All About Full-Time Maids

[peapot]

Carebear, the contract I signed with them is from MOM. In it there is a term that says maid’s loan will be returned based on pro-rated basis. I think nowadays most agency use MOM standard contract.

Insurance is from Lonpac. I don’t think this agency is nice. They don’t even let you interview their Myanmar maids. They have already made from my agency fees and on top of that my poor maid has to pay additional 2 more months on top of her 8months loan because she was transferred out. I will not recommend this agency to anyone at all!! They also don’t try to match the right maid for the right family. They just let you tikam and then they bring in for you. After that, you pay upfront cash upon collecting the maid!!

The agency I m using now allows me to use 9 PD cheques. I only pay $788 in cash. She tries to find out my needs and then source a few maids that would meet my needs. I could also interview the maid right on the spot. However ultimately its still "hian-suah". Sigh!! But usually maid agency are only nice when they want to close the deal. I have yet to find out how she will react if I need to return the maid. Of course I pray hard that I don’t have to do that!!

Lynn2010, your maid is ex-Singapore? If she is then her previous employer never train her well. How can she eats her dinner without making sure the children are fed first? Even when we bring our children out to somebody’s house for dinner, we will also make sure they are given food before we eat! Oh yes, how do you check her employment history? The maid is already in Indonesia now. Work permit no still valid?? Agent told me she do not have any work permit no until she keyed in my particulars.

Jennykhots, its not true that Myanmar maids are better. I have 2 Myanmar maids before. The previous one had long rebonding hair till her waist. she refuse even to trim her hair, uses alot of makeup and wears low cut on her off day. Then she gave me hell before she’s about to go home. Read my previous post and you will know. The current myanmar maid I m changing because she totally hopeless in child minding. I told her to play with my child and she asked me "how to play?" She has no initiative and do not offer help when she sees you carrying heavy bags until you had to scream at her. She will also clean areas only when you tell her to. She won’t volunteer her service. So, at the end of the day it really boils down to luck regardless of nationality or race.

[hquek]

jennykhots:

Wow, it's really scary to read the same old stories on maid doing business with BF. My maid has been with us for 6 years now, WP expiring in Dec 10. I would grade her 7 on a scale of 10. Two days ago, she just forgotten to turn the gas stove to OFF & strangely she could not detect smell of gas for 2hours. Today, didn't remember to lock the wooden door jbefore retiring to bed. My mum says its because she is pinning to go home so that's why she is not focusing on her work nowadays.

Dec leaving already mind flown back to country? Perhaps you need to talk to her....if it's 1/2 months, I understand. My ex-maid (with me for 5 years) - when she start acting blur/distracted, I know it's time for me to let her call home. She is the zi dong type so I'll paid for her calls home. Think her upbringing is good cos after some speaking with her family, she'll revert back to normal.

In any case, I would be nervous leaving the gas stove on for more than 3 min....would have been stark raving mad. If she had turned on ONE switch....BOOMZ.

[NicHei]

carebear:

NicHei:

hi peapot, it happened to me also, I have to pay the agent fees all over agin when I change agent. The 1st agent only refund me the maid's prorated salary (loan) and the insurance. The agent that am having now, allows me to pay PD cheque for maid.. Haiz, I can understand how you fee;, but somtimes really a no choice thing.

Which agency was that?
It is kind for them to do so.
I thought agencies will not refund you what you have paid them.
Also the insurance company refund you? Which company is that?

The maid was transfer out, so logically, since the maid is going to a new employer, the new employer have to bear her outstanding loan and not me.. The agent is doing the pro-rated insurance for me. As for the agent service, i will not rate them good.

[Si Si]

Hi Jennyknots- Peapot is right.Previously, I had Indo maids n now am into my 2nd Myanmeres maid. My 1st myan maid was vain.Nail varnish, plucked eyebrows, makeup, high heels etc n once on off day wore a transparent top. I insisted tt she changed for some modesty n to avoid inviting trouble. She was finally sent home after deceiving me 4 times with 4 different hps even though I hv stated very clearly no hps on work days.


Myan maids generally has language barrier thus caused communication hiccups. It took me abt 1 yr to finally train my present helper 6/10 but not without lots of demands (eg.advance payment, more day offs, Christmas off, need to send more $ for *&%#@-almost the whole village ) n emotionally high-maintainence. They r also quite a prideful lot (recently I managed to convince her n she finally admitted).My 2 friends'; MIL all confirmed this trait.

There is also a group of them who are ready to come here to look-see for 2 years, like a stepping stone to some other jobs esp the higher-qualified n English-speaking ones. Waitressing, clerk, manicurist etc.

So if they hv more pluses than minuses while working for us, just close one eye or even both if needs be at times.

[peapot]

SiSi, yup one of myanmar maid wore a low cut top and serve coffee to my hubby in the morning before she goes for her off day. Her entire bra and breast can be seen because she bent slightly to serve the coffee. I was fuming mad!! Right infront of my hubby, I told her off " change your clothes now, you want to wear low cut clothes please go and change it in public toilets. When you are still in my house you wear non-revealing clothes!! It does not mean its your off day I have no say in what you wear! Before you come home you better change back to the non-revealing clothes. These are my house rules!!"

[hquek]

peapot:

SiSi, yup one of myanmar maid wore a low cut top and serve coffee to my hubby in the morning before she goes for her off day. Her entire bra and breast can be seen because she bent slightly to serve the coffee. I was fuming mad!! Right infront of my hubby, I told her off \" change your clothes now, you want to wear low cut clothes please go and change it in public toilets. When you are still in my house you wear non-revealing clothes!! It does not mean its your off day I have no say in what you wear! Before you come home you better change back to the non-revealing clothes. These are my house rules!!\"

I wonder what she would say if you told her matter of factly, \"I can see your 'nehneh'\" (sorry for being crass)....

had a friend who prohibited even no-sleeve blouses for her maids at home.

[peapot]

hquek, I did say that!! I said I can see your entire breast and bra right before my hubby! I wanted to embarrass her so that she will learn her lesson but she just smiled. Can you imagine?? which woman will allow a maid to show their assets to their own husband??

[hquek]

peapot:

I wanted to embarrass her so that she will learn her lesson but she just smiled. Can you imagine?? which woman will allow a maid to show their assets to their own husband??

wah, that one dangerous...I would think she did this on purpose....try luck. Would agree that I would not be able to take it (ie angry lah, not the other type of cannot take it). Me wonder what her upbringing is.

My ex-Indo maid refused to wear shorts that are above her kneecaps. For once I was very grateful that her parents are devout muslims.

[autumnbronze]

hquek:

My ex-Indo maid refused to wear shorts that are above her kneecaps. For once I was very grateful that her parents are devout muslims.

Same same. Recently when I brought her out to buy some shorts, she reminded me that she didn't wear such shorts when I picked one that was just reaching the kneecaps.

As I have mentioned before lah ... sometimes the kind of maid you get also depends on their family backgrd also.

[autumnbronze]

lovekidsverymuch:

Yes I agree the background maters but I also seen ppl getting drastically changed by seeing things around them here anyways they dont have to tell their parents bout it

Hi lovekidsverymuch,

Yes, I agree with that too.

That is why we wanted someone w/o off day and no h/p and it is going to be non-negotiable when she renews her contract with us. If she is not agreeable, then we'll just have to look for another. That doesn't guarantee anything, but at least it minimizes them going 'wayward'. She does does things behind my back, but its been nothing serious to cause any 'damage' so to speak or warrant any reprimands or made her a worse off person than when she first started with us . That said, I am only speaking from my experience with my helper