How do you deal with problematic maids ?

L

linlin

New Member
Hi all

I came across this forum whilst surfing the net for solutions to dealing with problematic maids.
I had recently employed a live-in after a break from them for 2 years. The first left for home after being with us for 2 months. For the record, I was her third employer during her short stint of approx. 3 months in Singapore. The agent wasn't honest and did not tell me that I would be her third employer. She was terribly homesick to the point of her family harassing the agent to send her back.
The second one has been with me for less than a week is already stressing me out completely. She is fussy with her food, does not eat pork (even though she is a Filipino Christian), prawns, squids, vegetables. What freaked me out yesterday was she did not even want bread nor cakes nor biscuits for breakfast yesterday. Instead she wanted to cook instant noodles. For dinner, she would rather eat plain rice instead of the one pot soup that I had cooked simply because it contained pork. During the family reunion dinner at my sis's place, she even had the audacity to plonk herself at the sofa to watch tv whilst my sis maid had to do everything. She only helped out when I told her to.
I find dealing with these live-in a real hassle and mind boggling. However, thank God that I do not have a young baby for them to care for, esp after watching the video of the maid abusing the 2 month old baby.
All I want is an extra helping hand but it seems like mission impossible. My live-in does not do laundry nor ironing nor washing of cars. My part-time help does all that. She even uses a dishwasher to wash the dishes as I do not trust them to be thorough.
Any advice on dealing with these so-called "helping hand' who is now more of a burden ?
 
V

veronica

Active Member
Aiyo...if I were you, i will send her back to the agent.

Why would you need a part-time helper when you have already got a live-in one??

She is like a princess leh....I don't think anyone will want to hire her.
 
JenLee98

JenLee98

Member
linlin said:
Hi all

The second one has been with me for less than a week is already stressing me out completely. She is fussy with her food, does not eat pork (even though she is a Filipino Christian), prawns, squids, vegetables. What freaked me out yesterday was she did not even want bread nor cakes nor biscuits for breakfast yesterday. Instead she wanted to cook instant noodles. For dinner, she would rather eat plain rice instead of the one pot soup that I had cooked simply because it contained pork. During the family reunion dinner at my sis's place, 1. she even had the audacity to plonk herself at the sofa to watch tv whilst my sis maid had to do everything. She only helped out when I told her to.
I find dealing with these live-in a real hassle and mind boggling. However, thank God that I do not have a young baby for them to care for, esp after watching the video of the maid abusing the 2 month old baby.
All I want is an extra helping hand but it seems like mission impossible. 2. My live-in does not do laundry nor ironing nor washing of cars. My part-time help does all that. She even uses a dishwasher to wash the dishes as I do not trust them to be thorough.
Any advice on dealing with these so-called "helping hand' who is now more of a burden ?
Click to expand...
1. My previous one did this too, rushing to get a sofa seat at my mom's place when there are so many of us there!
2. Why she do no have to do ? Who set these rules ? She has to do whatever work you assign her ! :nah:
 
sal

sal

Member
well...u're not alone.

I'm having issues with my Domestic helper as well..worse thing is i need her help to look after my 2 kids, elder gal is 7yo and the younger is 4yo.

She simply refuses to learn and when i spoke to my agent abt this, i was told "the maids now are all like that. not here to work, just to enjoy. so u close one eye lor". Unbelievable.

Makes me wonder y MOM sets all kinds of rulings and tests and it's still junk we get..where are all the good ones?

oh..my domestic hepler told me she is in singapore to do housekeeping only, not to take care of children..but she dun even know how to sweep the floor properly nor folding of clothes...And she can't speak even simple english, she speaks only their local dialect...
 
L

linlin

New Member
Yes, I do agree that all the good maids are far and few. The recent ones are too "incredible" to be believed.
I have thought of replacing her again, but then again, with MOM's ruling of 4 maids max a year, I am a little hesitant. As it is, this is already the 2nd one within a year. To some people, I could be the fussy or bad employer. Personally, I always feel like I am threading a fine balance when treating these live-in maids. If you are too nasty, they may ill-treat your kids or do something strange. If you are too nice, they will abuse the freedom you give them.
I am also unwilling to release my part-timer as she is very efficient and am able to do most of the work assigned, esp ironing.
However, at the same time, I am too busy to deal with the housework when my part-timer is not around and hence have to "suffer" at the hands of the live-in. As much as I try and close an eye and somedays, both, the problems they give seem never-ending. They are ever so "creative" with their nonsense.
 
Friend

Friend

Member
Personally, I have come across live-in that was "cheated" here to work, but she claimed that she is here as a caregiver not a domestic helper. She said she do not take care of children only old folks and also do not do housework.

I sent her back to agent immediately. I do not know that there is such a ruling cannot change more than 4 maids a year as I recalled I changed 5 maids in a row.

I will encourage that u interview the live in with the list of job scopes that you require and also access her yrself before u commit. I would said most of the agency is trying to push helper quickly to employer, they will said "try and see how lah". Push u to a corner till u have to do that, unless u stand firm to reject them.

Good luck to all that needs live in domestic maid.
 
V

veronica

Active Member
Linlin, you are not alone. My current maid is my 3rd replacement within a year after my very 1 st maid left after completed her 2 yrs contract. After she left, I didnt have luck.

Sent 1 Indo and 1 PHL back to agent (all within 1 month). Now this 3rd one is also an Indo and has been with me close to 8mths. So far so good.

I have friends who kept changing too. Some even more than 4 times a year but they never got any letter from MOM for kopi session. Just a warning letter that says to create happy environment for the maid, communicate with the maid etc.
 
~m3m~

~m3m~

Member
For me, these are what I'll do :

1. Talk to them and give them advises and reminders as and when necessary.

2. If no use talking to them, get the agent to do the job.

3. Will still try talking to them again if going back to the agent doesn't help much.

4. If still giving me the same bad attitude and doesn't seem willing to change - BYE BYE!

:001_302:
 
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