Singapore Expats

We just moved here and are considering on getting a domestic helper. We have no kids but we have a dog thats been having some issues adjusting (i.e. he just barks and barks when we step out). Other than that he is a very sweet and gentle dog.

Anyways, I saw there was a post back in 2012 about the maids living quarters---it got a little off topic however. While apartment hunting, it was a bit of a cultural shock to me when the agent would show a little bomb shelter as the maid's room. Is that REALLY the norm for someone to live in such a tiny windowless space? We certainly have an extra room we can spare but I read in previous posts some workers prefer the small room for privacy etc.?

Also, if anyone is leaving Singapore and has any recommendations would be highly appreciated! Please feel free to PM me!

I would not be that surprised if the norm still would be the maid sleeping on the kitchen floor.

^^This.

Still very common in the largest ethnic group here on the little red dot.

x9200 wrote:I would not be that surprised if the norm still would be the maid sleeping on the kitchen floor.

Surely families wouldn't make them sleep on the floor?!

CatherineS wrote:

x9200 wrote:I would not be that surprised if the norm still would be the maid sleeping on the kitchen floor.

Surely families wouldn't make them sleep on the floor?!

Welcome to the dark side.

Do any of you personally have a helper or actually knows someone who does this? Or is this just based on word of mouth?

We rented one place after a couple, both from EU and I am almost certain the maid slept on the floor in the kids room. There was there a bomb shelter in the apartment but filled with shelves and other stuff. And these are typically locals that don't comply to any civilized standards when it comes to the maids so you can imagine.

x9200 wrote:We rented one place after a couple, both from EU and I am almost certain the maid slept on the floor in the kids room. There was there a bomb shelter in the apartment but filled with shelves and other stuff. And these are typically locals that don't comply to any civilized standards when it comes to the maids so you can imagine.

as per MOM law, they are meeting the requirements


Adequate shelter
Accommodation must adequately protect your FDW from environmental elements such as the sun, rain or strong winds.
Provision of basic amenities
Your FDW must minimally be provided a mattress, a pillow, and a blanket.
Sufficient ventilation
Accommodation must be sufficiently ventilated. Mechanical ventilation (e.g. electrical fan) should be provided if natural ventilation is inadequate.
Ensuring safety
Your FDW should not sleep near any dangerous equipment or structure that could potentially cause harm or hurt to her.
Ensuring modesty
Your FDW must not sleep in the same room as a male adult / teenager.
Ensuring space and privacy
Where possible, your FDW should be given a separate room of her own. If that is not possible, you should ensure that sufficient space and privacy are provided for your FDW.

I saw with my own eyes for few month in my previous place - I rented a room and the landlord ordered the maid to sleep in the living room as he need to rent out the study room. The maid sleep in the living room every night - and I called few hotlines to asked is it allowed, the answered as long as it's private and comfortable enough (with curtain and bed etc) it's up to the maid. I move out immediately because I can't stand to see it happen in front of my eyes.

Its all relative. Some of this seems horrible to us (you can decide who 'us' is)

My wife is Filipina and from the province. She spent a significant period of her life sleeping on the floor on a mattress made of tree bark. Her private space was a curtained off area no bigger than the bark mattress. The house had no electricity or running water.

This is not uncommon for FDW's coming from poorer countries.

Now take her out of that environment and put her in a Singapore apartment under some of the above circumstances. Doesn't seem so bad after all?

I am not condoning what goes on here in Singapore, just illustrating the flip side of the coin

I can understand using maid's quarters if you have no other option but if you have a normal sized room that can be used instead then I think it 'a a bit if a non-question. Where would you rather sleep?

CatherineS wrote:Do any of you personally have a helper or actually knows someone who does this? Or is this just based on word of mouth?

I personally know of it happening. Many times over.

Where/what would you rather could be a tricky thing so I would stick to what is the norm for ordinary occupants in the host country (here Singapore).

My wife talks to several Filipina FDW's she knows. Sleeping on the floor without privacy seems to be the norm but at least in the instances she knows it is not based on cruelty or lack of respect specifically more space and budget i.e. family of 3 or 4 plus maid in a one bedroom apartment.

Maid sleeps on the floor in the bedroom with wife and kids in the bed. Husband sleeps on the sofa in the living room. Or some other permutation.

I budgeted for maid space. We have three bedrooms. One is ours with our daughter, one is home office and guest bedroom, one was a playroom but is now the new maids room. However, if we have a second child our daughter will have to move into the maids room as I cannot easily give up the home office and we do have family visitors several times a year.

I think its always a compromise when a maid is introduced.

x9200 wrote:Where/what would you rather could be a tricky thing so I would stick to what is the norm for ordinary occupants in the host country (here Singapore).

I couldn't. Admittedly I chose a house that had an additional bedroom on the ground floor to give us that option and if that hadn't been possible then I would have had to use the usual but if the room is empty why would you not give it to the human that lives in your house and improves your quality of life? The norm isn't always something worth following.

I can recommend an agency, Happy Home in lucky plaza. They seem quite proactive in matching people. One of my main criteria was a lack of fear and liking for dogs and the two ladies they directed me to were both certainly dog people.