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Original poster

Nanny chipped kitchen surface

73 replies

Newmummy2010 · 25/02/2019 22:46

Our Nanny caused a large chip to a new kitchen counter. Unfortunately home insurance does not cover (and we don’t have Nanny insurance). Are we within our rights to deduct this from salary? She does not think she should contribute. Repair company have quoted over £200 and mark will still be visible...

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Youmadorwhat · 25/02/2019 22:48

How did it happen?

Luckyduck88 · 25/02/2019 22:49

No as it's not in a contract to state you can withhold salary due to house damage

Springiscomingsoon · 25/02/2019 22:49

Is she apologetic?
Isn't a nanny supposed to be part of the family?
I would not want to upset someone who is being left alone to look after my most precious little people Confused

Zebedee88 · 25/02/2019 22:49

How did she do it? Did she do something that she was told not to? I can't imagine it would have been an easy thing to do. I'm a nanny and if I've broken something then I have usually offered to repair or replace/ pay for it.

PennyMordauntsLadyBrain · 25/02/2019 22:49

How did it happen?

I’d thibj you were having a laugh to deduct it from her wages, unless it was absolutely deliberate. What work place have you worked in as a professional where you would be penalised for damaging a fixture or fitting that couldn’t withstand daily use?

Cheetahssitonfajitas · 25/02/2019 22:50

No! Assuming it was an accident amd she didn't purposefully do it in a rage. Astonished it would cross your mind!

CherryPavlova · 25/02/2019 22:51

No, of course you can’t. I’m sure it was an accident. Why doesn’t your insurance cover it?

WoodlandOaks · 25/02/2019 22:52

You can’t legally deduct from her salary unless you have a term in your contract to that effect.

If you ask her to pay I would expect her to leave shortly after.

She’ll be living in constant worry about if she accidentally breaks something else how much you will charge her.

Accidents happen. Get accidentally damage cover.

Barrenfieldoffucks · 25/02/2019 22:52

Wow, do you want to maintain a good working relationship with this woman? Assuming she didn't go at it with a machete of course.

Tavannach · 25/02/2019 22:52

But if you'd been on kitchen duty it could've been you.
Did she take an axe to it?
I'd be contacting the kitchen counter company. It's surely designed to withstand reasonable wear and tear.
So no I don't think she should pay, and I think YABU to even consider asking her. You know what a nanny's wages are like. She didn't choose the worktop, you did.

LovingLola · 25/02/2019 22:53

Are you actually serious??

NigellaAwesome · 25/02/2019 22:53

Why does home insurance not cover it?

How big is the chip? How did she do it?

IM0GEN · 25/02/2019 22:53

No of course you can’t deduct it. Unless she was doing something completely negligent, contrary to your training / procedures and it’s in her contract that you can do this.

Otherwise it’s just normal wear and tear.

Why did you get such a fragile kitchen worktop ? Maybe it’s faulty.

sonlypuppyfat · 25/02/2019 22:54

Is it made out of chipboard

ApolloandDaphne · 25/02/2019 22:56

Surely you chalk it up to accidental damage and pay for the repair yourself?

UnderHerEye · 25/02/2019 22:56

Completely unreasonable to deduct from salary!

And unless it was a deliberate, malicious act then you shouldn’t be charging Nanny either, to do so would cause massive bad feeling! Things get broken/chipped in day to day life, and as someone who employs others to work in your home you have to accept that. Could be useful to change your insurance policy/provider for any future mishaps?

TBDO · 25/02/2019 22:56

If you want a resentful nanny who is likely to move on very quickly, go ahead and (illegally) deduct from her salary.

Was it a malicious act? In which case you have bigger problems as this person is looking after your DC, who are much more precious than a worktop.

If it was an accident, they happen and you just have to live with it.

PennyMordauntsLadyBrain · 25/02/2019 22:57

I hope this isn’t a reverse- at least if OP is the actual employer she’ll see how stupid this is from the responses

IncrediblySadToo · 25/02/2019 22:57

Why won’t your insurance cover it?

How did it happen?

bugeyedbarber · 25/02/2019 22:58

More details needed. Did she do it on purpose? Has she been told not to do something in a specific way and she did that nonetheless and it caused the damage? Then you have a nanny problem not a who pays problem.

Other than these circumstances it would be extremely mean to try to charge her for it and even then you may want to consider longer term options than charging, risking her leaving you in a lurch not to mention kids being upset (if they like her).

Also I can't see how your home insurance doesn't cover this. Accidental damage is pretty standard with most covers. Unless your excess is set so high 200 quid doesn't cover the cost of repair.

Bigonesmallone3 · 25/02/2019 22:59

It was an accident poor woman!

wizzywig · 25/02/2019 23:02

Yeah you do have to suck it up if she is good at her job.

talktoo · 25/02/2019 23:02

If she did it by accident in the course of working for you then of course she should not have to pay for it. If you broke an office chair or computer by accident, would you expect to pay for it?

MarthasGinYard · 25/02/2019 23:05

Well I can't imagine she did it on purpose Hmm

scissorsandpen · 25/02/2019 23:12

Kind of restraining myself here someone has accidentally chipped something in your home and you think it’s acceptable to take it out their wages dear Lord . Sure I would be very unhappy about it privately but I wouldn’t think it worth losing a good nanny .