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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Nannies are not babysitters!

90 replies

Stardust1901 · 07/03/2017 07:07

A lady messaged me yesterday looking for a weekend nanny (8-6) Saturday's and Sunday's EOW plus extra days every school holiday.

Brilliant, I thought, would suit me well. Explained that I would accept £9p/h, the lady offered £8p/h. I accepted, happy to help a struggling mum and earn some extra income. Arranged to meet and discuss contract today etc.

I've just had a message now, cancelling unless I would take £5p/h as she can't afford £8p/h?!
That's not even minimum wage! Needless to say I declined!

I'm level 3 qualified with 8 years childcare experience working in nurseries, schools, being a registered childminder and a nanny. WIBU to expect £8p/h or should I have settled and asked for min wage? Angry

I'm in the North West if that helps!

OP posts:
SookiesSocks · 07/03/2017 07:10

YANBU some people are just cheeky feckers.

00100001 · 07/03/2017 07:11

No, she's a chancer.

rollonthesummer · 07/03/2017 07:14

Of course you shouldn't settle for that! Looks like you dodged a bullet there-she would have been a nightmare to work for.

SoupDragon · 07/03/2017 07:14

She doesn't have to pay what you want, you don't have to accept the job. Clearly you aren't what each other are looking for, that's all.

VivienneWestwoodsKnickers · 07/03/2017 07:15

Not U at all. Have you told her those wages are illegal?

dietcokeandwine · 07/03/2017 07:16

God no OP. In fact if anything you should have stuck to your guns and insisted on £9.

£5 an hour is what I used to earn as an unqualified teenager babysitting for my parents' neighbours way back when (I'm mid forties). No way should you be accepting that kind of fee now!

Devilishpyjamas · 07/03/2017 07:16

If she was employing you surely she can't offer below nmw?

Softkitty2 · 07/03/2017 07:16

No don't accept. Know your worth. I think if its like this now you would struggle to collect pay from her.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 07/03/2017 07:17

Hmm bad case of Cheekyofferitus!

BillSykesDog · 07/03/2017 07:19

Were you asking for cash in hand.

allchattedout · 07/03/2017 07:31

God, I would have thought even £8 per hour is low for a qualified childcare worker. But definitely YANBU.

Callaird · 07/03/2017 07:32

I'm a nanny and won't give up my weekends for less than £17 gross per hour. (I am in London though) I work almost 60 hours a week. My weekends are quite precious! I find that people who readily accept my rate appreciate that it's not always an easy job and will trust my judgement and let me get on with the job they are paying me for.

I do accept payment in kind occasionally! I also help out friends and family (my brother is clocking up 50+ hours and baby is not yet 4 months, I will be expecting help with my new house soon! (don't tell him but I'd pay them to spend time with the baby!))

pishedoff · 07/03/2017 07:36

I pay our 16 year old occasional babysitter more than that!!

FrenchLavender · 07/03/2017 07:36

YANBU. Tell her she is confusing you with a teenaged babysitter.

JennaRainbow · 07/03/2017 07:38

God no! She's totally taking the piss.

hickorydickorynurseryrhyme · 07/03/2017 07:38

YANBU. I'd look elsewhere. Flaming cheek!

skerrywind · 07/03/2017 07:38

I am surprised you accepted £8 an hour.

My teenage son works in Morrisons part time and gets paid more than that.

Original poster
Stardust1901 · 07/03/2017 07:38

No, didn't ask for cash in hand! I think she has no clue about the legalities of nannies and hasn't done her research!

OP posts:
Ilovewillow · 07/03/2017 07:43

Good lord she's chancing it! Even £8/£9 was cheap. We employed a nanny for 2 years and paid £14 net!

Original poster
Stardust1901 · 07/03/2017 07:45

The £8 p/h I offered was gross! I couldn't believe it!

OP posts:
Looneytune253 · 07/03/2017 07:46

Maybe shes looked around and seen a local childminder rate? Obv a completely different set up to what she wanted but probably doesnt realise the difference.

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 07/03/2017 07:46

We paid £12 net in London (but our nanny was not qualified apart from the paediatric first aid courses we sent her on). She is being ridiculous.

BillSykesDog · 07/03/2017 07:54

I'm guessing that she was chancing it you might accept cash in hand for less. I know that these sort of childcare jobs are often used to exploit people who don't have the right to work or only work so many hours by paying them less than they're entitled to. She might have had that sort of arrangement before and be looking for similar.

Astoria7974 · 07/03/2017 07:57

You'll never get a nanny around here for less than £20/hr, nor should you. Nannies are more qualified than au pairs and babysitters - that's why they are more expensive. People who don't understand that clearly haven't done their research.

TiredMumToTwo · 07/03/2017 07:57

I was willing to pay £10 an hour in the North West, wanted to make sure I got an experienced professional- she obviously has no idea.