It can be difficult to balance a demanding career with family obligations. As such, hiring a helper will assist you in offsetting your responsibilities and enjoy a stress-free lifestyle.

But, here's the catch: There are thousands of maid agencies in Singapore, ranging from well-known companies with multiple locations, to fly-by-night operations that deceive both helpers and employers. How can we find the most trustworthy agencies out there, without wasting too much of our time and money?

For starters, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has a large database that you can use to find the best maid agency in Singapore based on your preferences and needs. With just a few clicks, you can search for agencies by name, ratings, duration of experience and employee retention rate.

Apart from that, here are some tips to help you locate a reputable maid agency and the best helper for your family.

Carefully Check The Background of The Maid Agency

1.   Go through the Employment Agencies Directory

When you invest a large sum of money in something, this advice appears to be a given. However, by not meticulously researching the agency's backgrounds and reputation, you’re likely to end up with subpar recruiters. The first advice is to search the agency you are interested in within MOM’s Employment Agencies Directory.

As previously stated, you can easily navigate through the most essential and up-to-date information about these agencies, such as how well they retain their employees, how many of their helpers have been approved for work in Singapore, and how long they have been in business.

This will definitely help you form an in-depth overview of what to expect prior to sealing the deal. Here are the key criterias established by MOM:

Source: Ministry of Manpower

2.   See what previous clients had to say

It’s also recommended that you read testimonials and comments from previous clients. These testimonials can be found on the agency’s main website or from maid listing platforms such as SearchMaid. If the company is transparent in their online presence, and is willing to showcase their clients’ feedback, that’s a sign of a legitimate business.

Think Twice Before Choosing a Lower Priced Maid Agency

Granted, it is tempting to employ the highly-sought Indonesian or Filipino maids with much lower price tags. However, low-cost agencies don’t provide high-quality services, recruitment, or even training to their maids. There could also be hidden reasons why such low prices are offered in the first place.

1.   Passing agency fees to FDWs

Shoddy agencies often deduct agency fees (typically around S$1000-$3000), which you as an employer should pay directly from your maid's salary. This enables them to appear less expensive than other establishments, but the practice is illegal in Singapore and places your helpers in massive debt that they can’t repay.

2.   Maids that are not insured/bonded

Some also don’t provide insurance or bonds to their maids. If she damages something, you’re the one who has to incur the repair or replacement cost. As such, it's best to consider these factors when coming across a maid agency that is too low-priced compared to market standards, shown in the table below.

 Source: Income

Choose A Maid Agency That Has A Refund Policy

Take notice of maid agencies that do not provide fee refunds. Not only does it go against the law, it also shows signs of an agency that isn’t confident in their maids’ quality of service.

Most reputable establishments all abided by MOM's laws regarding work terminations. Should you terminate your maids’ services within 6 months of employment, agencies are required to refund at least 50% of the fees once all conditions are met.

A guaranteed refund will give you peace of mind if you’re dissatisfied with your maid. You can return her and receive reimbursements, without losing money and missing out on the best maids that can improve your quality of life.

Finding Yourself The Ideal Help

These are the three most relevant pieces of advice that you need to consider when hiring helpers across thousands of maid agencies in Singapore. Take time to do proper background checks on the agency you’re about to hire, in order to avoid wasting time and money on unwarranted complications.

Remember that it is not only important to find a maid who can do a good job, but also one that is best suited to your specific needs and requirements.