue though she still cannot make it I lower my expectations but at least with a cctv she is awared and she dared not "add" ingredients to our food. cctv is not allowed in toilet think common area should be alrite bah.

Hope this helps :)
 
Hi mummies,

Where do you bring your helpers for the 6 monthly medical check up ?

Can go to Singhealth Polyclinic ?

Thanks in advance !
 
We just go to the GP near our place. Any clinic would do.
The clinic used to send the results of the health check for us but the recent one, they clinic ask us to send ourselves.
Not sure whether there is a change in standard practice or just this clinic.
 
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