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Hiring part time maid

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dodgydurian
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Hiring part time maid

Post by dodgydurian » Mon, 18 Jul 2011 9:46 pm

Hi there:

We are new to Singapore and are looking to hire a full time maid. We have lived in India and had a full time helper there but just need a once a week person here. We interviewed someone tonight based on a recommendation but she was a bit weird. Just looking for house cleaning, laundry. We have no kids.

Questions:
1. What is the best way to find a part time maid who is reliable?
2. Is it normal to do background checks etc., police checks etc.?
3. What is a reasonable wage--I've heard $50 for 4 hours from a couple of people.

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:14 pm

Normally it will cost you ~18-20/hour. You might get by with $15/hour if you use her say around 20 hours & week. (I'm not sure on 'discounts') but you need to be very sure that the person is either a PR or a citizen as you and the maid, if she is a foreign one, can get into heaps of trouble as the foreign maid can only work in ONE location. Even if she is legally employed by someone, she cannot moonlight nor can she work in a relative's home either. MOM is very strict about this. (Not saying it isn't done, but heaps have been getting caught in recent times as MOM is stepping up checks.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Post by poodlek » Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:24 pm

What's the best way to be certain a part-time maid is legal to work for you?

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 18 Jul 2011 11:36 pm

Ask to see her NRIC, she would have to have a blue (PR) or a pink (Citizen) one. If it's green, it's an employment pass and unless you are the employer, she's illegally working. If she won't show you her NRIC, it's because she's probably not a PR or Citizen. This especially so as the law requires all Singaporean to carry their NRIC's with them for inspection at any time.
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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Re: Hiring part time maid

Post by x9200 » Tue, 19 Jul 2011 9:37 am

dodgydurian wrote:Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!
Search up this forum for the part time maid agency. Few people, including myself recommended some.

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Post by poodlek » Tue, 19 Jul 2011 11:13 am

Thanks SMS. I've contemplated getting someone in here a few times, but I've always stumbled on this point as I don't want any trouble! Do cleaners go on a "once in a while" type basis or do they pressure you to buy packages like every other service here? :-P I do an ok job cleaning my place on the surface, it's the deep cleaning that tends to elude me, so I'm thinking once a month or less.

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sundaymorningstaple
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Post by sundaymorningstaple » Tue, 19 Jul 2011 1:10 pm

I think there are a few on my links page in the middle column that provide those kinds of services. I've not used them myself but other have before. If you do use one of them and they are excellent/good/meh?/fergeddit, let us know. ;-)
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

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dodgydurian
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Re: Hiring part time maid

Post by dodgydurian » Tue, 19 Jul 2011 1:30 pm

x9200 wrote:
dodgydurian wrote:Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!
Search up this forum for the part time maid agency. Few people, including myself recommended some.
I tried to search for some recommended by you but couldn't find them, just general advice threads.

Could you link to a thread or two?

Thanks

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Post by x9200 » Tue, 19 Jul 2011 3:48 pm

I use domestic one. The agency is reliable and responsive at least from my experience. The agency fee is acceptable (~150). The part time maids they "offer" are as everywhere around - unreliable and doing lousy job but this is the local reality so do not expect anything better if you pay more.

Edited - unfortunately I had to withdrawn my recommendation.

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