Choosing A Live-In Maid – What Should Be Considered?

• There are agencies who will supply a maid matching your requirements. They might be fully trained, and might even know multiple languages. Some agencies will also get maids from your home state, who can converse in your native language.
• There are semi-trained maids living in your locality. These ladies might already be day maids in other apartments and might be looking for a live-in option due to personal circumstances. They might not know the native language, and might not be as skilled as the one agency supply, but they will know their way around your locality which can be a boon.
• Finally, there are completely untrained maids who have never worked as a maid before. While they might be totally novices, some families prefer them because they do not come with “bossiness” or “preconceived notions” about how to run a house. They can be easily molded.

Another thing to factor in here is the age of the maids. Oftentimes, families living in metros get young girls from their native villages, hoping that they are too young and too new to the city to do something fishy. Please remember that employing someone below the age of 18 is a punishable offense under Indian law.

What Should You Consider Before Hiring A Live-in Maid?

List down the skills you expect from the maid. Would you want her to look after the baby only or would you want her to do other household chores as well (e.g. cooking, ironing clothes, etc.)? When you talk to potential candidates, tick each item off in the list. It is okay if the maid does not currently possess all skills. But ensure they are willing to learn. Also,

• Always have direct interaction with the maid. Request her to visit your house so that you can assess her and she can assess her future place of living. During the face-to-face interaction, ask everything you need to know in detail. No question is small and you must be very frank.
• For a trained or semi-trained maid, you should definitely insist on references. A maid saying she has worked in many houses for years, but does not have the phone number of her previous employer, should raise a red flag.
• In these times of scams, it is absolutely essential to ensure a police verification is done before you hire a live-in maid. Remember, no fuss is too much when it concerns your child’s security.
• If you are getting a maid from an agency, you should check out the agency’s credentials too. Are they who they say they are? What are their policies if you do not like a live-in maid given and want a replacement? Do they have any rules they expect you to follow (some agencies insist the live-in maid should sleep in the same room as the child, for instance?

Where Should You Hire The Maid From?

Housemaids are often hired via references. Neighbors, friends, and relatives usually recommend someone they know. Use a reliable agency that thoroughly checks its referrals. The agency will handle everything when you give them your needs. Professionals make the procedure simple and safe. You need someone reliable, so interview carefully.

How Much Should You Pay The Live-in Maid?

This varies from place to place.

• If you are hiring someone by yourselves, talk to your friends and neighbors who have live-in maids to get a feel of the average payout in the area. Also, take into account the amount of work you expect the maid to do. For instance, if you have separate maids for cleaning the house and cooking, then the burden of work is less for the live-in maid.
• If you hire someone from an agency, most likely the rates are already decided. More experienced the maid, the higher the expected pay. Also, take into account the commission you need to pay the agency.
• Skill level also plays a part in deciding the pay. An untrained maid, for instance, would not be as expensive as a semi-trained one.

Further, you need to also talk upfront about bonuses.

Useful Tips To Manage A Live-in Maid

Following are some of the tips to manage a live-in maid:

• Have a detailed discussion with your live-in maid about your expectations of her
• Equally important is to understand her expectations of you as an employer
• Teach her good hygiene, especially if she is going to take care of the child
• Make sure you do not overwork her. The chores for a day should be reasonable
• Initial months are very important. Ensure you set a timetable for her so that she falls into a routine. Also, supervise her extensively.
• Ensure that it is absolutely clear to her how you want her to look after the child – especially in terms of nutrition/food and screen time
• Respect her. You get to do what you do because they do what they do. Treat her with the same respect you expect from your employer

All the best!