Tembiwe O

Feeling de*****ed

****4u charges a lot of money for the placement of a "presttige" domestic helper. They promise that they have screened this helper and that she has at least 3 traceable references from previous employers. They promise to make all documents, including references, available to you once you have chosen the domestic and made payment. Once I had paid the placement fees, I had to chase ****4u to fullfill all their promises. The person I dealt with at ****4u is called Tabisa. When I contacted my chosen helper to confirm her start date, It appeared that my salary offer hadn't been communicated to her. ****4u did not send any documentation on the helper until I asked for it, and when they finally sent something, it was incomplete. They asked me to do the ******** record check myself (after I had paid for this service) and they did not provide the references from previous employers. Their excuses for this bad service ranged from loadshedding to glitches with their online system. They have been unable to provide any references from previous employers to support the claims they are making about the helper's experience and character (they promised to provide at least 3 traceable references). Since ****4u can not produce the references they claim to have screened, I asked the helper herself for them, and she too is unable to show me any reference letters from past employers. In the absence of the all important references, I have canceled my employment offer and requested a refund of the placement fee I paid. ****4u has not responded to my request for a refund. Tabisa, my contact at ****4u, says it is not her intention to send me from pillar to post, but this is outside her line of authority. I have received no communication from the person whose line of authority it is. I feel de*****ed by people who have taken advantage of my desperation to find someone I can trust to take care of my home and my children.