Au Pair Employers - Struggling to find an Au Pair - can I be nosey and ask what pocket money yours have?

[MrsRecycle]

I've been trying to find an Au Pair since December last year and I am beginning to think that the pocket money I am offering is too little. I really don't want to give them £110 a week (which is what they want) when you factor in everything else (board, food, unlimited telephone calls back home, internet, etc) I'm paying them more than what my dh earns. It would actually be cheaper (and I could claim back via Tax Credits) if my dds went to their After-School Club.

I've spoken to a number of APs that are currently in the UK and are being paid £50 a week for over 40 hours a week (illegal I know as AuPairs are only meant to do 25 hours under Home Office rules). Can I be really cheeky and ask what pocket money you currently give to your Au Pair? I know in Germany the pocket money is £45 a week and they can only stay for one year. But I guess the cost of living is more over here.

We had a wonderful live-out Au Pair who we were paying £60 a week to and I really don't want to pay anymore for a live-in Au Pair.

MrsRecycle, there is nothing illegal about paying someone who lives in your house £50 per week for 40 hours of work. If she is an EU citizen or is here in a working holiday visa she is subject to the same work restriction as any other employee. And an employee who lives in your house is exempt from minimum wage laws.

However, £110 pper week is way too much for your job. Maybe you should focus on people who are not yet in the country?

I am and having no success!

Whereabouts do you live? We pay our au pair £55 a week to look after one child and do some housework, but pay her £5 per hour for any extra hours she does.

Have you tried www.greataupair.com? They have a huge database and you can look through the prospective candidates before paying the subscription fee of about £30 a month.

Ok just checked out and an Au Pair plus from an EU Country is allowed to do more hours. So those from non-EU are restricted to 25 hours under their visa restrictions.

I really don't want to have an Au Pair plus but we might need to think about it.

Mumpbump - I've had my profile on their to see the candidates that I am getting to match my profile before I sign up and they are all from Indonesia or South America. Also I find their search or showing an interest rather cumbersum. I'm on aupair-world.net where I found my other 2 wonderful APs and there is no shortage of candidates, its just that they want more money than I'm prepared to pay. For example, I was really interested in a lovely girl but she wanted £110. No negotiating on it whatsoever. Looking on gumtree, families seem to be offering between £75 and up to £180 a week

Oops meant to say, I live in West London, Ruislip (zone 5). We have 5 tube stations so easy to get into centre of London .

Well it looks like I'm going to have to up the money to £70 as I have an Estonian coming over for an interview next week and that's what she's currently getting looking after a 16 yr old and 13 yr old (yes really!). She is missing looking after younger children so is looking for a new family.

How many children do you have? Our au pair wanted £60, but we said that as we were only asking her to look after one child, we thought £55 was fair...

How many children do you have? Our au pair wanted £60, but we said that as we were only asking her to look after one child, we thought £55 was fair...

MrsREcycle has two older girls who both go to school all day (primary school) and lovely little baby who will go to a childminder. Au pair just needs to do school runs, etc. She won't have sole charge of the lovely little boy. The girls are lovely too, of course.

Really, £110 is way too much for this job.

we had a fab aupair from cech republic when ds's were 1 and 2, she done tons of childcare, and we paid her £150 per month, lots of eprks (car, phone etc) but she was great.

i think £110 is way to much for collections/drop off and a bit of childcare.

fingers crossed you find someone. we went through an agency , cant remember which now though.

cx

I would never agree to £110 a week for 25 hours its way too much. I really struggled to find decent Au pairs on Gumtree and great Au pair. We have 4 children and only sole charge after school, for two children. For 25hrs, we paid the last one £75wk as an incentive. Before that we paid £60.

Thanks ele for answering - was away at the park with dd2 (oh what a lovely life the AP would have!). The AP has always looked after our 2 dds and we've never had a problem trying to find someone when we first offered £45 and then offered £55. But what they don't know is that if they prove themselves I like to give them a bonus most weeks - an extra tenner. I also pay for their flights (again don't tell them this). However, at the moment every single applicant seems to be so greedy. They are not interest in being part of a family.

My fab AP does 25hrs (give or take) looking after 2 boys 3+5 ,walking school runs,light housework etc for £65 which she seems very content with (so much so that trying to get her to except extra when she has done more hours is hard work!) If interested her cousin is looking for a family to start this summer for a year (19, non smoking,non drinking, non driving) if interested drop a post and I give you an email address.

Sorry, I'll

Hi Syrup - I need someone for June at the latest - is this too early for her. If not, my email address is mcgeeamanda at yahoo dot co dot uk. Thanks!

I take it MrsR that this means you are still looking?

Hi ele - am interviewing Estonian tomorrow but money is just too much. I think I might have another Dutch who is happy with £55. I like her a lot but in the world on APs they can change their mind in an instance so I'm covering all my options.

My current nanny is applying for a job that pays £600 (yes, six hundred, no typo there) nett per week. The job is outside of Copenhagen. I think I'm in the wrong line of work.

Actually I was seriously thinking about becoming a Nanny - at least I could have ds with me. dh put me off and mentioned that if I had a rough night with ds how would I cope with another? Might check out nannyjob anyway!

Your DH could become a nanny.

He'll be honoured you think that highly of him lol! No seriously, I actually applied for an NNEB course when I left school but it was full. I would have loved to be a nanny.

They probably are aware that nannies get well paid here so asking for £100 a week seems ok. I was a nanny and earned over £300 week, freelander car all petrol paid, phone etc and a previous boss even gave me expensive presents like louis vuitton handbags, purses, christal champagne etc. Some jobs I have even had a flat provided all paid for.