Settling In

Please remember that the employee(s)will probably be very shy, nervous and apprehensive at first, please make them feel welcome in your home.

We are happy to provide you, where possible, with names and telephone numbers of other foreign housekeepers, mother's helps or couples working in your area, as they will feel more settled if they know that there are other people from their country living in the area, whom they can befriend.

Applicants are often shy about helping themselves to your food. Please let them know what they are able to eat and ask them what they would like to eat. Please remember that it is the employer's responsibility to provide either food or a food allowance for their staff. Please be aware that lack of food is the biggest reason why our applicants leave positions.

We recommend that you prepare a schedule with a list of duties and not only go through it with them, but also show them exactly what and how you want things doing. For example, it’s helpful to explain house rules and discuss meals and mealtime breaks for your live-in help. In our experience,taking the time to explain things fully at the start leads to far fewer problems further down the line.

If you wish to take your employee on holiday with you, if she is a non EU Foreign National, you will need to contact and apply to the Embassy of the country you are visiting to obtain a visitor's visa for her to travel with you. Please allow plenty of time to organise the visa and go with your employee when she has to go to the Embassy.