Nanny-own car or use of ours?

[RunJHC]

We've just recruited a nanny who is great. She drives & has her own car. We're just working thru all the details so we can draw up a contract. Is it better for her to use her own car or insure her on ours? And if she uses hers what's the going rate for mileage? We're in SW London.

Grateful for views/experiences

Thanks

I've been on both sides of this.

Our first nanny had her own car, and we would pay the mileage allowance for it. I think it was 40p/mile then, but I believe it is now 45p/mile or thereabouts. it was a new car, and she looked after it well. We provided the car seat for it and fitted it. It stayed in her car, fitted, even when she was not working as she didn't mind it.

Our current nanny drives our car. She has never had an accident or even put a dent in it (ours is not a car where you would notice an extra dent though). She cost very little to put on the insurance, as she is deemed to be low risk due to her age and not having had accidents or made claims recently for her own car. And her own car is immaculate. She wouldn't have taken a job with us though if we hadn't provided her with a car to drive during working hours, and this is how her driving our car came about.

On balance, I think I prefer a nanny to drive her own car. But that is based on our experience of our previous nanny having a reliable car, that she kept very clean and well maintained, not having to take the car seat in and out at the start and end of her working week (less scope for it not to be fitted correctly) and having the car to ourselves on the very very rare occasion that she was working and DH or I were at home.

I drove my employers car in my last job, and use mine in this one. I preferred using my employers car to be honest. They had a modern car which was easy to drive even when distracted by the kids, could handle the hills and roads when needed and felt very safe.

I have an old car which has it's quirks like all old cars do, looks rickety and has dents all over it (not purely from me!) and should it break down I cannot afford to rent a car for the day so I'll be out of the job until I get my car back. I also now have two full car seats and a bumper seat permanently in my little old car and come March when my DP gets rid of his car it'll be the only car we have between us, and car seats which I am not allowed to take out just make it a bit of a crappy car tbh, a two seater essentially. We won't be able to take friends out or offer lifts if needed.