Agency Fees, Terms & Conditions for Families
Fees For standard Au Pair and Au Pair Plus Placements
We require a Registration Fee of £50 which is non-refundable. For subsequent placements, you will not be charged this if you have already paid Us a registration fee (with invoice date within the previous 7 months). Payment of the fee shows us that you are committed to the process of finding an au pair and is necessary since a considerable amount of work is undertaken within days of you registering, as we immediately begin interviewing/selecting on your behalf.
A PayPal invoice for the Registration fee will be sent to you immediately after Registration. You may pay by any method over PayPal (credit card etc), or if you inform Us, you may pay by cheque or bank transfer too (in which case please use your name as Ref).
| Length of Placement | Placement Fee | |
| Au Pair/ Au Pair Plus (up to 35hrs p/w) | Under 5 months | £280 |
| Au Pair/ Au Pair Plus (up to 35hrs p/w) | 5 months or more | £385 |
| Mother's Help (40hrs p/w or more) | Any | £495 |
| Au Pair Couple | Any | £550 |
Surcharges:
i. A surcharge of £40 is payable if you require an Au Pair who can Drive (if you do not request or need a driving au pair then you will not be charged even if you ultimately choose an au pair who can drive - we will always offer you the best choices of Au Pair)
ii. Please consider your required Placement Start Date carefully. After registration and after we have made contact with you, if you wish to change your required start date by more than 4 weeks, this will necessitate Us considering a different pool of candidates and interviewing afresh. The family will incur a surcharge of £45, payable immediately
The Placement Fee is payable at the point at which you invite one of our Au Pairs (an Au Pair introduced to you by us) to be your Au Pair, not upon their arrival. Please read our Terms and Conditions:
Terms & Conditions
Heavenly Au Pairs, the Agency, will only work with good legitimate Host Families and good legitimate Candidates. Please do not be offended when we ask you for verifiable proof of who you are.
| Agency, We, Us, Our, Ourselves: | Heavenly Au Pairs, | |
| Client, You, Your, Yourself: | Hosting/Employing Family, | |
| Candidate: | Au Pair/ Au Pair Plus/ Mother's Help/ Child Carer | |
| Partner: | Organisation/People who support the Agency in its work. |
1. Heavenly Au Pairs acts as Agents for the purpose of effecting introductions between Clients and Candidates and the Fees to the Agency are for introduction only. The Agency does not employ Candidates, directly or indirectly.
2. The terms and conditions within this document shall apply to any contract between the Client and the Agency and such a contract shall come into force upon the Client submitting a Registration to the Agency.
3. Although the Agency takes every care to check the Candidate's details and match the Candidate as closely as possible, You are strongly advised to satisfy Yourself as to the suitability of the Candidate. You accept that Your chosen Candidate is chosen by You.
4. The Agency will support and advise the Client, but is unable to micro manage a Placement and it is the responsibility of the Client and Candidate, once engaged, to make the Placement a success. The Agency cannot be held responsible should the Candidate stay for a shorter time than that agreed with the Client, or if there is a breakdown in communication.
5. The Client accepts and agrees that, in order for the Agency to provide the Client with services, the Agency can share the personal details of the Family, as provided to the Agency by the Client, with Our carefully selected Candidates and Partners.
6. Our Placement Fees outlined below are for introduction only.
| Length of Placement | Placement Fee | |
| Au Pair/ Au Pair Plus (<35hrs pw) | Under 5 months | £280 |
| Au Pair/ Au Pair Plus (<35hrs pw) | 5 months or more | £385 |
| Mother's Help (40>hrs pw) | Any | £495 |
| Au Pair Couple | Any | £550 |
The Registration Fee is £50.
Surcharges:
i. A surcharge of £40 is payable if you require an Au Pair who can Drive (if you do not request or need a driving au pair then you will not be charged even if you ultimately choose an au pair who can drive - we will always offer you the best choices of Au Pair)
ii. Please consider your required Placement Start Date carefully. After registration and after we have made contact with you, if you wish to change your required start date by more than 4 weeks, this will necessitate Us considering a different pool of candidates and interviewing afresh. The family will incur a surcharge of £45, payable immediately.
a. If at any time after invoicing or payment the Candidate and Client subsequently agree to extend the length of the Placement, thus making the placement fall into a higher Placement Fee category then the Client must inform the Agency immediately, at the very latest 1 month before the end of the initially sought placement. The difference in Fee will be payable to the Agency immediately.
7. The Au Pair Programme is a cultural exchange. The Candidate is not a worker, nor an employee and should be treated as a member of Your family. The Client and the Candidate will agree on the basic duties, hours, conditions and weekly pocket money, but this will not constitute a contract of work.
8. If and when the Client agrees to engage a Candidate, the Client accepts that this is based on the Letter of Invitation and other information provided by the Client to the Candidate.
9. If the Client makes an offer of engagement directly to the Candidate then the Client agrees to notify the Agency of this immediately. Once an offer has been accepted by the Candidate, the Client is liable to pay the Agency's Placement Fee in full.
10. The Client must pay the applicable Placement Fee upon the Candidate's acceptance of the family's offer and ALWAYS before ARRIVAL. We will issue the invoice at this point and send it to you by email. The Candidate may not make travel arrangements until the applicable fee has been paid in full. Please note (do not worry) we are informed immediately if a payment is made to us via PayPal or Bank Transfer.
If the Fee is not received within 8 days of the invoice date, an additional charge of £50 will be added to the Placement Fee.
The Client must ensure sufficient funds are available. Any related charges are payable by the Client.
11. If the Client decides not to accept the Candidate after an invoice has been raised, no refund will be made. Once a Client has accepted a Candidate and an invoice has been raised following this acceptance, the Client is liable to pay the full amount stated on the invoice.
12. The Client agrees to inform Us immediately if the Agency introduces a Candidate to You who has already been introduced to You by a third party. If the Client does not inform the Agency immediately, and engages the candidate then We will presume the employment is a consequence of Our introduction and Our Placement Fee will be payable. The Client also agrees not to engage a Candidate who has been introduced to You by a third party if we have already introduced the same Candidate to You; in the event that such a candidate is nonetheless engaged then Our Placement Fee will be payable.
13. The Placement Fee includes a FREE 28 day Replacement facility.
a. Should the Client find the Candidate to be unacceptable (for a reasonable reason) the Client must inform the Agency within 28 days of the start of the Placement and the Agency shall offer the Client a Replacement. If the Client seeks a new Candidate after 28 days have elapsed this is no longer a Replacement and a new Placement Fee would be applicable. Depending on the circumstances the Agency may offer a reduction in fee.
b. If the Candidate fails to arrive or leaves within the 28 days, the Agency will find a Replacement. If the Client decides, for whatever reason, not to accept the Replacement no refund shall be due to the Client.
14. No Replacement or refund will be provided if any the following has taken place:
a. If the Placement Fee has not been paid in full.
b. On Placements shorter than 3 months.
c. If the Candidate complains of abuse, mistreatment or misconduct by the Client, Client's family, or acquaintances.
d. If the Client restricts access to or stops the Candidate using any amenities that they are entitled to use.
e. If the Client withholds money (eg. weekly pocket money) due to the Candidate.
f. If the Candidate has been asked to leave for an unreasonable reason.
g. If the Candidate has been asked to do significant extra duties not stated at the time of engagement or not paid extra for.
h. If the Candidate has not been given sufficient training & support or has not been made to feel welcome.
i. If the Candidate has not been offered driving lessons and sufficient time to practise, if they are required to drive.
15. Should you request a new au pair after the Free Replacement period has expired. We will offer a reduction on our Placement Fees according to a sliding scale:
LONG TERM (Placements 5 Months and over)
Replacement within 1 Month : FREE (no quibble)
within 2 Months: Family charged 33% of Placement Fee
within 3 Months: Family charged 66% of Placement Fee
SHORT TERM (Placements of under 5 Months)
Replacement within 1 Month : FREE
within 2 Months: Family charged 50% of Placement Fee
Longer than 2 Months: No reduction. Will be seen as a new placement, accept in extenuating circumstances
16. We expect Clients to respect the recommendations as described on our page 'What is an Au Pair?' on our website and act accordingly.
17. Au pairs must be paid a minimum of £70 per week Pocket Money, an Au pair Plus a minimum of £85 per week Pocket Money and a Mother's Help a minimum of £140 per week.
18. A family hosting a live-in Candidate must ensure that she/he is provided with their own private, clean & comfortable room with window and has sufficient access to toilet & bathing facilities and sufficient food.
a. Furthermore the Au Pair must be given the opportunity to attend some hours of language course each week if they so choose.
b. The Client will ensure that the Au Pair is treated as part of the family and is invited to share in some of the leisure activities of the Family.
c. The Client will ensure that the Candidate is given sufficient help and training during the first 4-6 weeks, with continuing support and is made to feel welcome.
d. The Client will provide a minimum of 4 week's paid holiday for every 12 months (pro rata) .
e. If the Family requires the Candidate to drive then the Client must offer the Candidate several driving lessons* in order for them to become confident and secure enough to drive in the UK.
The Client must ensure that the vehicle to be used by Candidate is safe.
The Client must add the Candidate as a named driver on their car insurance policy.
The Candidate should not be liable to pay any excess charges. (*from Driving School or from Client if sufficiently experienced)
The Client must ensure that they will be able to insure the Candidate before inviting the Candidate to become their Au Pair.
f. The Client can consider optional benefits
- Mobile phone and or top ups
- Financial contribution towards cost of Language classes
- Contribution towards flight/s home
- Travel Card (for personal use)
- Local gym membership
- Use of a car for personal use (please consider the cost and indeed viability of this vis a vis car insurance expense which is borne by family)
To help ensure long and successful placement.
19. All Candidates are entitled to 2 weeks notice of termination of Placement/Employment. However, in the event of serious misconduct by the Candidate or the Client Family, either party shall be entitled to terminate the Placement/Employment immediately. If the Candidate's departure is as a result of misconduct on the part of the Client the Agency has no obligation to replace the Candidate or offer any refund of fees.
20. The Client must recognise that despite having previous experience of caring for children, the Au Pair is not a qualified child carer. The Au Pair should not be left in on-going sole charge of children under the age of 2 years.
21. The Agency does not accept responsibility for any loss, damage, expense, injury or inconvenience to the Client Family or its property resulting from the Agency's introduction or provision of services or from any acts, omissions or conduct of staff introduced by the Agency, its employees or Partners. The Agency advises Clients and Candidates to consider taking out appropriate insurance.
22. Heavenly Au Pairs values transparency. From the time of Registration the Agency will work hard on your behalf. We rely on Your integrity not to appoint a Candidate through other means. Kindly inform us if you are also registered with other Agencies or exploring other ways of finding an au pair.
23. The Client accepts that all information and introductions of Candidates by the Agency to the Client are confidential, and should the Client directly, or indirectly introduce a Candidate to any other party within a year of the Agency providing such information, then the Client will be liable to pay the Agency's Placement Fee as if the Candidate had been engaged directly by the Client. The Client will be liable for Our Placement Fee for any Candidate engaged as a consequence of, or resulting from, a registration to the Agency even though the introduction is made indirectly.
24. Although every effort is made to ensure that any information given to a Client is correct, the Agency cannot be held responsible for any incorrect information. The Agency cannot be held responsible for any actions or inactions of the Candidate or Client and both the Client and the Candidate agree to indemnify Heavenly Au Pairs fully in respect thereto. The Client and Candidate further agree to indemnify Heavenly Au Pairs, its Employees and Partners fully for any inaccuracies or oversights relating to any information or guidance provided to it by the said parties in relation to its business, legal matters, taxation, employment law, insurance or other. The Client and Candidate must inform themselves and seek specialist advice where necessary.
25. The Client and Candidate will warrant that the information provided to the Agency at the time of Registration is correct. The Client agrees to notify the Agency of any change in circumstances or change in the Client's requirements. If these changes might affect the Candidate, then the Client should also notify them.
26. These terms and conditions are subject to the laws of England & Wales.
