To ask if you would help this family?

[TheMessyCleaner]

So on our local FB parenting groups there is a man from China asking if anyone has a room to rent out as his daughter has a place at a local preparatory school and he is moving over from China to look after her. The mum will stay in China working for Microsoft. On one of the posts the man says that he's unable to work here but can help out with childcare, housework and driving.
Lots of people have suggested air bnb and right move but because he doesn't want to pay anything (or not market value anyway) he's not having much luck.
I'm trying so hard to think positively about it but even laid back, hippie types like myself would struggle with putting a man and his daughter up for free for the whole of her primary school years! I suppose his Visa situation could change?
I think the part I struggle with is that he can pay for private school yet not to rent a flat in a not very affluent area. It's not the same as a refugee family who need stability due to coming from a war torn country. He chose to apply for a place in a British private school! Apparently the school doesn't help with accommodation.
Is it wrong that I think he'd have more luck if he was a woman?

He sounds a bit entitled.

No one in their right mind would help in that instance unless they were related to the family.

No - aside from the hesitations about hosting strangers, I would expect some form of compensation even if I agreed - bills will go up, will they buy their own food etc?

And yes as it’s a private school they can surely afford a suitable accommodation!

He is paying for private education doesn’t mean he is loaded. Asian cultures do value education very highly so spending all free cash on a top school wouldn’t be out of the ordinary and it would be an investment in their family. He can’t work rather than won’t and having a housekeeper/cleaner in return for food and lodging may actually be beneficial to someone. He is not asking for a free ride from your post just a working arrangement to someone this may benefit. If it’s not you then no.
If it would be of benefit then a trial would be needed and this would be explained.
It could actually be a wonderful thing to do.

How will he provide food, clothing, uniform, transport? CF me thinks

I wouldn't help at all because he is likely staying here illegally. There's no visa that I know of that allows non-EU nationals to just live here forever, he's offering to do what should be paid work and how on Earth is he going to get a legal driving license?

....he's unable to work here but can help out with childcare, housework and driving.

No, he can't. That's considered work, even if it's unpaid, and the "employer" would be liable for the fine. It violates visa terms.

@gwenneh hadn't thought of that, it's sort of like modern slavery I guess!

I agree with PP, childcare, driving etc are work.

But I wonder that the school apparently didn't ask where the child would be living and if he could legally stay here to look after her.

@Bloodybridget I wonder too. But it is a tiny school, very very few international students. The admin team might have just taken his word for it. It's not that expensive either, expensive for the likes of me! But not mega bucks.

I would helpfully suggest to him he looks up alternative solutions like the house people/ guardians.

Most independent schools (especially boarding) have a list of local people who will have the children at weekends and holidays and charge for this. They are also the guardian if something goes wrong.

But if he can work in China then this will cover the costs as he can't do what he wants to with regards to coming here.

So essentially would I subsidise someone’s daily living costs so they could use their own money for private school? Funnily enough no. If I was going to financially support random strangers then I’d be offering a room to a woman in a refuge or any other person who genuinely needed the help.

There is a type 4 visa for non EU citizens to allow them to move to the UK temporarily to accompany a child providing that the child is at a fee paying school, they have a main home elsewhere, they don’t work and return home when the schooling is over or the child is 12. Dunno about renting but you’d think that would be allowed. No idea why he doesn’t get his own place apart from being skint from the school fees.
Difficult one, nice to help someone, but seems bizarre he’d leave his own and his child’s safety in the hands of a stranger when he could rent somewhere? Perhaps it’s done in China and is not unusual there?

The crucial bit about the visa is that they can't work. It includes paid, unpaid, volunteer, and remote work -- the guidance notes are very specific.

I think the first way to help him would be to explain boarding schools have host family arrangements, so he could arrange for his daughter to have somewhere safe and homely to visit on breaks. That would be a lot cheaper than him moving here. Then suggest he looks for a local community from his area in China who could offer support and local knowledge.

CF!

You could suggest being a 'property guardian'

dotdotdotproperty.com/guardians/

It doesn't have a boarding provision, it's very small.

Surely if he can afford UK private school fees, he can afford to pay for accommodation? Or if not, he should have thought of that before coming. I don't blame him for asking, but it will be difficult for anyone to help him if his visa doesn't allow him to work. And yes, babysitting, housework, etc. is work. Even if the reward isn't actual cash.

To be fair he is trying to raise his child free from the tyranny (and indoctrination) of the Chinese government. Might as well be refugees.

It sounds like a scam to me!

*also it sounds like a scam

No!

It sounds like he's able to live legally in the UK, but not work.
The arrangement he's suggesting sounds a bit unusual but might suit someone.
A friend of mine is disabled and has recently offered free board for someone in return for housework. She might have gone for it. Although, yes, I think most people would feel more comfortable with a woman.