Au Pair Professional Services

Fraudulent Nanny Agency

I have paid an agency fee to a nanny agency and she has not been able to find me a suitable candidate and will not refund my money. I contacted a nanny agency Proplacements in September 2020 for assistance in employing a nanny to look after my 4 month old baby. I tried my best to be open to her suggestions and candidates but unfortunately I have been met with disappointment each time. In September I started this process and I dedicated myself to only using one agent hoping she would find the best fit for my requirements. I advised her that I was home since the lockdown in March and I was starting work in November. Once I started work I would need someone reliable as I have no sick or annual leave due to me. I conducted interviews with each candidate and recorded them. I asked each of them if they we reliable, had any medical conditions and had enough energy to look after a baby to which they all said they did.I also advised them that I had cameras in each room of the house. After the first set of interviews, I decided on Rumbi and after confirming all details and salary, she just never showed up to work on 01 October. We called and messaged her to no response. Hayley was shocked by this behaviour and said it has “never happened before”. She thought something had happened to her but she found out a few days later that she took another job and made me wait indefinitely instead of just answering her phone and telling us the truth. We both started the process once more of many interviews and I then selected Sakhile even confirming a much higher salary of R6000. Sakhile couldn’t manage the job , couldn’t sterilize bottles, didn't know how to feed the baby , would literally shake him while feeding. Upon investigating her nanny course and contacting the company we found out that this was a WhatsApp course with no practical experience. They are given notes to read and then given a certificate if they pay the R800 to the agency. I brought this to Hayleys attention immediately to which she brushed off stating she recommend courses to them but their experience should come from hands on training( which they don’t have).This is really alarming as we trust her to make sure that these ladies are qualified with practical's and at least have the basics on how to change a nappy and feed a baby. This is why we contact an agency and not just hire a domestic worker off the street. I personally have done a nanny course and also sent my previous nanny on a course with "Nannies in training" and I can advise that its so important especially for the safety of your baby. After Sakhile, we were out of options and we settled on Nomthandazo starting 01 Nov. As her employer I did everything to make her comfortable by training her, giving her a routine to follow, purchasing uniforms for her and paying for a medical to ensure she was healthy. She never shared any results from this medical with me or even gave me change back from the money I gave her. Every week I would ask her if she was happy and she would say she was. The first day she called in sick was 06 Nov and I was sympathetic as it was the first time. On the 17 Nov, she advised me that there would be a taxi strike on the 18 Nov therefore I arranged and paid for a return uber for her. She was furious that she had to use the uber and would have preferred to stay home. On the 20 Nov I went out to pick up my older son and logged into the camera's while waiting for him.Nomthandazo was asleep while the baby was asleep. She did not check on him and slept the entire 30mins while I was gone. I did take a screen shot which I can send to you. Lastly on the 24 November she never showed up to work. Her cousin Xolo who is my domestic advised me at 0715 that Nomthandazo is not coming in as she is sick without much details. Later her husband messaged to say she is sick and will call me when she wakes up. It has been a week and I have not heard a word. I contacted Hayley immediately to advise her to find out what is happening and she still has no answer, she said this has “never happened before”. I also asked Hayley to immediately send a replacement on the day as I needed to get to work to which she could not assist. Out of desperation I started contacting other agencies and another agency sent me a nanny within 2 hours, I called them at 8am and she arrived at my house at 10am.She has been qualified and reliable and assisting me on a day to day basis while I find a permanent solution. Throughout the week Hayley did not try to assist me with a temp or even ask me who was taking care of my son even though she was aware of the situation. Hayley once more set up a final set of interviews this Saturday,28 Nov and I asked my husband to interview them hoping for a better conclusion. These candidates were just as unsatisfactory as the rest. After interviewing Lindiwe, she advised that the job was overwhelming for her. Karen does not have a work permit. Ntombizodwa is almost 60 years old and will never manage with 2 kids. The only potential nanny was Busi so I asked her to come for a trial on Sunday. She was a lovely but she was out of breath after taking the kids to the park, has difficulty walking and I don’t think she will have enough energy to make it through the day. I feel that this is so unfair not only to put me in this position and cost me my job but to subject my baby to a different nanny every week especially with the dangers of COVID. I'm sure as a mother she would never want her children put in this situation and have them asking who will be looking after them every day? I trusted Hayley implicitly to find me a decent nanny. I was honest and open from the start and eventually even negotiable on the salary hoping she would find the appropriate person. I have wasted 4 months trying to find someone and she has not been able to find a reliable person. I have been extremely patient with her but I can no longer risk my baby. Therefore I ask Hayley to please refund my money paid R2500 as she has been unable to provide the service required. I am also in the service industry and if I put my clients through this , I would be embarrassed and definitely refund them my service fee charged.Her website states “we believe in good old fashioned integrity” but there has been no integrity in this situation. I know she doesnt do refunds but she also has not been able to successfully do her job and place a reliable nanny so how can she charge a fee with no placement? Other agencies have far better quality candidates and can confirm that they will be reliable. I don’t have a problem with someone getting sick or being unhappy in their job but there has been a problem with all her candidates. She should be doing better checks on her candidates and making sure they even have a genuine qualification before sending them for an interview. This should not be my job to check as this is why we are paying her a placement fee. Getting sick once is acceptable but getting sick and never coming back is shocking behaviour. I know we are within the guarantee period and she would like to replace Nomthandazo but she has no one to replace her with, I have seen approximately 20 of her ladies? At this stage we have both done everything possible and even though she cannot guarantee a reliable candidate, they are a reflection of her and her agency and at some point she needs to take responsibility for sending them into my home and entrusting my 4 month old with them. I asked her to please refund the agency fee so I can pay it over to another agency or else I have no choice but to take this further given the above experience. Hayley is now demanding I pay her an additional R1100 to her for the additional nannies I had to take on trial even though I paid them directly for each day I took them on a trial and paid their transport money for coming for interviews.