A Huge Disappointment
I had to make last minute childcare arrangement, two days before I had a C-Section for my second child. My mom was not able to make it to London and the Nanny was scheduled to start work in September - so it was imperative I had help for a week or so after the C-Section.
At the initial meeting, I stressed that I needed her to be very flexible and I would be requiring her services for a short duration until I was able to sort out my childcare needs. Therefore, I requested for 24/6 care for the first week and for the subsequent weeks - I asked for 12 hours daily or nightly service. The second week was dependent on either my Mom arriving or the prospective Nanny being able to start work earlier than planned. I explained severally why I required her to be flexible - all my plans were up in the air and I was taking each day as it came.
After I had my baby - I paid for the week upfront with the understanding (on my part) that I would pay for the subsequent week in the same way - if I still required her service. She asked for a deposit in addition to the payment I had already made - and it took several tos and fros before she explained that the deposit was to "secure her availability for me in the subsequent weeks".
I was quite happy to pay the deposit - even though I thought it was taking the piss - because I had already paid upfront for the service I required. But she turned around and cancelled the contract on a flimsy and ridiculous excuse (that I binned the contract - I was expecting her to prepare a new contract and of course threw the old one in the bin!!!)
So, post a major abdominal surgery, she upped and left me with a 4 day old baby - no iota of human compassion or common decency or sense to think of how dangerous it was.
I would advice prospective parents to think carefully before contacting this person. She had no qualms about abandoning me without help - 4 days after a C-Section with a newborn baby. She is more interested in grabbing as much money as she can off vulnerable people under the guise of "Terms of Contract".
Please avoid her at all cost.
On a final note - I found another reliable and fantastic Maternity Nurse (who did not demand a deposit) and whom I'm happy to say has agreed to be a Nanny to my children.
Response from Bee
Responded
Toni came to me on the 8th of August 2014 and required me to start the following week – her mothers visa fell through and she had no idea when she would be able to make it here. Toni asked about my long term availability after January 2015 and then stated in a following email she would be happy to continue for as long as I am available until she could secure a full time nanny for her children, she also said that she would still need night cover.
Maternity nurses get booked up well in advance and unfortunately I was not available for the first week as she required 24 hour cover – I arranged for a very good friend and exceptional maternity nurse to cover Toni for the first week and I would take over after that.
Due to it being short notice I draw up all the contracts and paperwork. I emailed Toni a copy of the contracts and specifically asked her if she was happy with the terms and would she like to amend or add any of her own – to this Toni said she was happy with everything in the contract – including deposit terms.
All maternity nurses will ask for a security deposit. Toni made it clear she did not have an end date to employment and it would be as soon as her mum arrived – Me and my colleague Elli were not informed it would be within a week as you have written in your review.
When it came to sitting down and signing the contract the new baby was due a feed so the contracts were left unsigned and on the kitchen table.
You paid the full weeks salary in advance; the contracts stated salary is to be paid weekly – in arrears. I explained to you that you had paid too much, that I would refund you half and keep the deposit amount and you would be required to pay Elli’s full salary the following week. You stated you did not understand and I explained this to you several times myself. The deposit was to secure our availability (mine + Elli’s) and would be deducted from the final weeks salary, all you were required to do was to give one weeks notice regarding end of employment.
You requested flexibility, this was no problem and any self-employed individual has to protect them self against being at a financial loss. You wanted me to clear my calendar until January with no security deposit, that means I turn down other work and I am completely unavailable for others, but totally flexible for you, but if you get rid of me within a week, I don’t have any time to source other work – I lose out massively.
We felt like you were stringing us along and I did not believe you were honest in your requirements. You were also heard on the phone saying that you “did not want to agree to the stupid terms”.
During my colleague’s night shift, you asked her to explain more about the deposit and what it was for at 4am – Elli said in the morning she would go over the contract with you and answer any questions and queries you may have. Elli then found the contracts in the bin the following morning. You have left me a bad review and I did not even commence work with you.
Professionally, it was my total error to not take the deposit before employment started, but it was so short notice and I did not want to keep asking as I felt it was rude. I am extremely disappointed, my colleague and me are excellent at what we do and are highly sought after and get booked up very quickly – our skills and expertise are worth their weight in gold.
Unfortunately I blame this error of judgement on myself. You employed us to care for your most precious possession. You did not care less about your employee’s commitments. It appeared as though you wanted to avoid paying the deposit at all costs. You expected us to be prepared to lose out on weeks of work in the event that your mother or nanny showed up.
I spent a lot of time arranging such short notice cover for you and on top of that offered you a substantial discount based on the agreement of on-going work. I was honest with you on all occasions. We spoke about the deposit on 4 occasions – you refused to pay it. You only agreed to pay the deposit once we handed in our termination of employment. The contract was void and the booking was never confirmed as no deposit was paid. My colleague felt that she could no longer work in an environment were there was no mutual respect towards our professionalism. All money was refunded to you less the pay for hours worked.
I do not respect the fact that you have cursed in my review on a website based on children’s care. It is offensive and upsetting, we both know that your reference is not a true reflection of events.
