Nannies, governesses, houses
A well-run house is invisible. The people who run it are the most important hires a family makes, and the least understood.
The short version
The families we write for employ between one and twenty people at home. Most hire badly at first: too fast, on charm, without a contract. This section covers the roles, the market rates in seven countries, the interview and the paperwork, so the second hire is better than the first.
In this section
Home & Staff · 9 min read
Most families hire their first nanny in a hurry, on charm, without a contract, and regret it within six months. The second hire is better because they learned. This is what they learned.
Home & Staff · 7 min read
An au pair is a cultural exchange, a tutor is a teacher and a governess is something between a teacher, a nanny and a diplomat. Families who hire the wrong one for the job blame the person.
Home & Staff · 8 min read
The second home is a joy until the family lives in both. Then it is a logistics business with two payrolls, two sets of keys, two schools' worth of kit and a nanny who has not seen her own flat in a month. The families who manage it run it like one house in two places.
A qualified live-out nanny in London costs 45,000 to 70,000 pounds gross a year, in Zurich 80,000 to 110,000 francs, in Munich 45,000 to 65,000 euros, in Marbella 28,000 to 45,000 euros. Add employer contributions of 12 to 25 percent. Norland-trained and travelling nannies cost more.
An au pair is a cultural exchange with light childcare, not staff. A nanny cares for the children; a governess educates them, usually with languages, music and manners, and suits families who travel or live between countries. Tutors teach subjects and are hired by the hour or the term.
From two homes or four staff onwards, yes. A house manager runs the calendar, the suppliers, the maintenance and the other staff, and costs 70,000 to 120,000 euros a year. Below that, a good housekeeper and a family assistant do the job.
