We engaged an agency to find us a 2 day a week nanny. We paid a finders fee of around £2k in January. The nanny started in February and decided she was relocating literally 2 weeks later. The agency found us a free replacement but it took 4 months. We had to pay the payroll company twice to register two different individuals. Nanny 2 started in July and has now handed in her notice.
in total we have paid about £2500 in agency and payroll fees, and for that we have had childcare cover for less than 4 months in total.
Do we have any protection here? My guess is that the answer is no but this all feels tremendously unfair. The agency has said we have used our free replacement search already so would have to pay again. I know we are in a privileged position to be able to pay a nanny but genuinely it’s the only option that allows us both to keep working. We aren’t rolling in it and are still eligible for the 30 “free” hours but with two children to cover and work schedules that sometimes have us both away overnight it just isn’t a sustainable option.