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Original poster

Nanny turned into Nanny for hell and a nutter (long sorry)

184 replies

scrummummy · 17/12/2011 22:00

Have posted in childcare but thought I'd get more traffic here. Help

My DH sacked the nanny on wed, it was a last straw type moment. Many things led up to it ie taking them to her house every day, not telling who the children were coming into contact with and only find out from DD1 (5) or what DD2(3) said (ish). Going to McD every day and buying them chocolate and ice cream (ice cream is health cos it contains calcium was the answer) every day, even though we specifically asked for this not to happen. Slightly more important was late taking to and picking up for school (sometimes 30mins - 1hour late take and pick up). Finally, last two straws, spent Tuesday in hairdressers get hair cut coloured and washed with DD2 in the buggy for the whole time. Last straw, was on Wednesday left the house with no keys, didn't inform me until 1 hour before school pick-up - to my yahoo email while I was at work didn't phone my mobile or work number, didn't phone DH mobile or work number, I was lucky I checked my email during my late lunch. I immediately phoned her repeatedly with no answer. So left work to get to school for pick up, called DH, he left work cos I asked him to sack her there and then, so that she couldn't make up excuses and try to talk me out of it, he's strong at this than me.

Thanks if you've read this far, this is now when the "fun" starts.

She had left her bike at our house. My DH told her to come and collect it in an hours time, giving me the opportunity to get home and calm down. She didn't come and collect it. That evening DH rung her ask when she was going to collect the bike and she said the following day.

I'm at home the following day to look after DD1 & 2 as we now no-longer have child care. I asked DH to put the bike outside in front gated garden so I wouldn't have to talk to her when she turned up to collect it.At lunchtime I saw someone who looked very much like her take the bike.

Following day DH is at home looking after the children and a Taxi arrives, driver says he's come to collect a bike, DH says its been taken. Next DH gets a call from the police, making an enquiry on behalf of the Nanny as to where her bike is. While this is going on at home I'm getting email's demanding money for the bike. DH explains to the Police Officer that the bike was taken the previous day, by he assumed the Nanny.

Overnight I get more and more weirder emails demanding more money for the bike as DH has either stolen it or put it in the bin, like the keys she claimed she couldn't find (we have three sets of keys on the mantelshelf, for her to take).

So after reading the overnight emails, DH contacts the police to discuss the matter. Later today a Police Sargent turns up at the door asking for the bike, DH invites him in shows that we have no bike, goes over all of the above with the PS. Show him the emails, PS talks to the Nanny (who has given him a different story) comes back to us and tells us that he has explained to her that there is (in his words) no case to answer and will only file an incident report and sends her on her way.

So WTF do we do if she turns in to a "From Hell" nanny as we have a new nanny starting in Jan and we are worried that she might do something reckless.

Help/ word of wisdom has any one dealt with a situation similar to this? Smile
Can tell you more about the madness if you want to have more shits and giggle

OP posts:
AmberLeaf · 17/12/2011 22:01

Repeated from your other thread;

Change the locks if you havent already done so.

Hardgoing · 17/12/2011 22:11

I agree about changing the locks, and then not engaging, just refer her back to the police if she goes on about the bike and get into no further discussions.

Don't panic just yet, it's probably a last hurrah, she sounds awful.

WorraLiberty · 17/12/2011 22:13

Change the locks and replace the bike

Are you covered for theft under your house insurance?

Original poster
scrummummy · 17/12/2011 22:19

Dont have to change the locks as she collected keys every day when she arrived and left them when she went home.

Dont know why I should pay for the bike, we are under debate with the police as if it is my responsibility, hers for not collecting it or if it was stolen (the PC said they would do an unscheduled visit to her house to check its not there).

OP posts:
lockets · 17/12/2011 22:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CaffeineIsMyBestFriend · 17/12/2011 22:21

Firstly, report her to OFSTED. The things she has been doing are no way allowed, I guess she is registered with them? If not, then complain to whatever agency she came from.

Hopefully she won't turn into 'Nanny From Hell' and soon, all this will be forgotten. Sorry to hear you had such a terrible nanny.

SantaDesperatelySeeksSedatives · 17/12/2011 22:22

I'd still change the locks because who knows whether she ever got a key cut while out and about? Not that I'm paranoid or anything... Xmas Blush

I wouldn't replace her bike. If you think you saw someone who looked like her collecting her bike chances are it was her- she's just pulling a fast one. Either way she sounds a bloody nightmare!

Jenny70 · 17/12/2011 22:22

You were right to sack her if you warned her and she ignored your wishes.

You were wrong to put the bike outside, it was her possession that was safely stowed, and you decided to put it outside the front of the house unlocked.

I'd be paying for the bike, and then changing the locks!

WorraLiberty · 17/12/2011 22:26

You should pay for the bike because you left it outside and unsecured.

Would you have left a laptop computer or some of your jewellery out there?

If not, why not?

SnapesMistressofMerriment · 17/12/2011 22:26

Don't pay for the bike, she probably took it and is trying to pull a fast one.

GoingForGoalWeight · 17/12/2011 22:28

I've had carers that have all but one been nutcases... the last carer had a bike and when she let me down the second time i sacked her. I arranged to pay her what i owed for that month and she asked me to meet her in three different places. It peed me off but i just wanted her out of my hair. The others had a lot of issues and i just do not know what they expect from me as an employer. they seem to want to spend the day drinking tea whilst i do alklthe caring, i think i've been extremly unluckuy. I think it will be a while before i try again. Angry

Keep a diary, change locks.show new Nanny a pic of her if you can..

Where did you get this Nanny from hell from?

FantasticVoyage · 17/12/2011 22:28

You left someone else's bike outside the front of your house for it to be stolen?

Pay up.

GoingForGoalWeight · 17/12/2011 22:29

I think her boyfriend/friend took the bike and blames you, good possibility of random theft but you might have no choice but to pay for it :

RitaMorgan · 17/12/2011 22:31

It was stupid of you to put her bike out where it could be stolen, so you should pay for it really.

krasnayaploshad · 17/12/2011 22:32

OP, even if the nanny collected & returned the keys each day, she still could have gotten another set cut to keep. Do yourself a favour & get the locks changed asap.

Original poster
scrummummy · 17/12/2011 22:32

to all,
We have have gated front garden and the bike was left down the side passage of the house between front and back garden where she left it from day to day. Cannot be seen from the road, I saw someone who looked like her through net curtains, same coat, build hair colour come into the garden take the bike and leave. I thought it was her.
why then should I pay for it. I asked her time and time again to put the bike in the back garden but she refused

OP posts:
GoingForGoalWeight · 17/12/2011 22:35

I would have gone out to her then! Why didn't you?

Original poster
scrummummy · 17/12/2011 22:35

also the police say it is not our responsibility to pay for it. she also later claimed its not her bike but police say she has to prove it is her bike and will not file a crime report

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 17/12/2011 22:35

From your OP..... I asked DH to put the bike outside in front gated garden

So you should pay I'm afraid.

Anyway, check your insurance cos I'm covered for bike theft from my property...though if they're unchained I doubt my insurance would pay out.

foreverondiet · 17/12/2011 22:36

Nightmare, and of course you had to sack her for unreasonable behavior, bearing in mind she was a nutter probably was error of judgement to leave bike out.

At the end of the day, you left the bike out and she seems happy to lie to the police. (If I left a bike in my front garden it would be stolen within 10 minutes). As you say you don't want her to do something reckless. So I'd be paying up but asking her for details of her bike so that its reported as stolen to the police.

If she worked for you for any length of time its going to be hard for her to find another job without a reference.

4madboys · 17/12/2011 22:37

bit yeah but no about paying for the bike, if that is where SHE normally left it and it couldnt be seen from road, then someone randomly came snooping and found it and took it? maybe but as it looked so like her?

either way change your locks and i would ignore all emails etc unless theyare polite.

foreverondiet · 17/12/2011 22:38

On reading latest post, if the bike was left where she usually left it, with the same security as she usually left it with, and not visible from the road, then no you shouldn't pay. However, how much was the bike actually worth? If less than a weeks pay for her I'd probably just pay up to get rid of the problem.

Original poster
scrummummy · 17/12/2011 22:43

GoingForGoalWeight
to be honest quite scared she's very scary when she want to be and and DD2 was having a big cry and I'm obviously not as tough as you.

WorraLiberty.
My original post was long enough I left out all of the details for brevity's sake.

Yeh in hindsight it may be a bit irresponsible leaving her bike where she left it everyday, after sacking her and what was in the emails she sent to me, there was no way I was going to tackle her alone.

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 17/12/2011 22:44

If the bike was left where she normally left it, the OP wouldn't have had to ask her DH to put it outside.

The Nanny obviously thought the bike was safe...not realising the DH was going to put it in the front garden.

WorraLiberty · 17/12/2011 22:44

So where did your DH take the bike from in order to go and put it in the front garden?

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