Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

Original poster

Advice on nanny position please

31 replies

koalabear · 04/07/2005 12:51

We have a 14 month old very active little boy, who to date has been looked after by his dad. However, his dad, hopefully, will be going back to work soon. So, we are looking for a nanny. The only problem is, we've never had a nanny before, so I don't know if what I am looking for is reasonable. Therefore, I am asking collective mumsnet people, thoughts on the following job description and any suggesetions. Also, what pay would be reasonable for this position?

  1. hours of work 7 am to 7 pm (12 hours), 5 days a week until November (3 month contract)

  2. need to have own car (we only have one, which my husband will use to get to work)

  3. need to walk very lovely 2 yr old dog twice a day for one hour each (DS loves going in the buggy or in the backpack) - we live near open fields and safe footpaths

  4. DS has swimming lessons and goes to tumbletots, which he loves

  5. cooking for DS, healthy meals

  6. vacuum/sweep floor inside where DS plays (not whole house, just play area)

  7. we live west of london, in semi-rural area

Thanks for thoughts - oh, and where do you find a live out nanny with own car prepared to look after a toddler and dog in semi-rural england, who doesn't mind swimming?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
AnnaInManchester · 04/07/2005 20:06

I used to nanny 7am - 7pm for 200 per week and that was in huddersfield.

uwila · 04/07/2005 18:12

ah.... got it now.

Original poster
koalabear · 04/07/2005 15:54

me currently bread winner
me currently pregnant, due in november

husband currently SAHD
husband hopefully getting employed, so i can be SAHM for a while

therefore, we need nanny to cover period when we are both at work, and neither at home

make sense?

OP posts:
uwila · 04/07/2005 14:12

Don't forget to work out that you have to pay her 4 weeks annual holiday prorata for 3 months work (i.e. 1 week holiday). You must also give her bank holidays, but you do not have to pay her for them.

Just curious, why is she needed for only 3 months?

SoftFroggie · 04/07/2005 14:07

We're currently interviewing a nanny who positively wants to walk our dog; she loves dogs; walking a dog would be a bonus for her.

Unfortunately we don't have a dog

Have thought about borrowing one for her to walk to try to tempt her to work for us maybe could charge for a dog-walking business to offset the fact that she's jolly expensive.

uwila · 04/07/2005 14:06

Oh, and I wanted to add that you could add some things like your DS's laundry and tidying/organising his room to the duties.

Yes, I was (rather awkwardly) pointing out gross vs. net. Sorry for the confusing post.

GhostofNatt · 04/07/2005 14:02

oh biunkie that sounds worse than fat pirate ship - see original thread for detail, sorry koalabear...

uwila · 04/07/2005 14:01

This is just a guess, but depending on experience, age, qualifications, that you could get someone for anywhere from £200 - £350 per week.

I hired my first "nanny" who was really more of an au pair when my DD was 14 months old, and I would recommend that you only consider applicants who have live-in experience as au pair or nanny (and of course childcare experience of toddlers). And by experience , I do not mean that they lived with their baby cousin. I mean proper child care employment, whether that be a childminder, a day nursery, or a nanny.

My personal (and sinical) view of agency quoted rates is that they have a vested interest in inflating them.

binkie · 04/07/2005 14:00

(the coalsack was meant to be a ball dress)

apologies koala - normal service is now resumed

binkie · 04/07/2005 13:59

oh gofn I am sorry.

If it helps at all I recall some racking sobs at 1.45 am over a Barbie stuck in the middle of a piled up cone of sponge bits that looked LIKE A SODDING SACK OF COAL

binkie · 04/07/2005 13:56

uwila, I think that's a bit confusing (not controversial).

koala, a nanny doing the job you describe would be your employee, no doubt about it. So you must register with the Inland Revenue as an employer, and taxes and NI must be paid (note the passive voice) on your nanny's wages. The issue uwila's raising is (I think) whether

(i) you agree a gross wage with her - ie the way our wages all get quoted to us at work, and then we are responsible for paying our own taxes, via PAYE and tax returns - so she would sort out all of that; or

(ii) as is traditional but not required, you agree a net wage with your nanny so that then you, separately, make the tax and NI payments yourself.

But whether (i) or (ii) makes no difference to the amount of money coming out of your bank account - it's just whose name is on the cheques to the Inland Revenue.

Original poster
koalabear · 04/07/2005 13:52

little village between Reading and Henley-on-Thames

OP posts:
uwila · 04/07/2005 13:51

Where do you live?

GhostofNatt · 04/07/2005 13:50

[thread divert], don't metion pirate cake,binkie, sore topic...[bitter, three in morning icing round cake to look like a pirate ship emoticon]

Original poster
koalabear · 04/07/2005 13:49

thanks
what about the amount though (not including tax and NI of course)?

OP posts:
uwila · 04/07/2005 13:48

I got the hard hat in advance of the controvesial post I was about to make.

uwila · 04/07/2005 13:48

ok, I'm back.

You don't have to "pay" the nanny's taxes. Though some will expect it, there is no law requiring this practice. You have to extract the money from the nanny's paycheque and send off to IR, but you are not responsible for taking it out of your own bank account.

Original poster
koalabear · 04/07/2005 13:47

??

OP posts:
uwila · 04/07/2005 13:45

I'm going to go get my hard hat now before my next post.....

Original poster
koalabear · 04/07/2005 13:44

so, for live in, what's an appropriate rate? do i still need to pay NI and tax?

i was thinking if it was liveout, i would need to pay between 80 and 90 GBP a day to the nanny and then also NI and tax - is this right?

OP posts:
uwila · 04/07/2005 13:42

My nanny works those same hours. She is live in. I think the dog walking requirement might be a bit out of nanny scope. But if discussed early on (i.e. in interview) you may find some willing applicants.

Yes, I also think a live-in will be easier to find, more accommodating on the hours, and able/willing to take a 3-month job. It also costs a bit less.

If cost is an issue, I'd steer clear of agencies. Try www.nannyjob.co.uk or gumtree.com. Also, I recommend The Good Nanny Guide, which you can find at Waterstones. A good online resource is nannytax.co.uk.

binkie · 04/07/2005 13:42

Anyway, now I know a bit more, I think your job is a natural for the gumtree - here - or as gofnattpiratecake says, Simply Childcare.

Original poster
koalabear · 04/07/2005 13:39

don't visit the antenatal bits myself very much either - working full time at present

OP posts:
binkie · 04/07/2005 13:38

Having baby in November is big incentive - nannies LOVE prospect of new baby, even if they're not being hired for that job too. And if you allow a bit of flex - eg don't pick someone whose visa expires on 30th Nov - you might find she's a godsend to keep on in the early weeks.

Sorry, guess I should have known! Never visit the antenatal bits of MN any more.

Original poster
koalabear · 04/07/2005 13:32

short contract because having baby in november, and therefore, no need to nanny!

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread