Here are answers to some of many questions people ask us when enquiring about getting an au pair. Click on the question to reveal the answer.

How quickly can you supply us with an au pair?
This is very individual and it depends on where you live and what requirements you have. We often have to provide clients with au pairs within 24 hours or on the very day they contact us but generally speaking it takes between one to two weeks.

Can you find us an au pair regardless of where we live?
Although the majority of our clients live in South West London or the Greater London area, we also place girls further a field. Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss this issue.

What accommodation do I have to provide for the au pair?
An au pair has to have her own room (not shared with any children). This should be an area where children are not allowed in the au pair’s absence. An au pair’s room should be free of any family possessions (children clothing stored in the cupboards or draws) to allow complete privacy. The room should be reasonably sized, adequatly heated and furnished. Where possible, it should have a desk with a chair, to allow the au pair to study in her free time. If there is no desk in the room, the au pair has to be allowed to use another table or desk in the house (dining room, family office etc.).

How much should I pay the au pair?
The very minimum you can pay your au pair is £55 per week (according to the Immigration Guidelines). However, most of our clients pay £70 per week, for the standard 25 hours. Should you need your au pair to work more than 25 hours per week (only citizens of EU), you have to increase the pocket money accordingly.

Do I have to pay for my au pair’s English lessons?
No. Au pairs pay for school tuition themselves. However,some families do like to pay or contribute towards the language lessons This is entirely up to you and you should not feel under any pressure to do so yourself.

How many baby-sittings can I expect my au pair to do per week?
Au pairs can do up to two baby-sittings in any one week. This should not include every Friday and Saturday, as au pairs have to have two full days completely off. Baby-sittings cannot be “forwarded” to the next week. This means that if you don’t need your au pair to baby-sit for one or two weeks, you cannot ask her to do four or six baby-sittings the following week.

What is considered an au pairs’ working time?
Any period of time when you need your au pair to be available is classed as her working time. For example: if you need your au pair to be in the house or on “stand by” while you are out shopping, it is still considered as a part of her working hours.

What if things don’t work out?
Normally they do, as we work hard to match au pairs with families according to their requirements, preferences etc. However, should the problem occur we will provide full support and try to solve any underlying issues. We would encourage the family to speak to the au pair first to try iron out the differences. Very often what seems a big problem at the time turns out to be just a misunderstanding (due to the language or cultural differences). In the event when the problem cannot be solved and this is no fault of the family, we will provide an au pair replacement free of charge (please read our Terms and Conditions).