How much to expect? Nannies please help!

[SuperNanny20]

Hello all,

I have 4 years experience as a nanny, not qualified. However, OFSTED and a few specialist certificates in the field.

I have been offered a position:

• 5 days a week 7.30am to 7.30pm, However mum and dad would want me to listen out for DCs from 6.30am - as it would be unsettling if they saw mummy and daddy in the morning ( thinking its weekend etc)
• 3 nights babysitting.
• Light housekeeping.
• 4 weeks holiday... all decided for by the family. ( demanding jobs)
• Own nanny flat in the basement.
• 2 children aged 6months and 2.

They say between £325 and £400.. I personally am thinking £380+ .

Sorry if i sound too greedy

£350 gross per week I suspect is what may be on offer.
As it's a live-in job, National Minimum Wage does not apply, so they can in theory pay you anything they like.
I don't do live in so not sure if it's good or bad. How does it compare to other live-in jobs in the area?
Make sure you know if they are talking a Gross Wage or a Net Wage. On here we recommend that Employers talk Gross wage, as that is the figure used for calculating tax.

Statutory holiday entitlement is 5.6 weeks, you are aware of that aren't you? That 5.6 weeks can include Bank Holidays - so if you get ALL bank holidays in addition to the 4 weeks, then you are at the 5.6 week mark.

Sounds awful to me. I'd ask 400+ as a minimum - if they were really lovely and I wanted it really badly! More realistically I'd want 500. 6:30 - 7:30 is a long day - especially considering the holiday issue.

Are you in London? I'm similar to you in terms of quals/experience and would be looking for £400 net I think.

They are offering between £325 - £400 net.

So you suggest £350npw? It is through an agency so I am sure they will negotiate
on my behalf?

Could be wrong.

Thanks for the holiday tips.

Missus - the position is in Knightsbridge Zone 1 - I think because they are asking for a lot in terms of 13hours a day plus the holiday issue £350 doesn't seem to cover it for me?

I just don't want to be greedy! So please honest opinons

It sounds pretty demanding to me, I would say £400 net is reasonable for central London.

Since you have to listen out for the kids I would say that you start at 6:30am then.

I would want at least £355/week.

I would only do 2 night/week babysitting. The extra as OT.

Get them to define 'light housekeeping' as you maz end up washing the windows.

Basement flat in Knightsbridge... hmm, wonder how much that is worth.

Probably not worth £16 million, like this one.

I expect to rent a flat in that area you would be looking at £300-£400 per week. An example in South Ken at £350 per week.

So one thing to consider is that you may be getting quite nice accommodation. Though of course that may not be the case, so important to view the accommodation.

How much do you want the job? What's the absolute minimum you would accept? You don't want to accept the job and then feel resentful about the money and start looking for something else within 6 months.

I'd tell the agency you want £400. Maybe be prepared to come down to £380 if the family offer less.

Its just I could get a standard live in with 2nights babysitting, set hours and choose my holiday for £350 which I'd be happy with. Plus through the agency most of them tend to have flats.
The minimum is £380 due to it really being a 13hour day and no say on holidays!
I'm looking for a long term position so I really want to set the rules from the start - but like most nannies I find it hard to say no!

hope not 380 gross

tbh i dont think 380 nett is a bad wage for a live in with flat (rem you will have no bills/rent/council tax etc) for your age and exp

i know nannies who are in their late 20's and early 30's who live in and earn 400nett in london for a 12 hr day so £80 a day

i wouldnt agree to not chosing own holidays or all will be in school hols and triplely exspensive for you - but thats just me

Standard stuff for live-in is a 12 hour day and 2 nights mid week babysitting. For this, for an experienced qualified nanny, you'd expect to pay 350 net.

If you're being asked to listen out from 6.30am, you're being asked to work a longer day and i'd say 370 is reasonable. Ask for standard babysitting rates for the 3rd night (this is what we do with our nanny if we need a third night/are stuck at work etc)

Look - it is good money, you'd have your own flat in knightsbridge (which is pretty amazing frankly) and there are plenty of nannies out there that would jump at the chance. How much do you like the family? How likely are the children to wake up at 6.30am? Clarify what they mean by light housework. If you want the job say you're happy to muck in (and act as they would round the house) but that you're not a substitute for a cleaner.

I know it all sounds great, but I'm not going to have a life Mon - fri which I don't mind for the right family.
They seem very nice but have had 3 nannies before - which does make me think twice.
I do like them and current nanny said they are an amazing family to work for. But she can't be honest with me really as I'm sure she would like a good reference from them?
Will the agency do the negiotiating?

Blondes - £380net.

SuperNanny - you sound great and sensible. My advice to you is don't get into salary negotiations. Decide a) if you want the job and b) what you're prepared to do it for. Salary negotiations always leave a sour taste in the mouth I think if you're constantly going backwards and forwards...

Oh, what a mixed bag. I think you need more information. The flat in Knightsbridge is not to be underestimated and I expect is worth a whole lot more than £400 per week on the open market. And then of course there is food, tel, etc. which I assume is thrown in.

Those hours are long. And the ages of the children are hard work... especially if they have another. But, I think £350 net for what is effectively your disposable inclome is not bad.

But... I am worried about this listen out for baby because it would be upsetting for them to see parents in the morning. Eh? My children would be upset not to see me in the morning (and likewise!). In fact I have on occassion had nannies who wanted to let them sleep in during the hols and I said no as a general rule because I WANT to see my kids before i go to work. As a one off if the kids are out late a party or something, okay. But, not all summer long. Forget that.

Also, whist basement flat sounds cool, I can't helpo but wonder if this means you have the maid's/butler's room off the kitchen. I am picturing Upstairs Downstairs and think you may have Hudson's room. So now, where does the baby sleep. I assume not in the basement with you... and so how would you "listen out" for him/her? Have you seen this house? I would want to know more about where I am to spend my time and where the children spend theirs. Will you be allowed to use the front door? Do they have other servants (either live-in or live-out)... a maid perhaps?

And what is meant by "light housekeeping"?

For you, you said you have 4 years of experience. Is this live-in full time nanny to young children? Nursery work? Babysitting?

My concern on this job is that it is an awful lot of work. Three nights of babysitting is probably too much. Oh, and are three nights restricted to mid week (Mon-Thurs)?

I'm sorry I have asked a million questions. But I think you should think about what kind of employer you want to work for / live with. Some pay out lots of money, treat you like a servant and expect you to know your place (downstairs). Other can probably not offer such a comfortable pay package but welcome you in to their whole home, and treat you more like a member of the family. And of course, there are wealthy people who do both of these things.

Maybe I have extrapolated way too much out of the basement flat in Knightsbridge. But, I think you should be clear on these expectations (if you are not already) before you accept this job.

Oh, and I absolutely agree that you either start at 6:30 or you start at 7:00. And your time is your own until such time you have officially begun work.

Oh, and yes, you are right that you cannot take a reference from current nanny who has a vested interest in not upsetting them before she leaves. Can you talk to one of their previous nannies?

Incidentally, one of our nannies worked for a family where she had the basement room in London. And she was quite lonely down there all by herself. I'm sure the house was so much more than I could ever dream of affording. But, she didn't really like it in spite of being in a fab part of London.

"Its just I could get a standard live in with 2nights babysitting, set hours and choose my holiday for £350 which I'd be happy with. Plus through the agency most of them tend to have flats."

If you can find a job like this, then personally I would prefer £350 a week for a more ordinary live-in position than the 6.30am start/extra babysitting/housekeeping etc for an extra £30-£50 a week.

The basement flat in Knightsbridge may be worth a lot on the rental market, but it wouldn't be much of a draw for me as I can't imagine Knightsbridge is a particularly exciting place to live

Does theflat have a separate door? If so it may be taxable to your employers. And how are younsupposed to listen out from a basement flat? That's a 6.30 start with you up, dressed and ready to work when they leave.

Are the providing all your food? If not I'd expect the top end of that scale.

You will need a very good contract and don't be afraid to refer to it. 4 weeks, no say at all? Am assuming it's plus Bank Hols to make up the 5.6 weeks. What happens about compassionate leave? Or if holiday plans change at short notice? Write in sone form of compensation agreement in that case.

Make sure you agree a gross wage too. If your min is £380 net I'd ask £400 and negotiate down. But only if the family are fab and you really want the job!

I'd say

I'd say you may be better off getting a more standard job that should be!

Thanks all.

It doesn't have a door.

Light housekeeping - tidying up after the children, whole family laundry, no ironing.

All bills and food etc.

The children are used to seeing MB just at night and weekends.

They had a Mat Nanny for 5months of DC2 life.

As I'm looking for a September start - no jobs have really came into the agency
yet and I guess I'm worried none will come in

The house is an odd setup hence, I will be able to here the children.

The hours from what the agency told me are different to what MB said - I guess I should let the agency know before they negotiate.

I didn't think that live-in nannies were excluded from the minimum wage. Rather, I thought that accommodation could not be counted as contributing to minimum wage,except for a small amount, currently £4.51 a day.

I think these wealthy parents are taking the piss to be honest. Run for the hills.

Live-in nannies most definitely are excluded from minimum wage (and also from the right to a break after a set number of hours and the right to at leats 11 hours between shifts. And a couple of other things that escape me). if you google domestic/family/minimum wage you should get the info.

It seems that there is not much difference between what they are offering and what you want. ie one extra night babysitting and an extra hour in the morning, and the right to pick your time off.

Sooooo. Ask for right to take holiday at xmas if it is important to you and right to choose at least one other week. Ask to be paid extra for every 3rd night of babysitting, and ask for whatever money you think is reasonable - as a parent I would not be surprised if someone asked for £400 to include the 3rd night babysitting, otherwise £360 or thereabouts, excluding 3rd night.

Yes, your life will most definitely not be your own Mon-Fri - but that's pretty much the point of live-ins from a parents' point of view - that they have thje flexibility to know that whatever comes up they have pretty much got all the cover they can need Mon-Fri. And in turn you have no expenses yourself, lots of disposable income and weekends to yourself. That's time off that most working parents don't get (not that I mind these days, though I did resent it during the baby stage when I never had a second to myself between work and baby duties)

Two things to bear in mind:

1. If you don't take the job someone else most definitely will at the rates they are asking
2. Culturally they sound a million miles from most families in terms of their approach to family life. You will most definitely be 'staff' not part of family and some of their parenting style might strike you as different from the norm. It could be soul-destroying working in that environment. or quite nice to have clear boundaries, depending on your own attitudes and preferences. There have been many threads here in the past from nannies who get very upset because the parents don't seem to give the kids all the nurturing that they think is needed and I can imagine that this can get quite toxic if you find yourself in such a position. No idea if that is a risk here, but - like strix - I see warning signs.

Hi,

I wouldnt work less then £400pwn to be honest, maybe for £450 especially, for those long hours plus 3 nights babysitting. It is obvious that you wont have much time to rest or socilise.

It is still early for families to look for a nanny as they normally start searching 2 months prior to start date. So dont worry.

I have seen quite a few jobs advertised on Gumtree which starts in September. If I were you I would go with normal working hours and with a nice pay as I'm sure you will start questioning why you took the job after couple of months of starting and you will miss socilising etc.

So dont rush, I'm sure you can find something if not better but same conditions...

Good luck with your search.

poor kids, so even if mb/db there at 6.30 they dont see them and just you

i find that really upsetting tbh

£4.51 a day?!?!?!?! ha ha ha ha ha...

Sorry, but that it absurd. room and board must be worth more than £1000/month (net!) for nannies / au pairs in Greater London... Never mind Knightsbridge.