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Underpaid staff

I just received the description of a job being offered for a gardener/house keeper couple.

I know this site is for owners of business involved in horticultural trades but it just shows how little people value employees.

Take note of the salary for two people and the number of hours they want for that salary. "Although on hand 24/7" for £9,000 per annum? I'm shocked that people would expect employees to not have their own life and still pay so little.

My partner and I used to work for a family in Italy. We received twice this amount net per year plus a flat, food, car, all bills paid, thirteenth month, a £3000 bonus at the end of each year, holidays in the owners ski chalet in Saint Moritz and free entry to Bagno Piero (most exclusive beach in Italy). We had free time to go off and do what we wanted too.

Pay peanuts get monkey comes to mind.

The email the job:

I would really like to write back to them and tell them off....

Job description for House Keeper and Gardener

 

We are a family of 6 – The two eldest are away at University, Cordie is at Boarding School and Bella is at home. We also have a new Labrador puppy.

 

Tony runs an engineering business and Bindy runs the children and home.

We have a holiday house in Wales which also needs looking after.

 

We have a large garden comprising lawns, borders, woodland and also a swimming pool.  In addition there is a walled kitchen garden with green houses, vegetable patch, fruit brushes and a dozen chickens.

 

There is a considerable amount of garden machinery to assist with the upkeep and the house requires a constant flow of logs in the late autumn through to early spring.  In addition to looking after the garden, there is the maintenance of the swimming pool for 3 months of the year, cleaning of cars and odd jobs around the house,i.e. painting, DIY and the making of fires during the winter months. There will also be occasional driving at the evenings or picking up from school.

 

The work in the house is mainly cleaning and laundry, with additional chores of shopping and occasional cooking.  Help would be required some weekends with Dinner parties - cooking, serving and clearing up during the evening.  Also Bindy’s mother lives in a converted outbuilding next to the house and would require a morning’s cleaning each week. Bindy’s sister, who lives in a village close by will require a day’s cleaning each week. This work will be flexible depending on what there is to do at the main house.

 

Babysitting is also required, perhaps 1-2 nights a week, however, Bindy’s mother quite often comes in or Bella is on a sleep over. Tony and I occasionally will go away for the weekend and on these occasions we would expect you to be hands on with the house and possibly Bella.

 

There is a detached flat in an outbuilding with the position. It comprises of a bedroom, separate shower room and kitchen/diner/sitting room.  All utility bills, council tax and TV licence will be covered by ourselves.  There is also the use of a car (personal use petrol to be paid), wireless broadband internet and consumption of kitchen garden produce and eggs.  

 

The combined remuneration is £18,000 per annum (£9,000 x 2) with 20 days holiday. For a basic rate taxpayer in 2011 this equates to £17,230 after tax and national insurance.

Although on hand 24/7 we expect approximately 80 hours work (40 Hrs x 2) per week spread mainly over five days. However, some jobs e.g. animal feeding and fire making (in winter) will be required seven days a week.

 

We are really looking for a couple who are flexible, hard working and wish to be part of our extended family.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Replies

  • Harriet, Cordelia, Bella... :)  Love it, are these people on the same planet as us? What's £18k over 80 hours? £4.30 an hour?

  • Really is a joke, winter fire lighting!
    People like this make me so angry.
  • Yep, 80 hours but then you have to stay at home in your 'free' time so you can be available 24/7. Basically the person would be on call 24/7 which in any other job you would get paid for.

    Dan Frazer Gardening said:

    Harriet, Cordelia, Bella... :)  Love it, are these people on the same planet as us? What's £18k over 80 hours? £4.30 an hour?

  • Have they forgotten how to light a fire? Are they lazy? I wouldn't hang around on a Sunday to take wood to their house and light a fire. I thought this was the 21st century, not the 19nth century.



    Gary Hedges said:

    Really is a joke, winter fire lighting!
    People like this make me so angry.
  • lol, and they probably think they will be doing some poor plebian couple a favour!!

  • double the wage and forget the ridiculous 24/7 on call and fire lighting malarky and they might get in the ball park, otherwise they might just have to get off their own backside and actually do some work themselves!!!

  • What sort of people do they expect to get for £9k a year! Some ex con who only wants the job so he can steal their porsche and come back with his pals some night and rob them! Thats who they will get for £4.30 an hour.

     

    Where did you see this job advertised Samuel?

  • Hi Chris

    It was on the www.lady.co.uk website. I think they should look on the grey coats website or staff of distinction website to see how much they should be paying.

    I agree, they will either end up with a ex con or someone who doesn't really care about the house and garden.

    Chris Auld said:

    What sort of people do they expect to get for £9k a year! Some ex con who only wants the job so he can steal their porsche and come back with his pals some night and rob them! Thats who they will get for £4.30 an hour.

     

    Where did you see this job advertised Samuel?

  • And 1 1/2 days of cleaning in other houses per week too! It would be interesting if these people actually get some fools to take on the job.

     

    And did anyone else notice the care of a holiday home in Wales added into the bargain? This sounds optimistic, especially if they live in the home counties!

     

    If they need a full housekeeping staff they should hire a full staff rather than trying to do it on the cheap.

  • I don't think i'd want to work for people who 'Run the children' whatever the price.

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