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Labour Express

Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 4:17 pm
by maki
Hi,

Replacement Transfer Maids
Just want to caution all that if the first maid does not work out and you need a replacement maid urgently - beware that you are on very low priority and may end up paying agency fee again to get a fresh one.

We've been hiring fdws for the past 20 years through 1 agent and most maids stayed on average 4-6 years. As our regular agent in Lucky Plaza has not been active in recent years (semi-retirement), we decided to put up our request via Netmaid.

There were several maid agencies but only one ie Labour Express (People's Park) was very efficient and follow up with several bio datas, including phone interviews (at their cost). The 3 phone interviews went well and the maid claimed that she could do all the things we said. We were impressed and took a fresh maid from them.

The first maid did not work out (complained that she was tricked into this job as she wanted a Sales job but was intimidated by them to accept, could not cook simple dishes eg fried rice, sweeping floor without floor contact etc..). We waited for 3 weeks but there was no transfer maid available - not even an interview. In the end, we went to another agency, paid $1500 and get an immediate transfer maid.

Labour Express is one of the biggest players and thru MOM records, they have >2000 deals a year, whereas most smaller ones has about 200/yr. I find it hard to believe that they did not have any transfer maid available for us during the 3 weeks. In the end, we learnt that they work independently and earn commission hence, each staff will keep the maid to themselves. Also, it is more lucrative to give the transfer maid to a NEW client where they charge a fee! The staff also persuaded me to bring in a NEW transfer maid as this means more commission for them and I'm subsidising the placement & training & MOM SIP fee for the 2nd maid!

They made us sign lots of documents prior to collecting the maid, some pages multiple signatures at various paragraphs. However, when we returned the maid, there was no acknowledgement (of the maid, her PP, docs etc) and we had to insist on one. We paid up 8 months of the maid's salary but had to wait about 1 month to get back the balance - and there was no document to explain the breakdown!

Re: Labour Express

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 9:06 am
by oneheart
I just returned an Indon maid too to them. My 2nd maid from them. The first one was ok and managed to partially complete the contract.

This 2nd one was hopeless....lazy, likes to loaf and nap and worst bigmouth...was always complaining abt this and that, even to my guests. This maid ever mentioned to me that she was told that she'll be getting an admin job, not as maid. At first I thought how can? But now you mentioned your maid was tricked, I guess the agency did trick the girls. Also, my maid inadvertently mention that she is 18 instead of 23.

I ended up forfeiting the agency fees and gg to another agency. Feels better than getting another maid from them. I felt their svc was not as good as when I got my 1st maid.

I'm now waiting for my maid to be transferred out to another employer and waiting for my refund. Was is easy to get refund from them? Do you need to wait for your existing maid to get new employer? Btw, they always have transfer maid at their agency, so find it strange thay they cldn't get you an interview for that long.

Re: Labour Express

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:57 am
by maki
Hi oneheart,

Mine was a Filipino maid, perhaps they were in demand due to the recent increase in Indonesian maid pay hike, hence very few transfer ones available. Anyway, we trusted what the staff told us via phone and did not stop by their office to check.

During the 3-weeks, the agency staff only offered a Myanmmar transfer maid who had been transferred about 4-5 times, and there were no other offer.

She kept asking me to take in a new maid - which means I have to pay for their documentation and training fees and a waiting period of about 8 weeks!

My 1st maid was transferred within 10 days. The staff always promised to update me once she has an employer and when the cheque is sent to me. We realised it's only lip service as there were no calls from her! When the cheque came, there was no note to explain on the balance returned amount - I suppose we should know?! This is so different when we first signed up, where there were tons of documents to be signed everywhere on various paragraphs etc!

Huge disappointment! :stupid:

Re: Labour Express

Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 11:05 am
by catddy2002
I get my burmese maid from Labour Express (Bukit Timah Shopping Centre). They make us specially go there just to pay the insurance fee which we never encountered this with other agents. There's once a customer complained them as she has to take a cab down just to pay the insurance fee. The maid we hired is super lazy and only clean the place that we normally see. She finish housework with super speed so she can go to the room and sleep when she think we will not notice. When I first get her to wash toilet, she use a cloth to clean!! I thought they are suppose to be trained! She didn't even really take care of my DD which is the main reason of hiring her. Everyday dress up beautifully and her underwear is more sexy than mine. She's like coming here for holiday! The agent told us there will be charges of $15/day if we return her to them to get transferred.

Half years back, my mum's indo maid was sent back immediately because she was caught left the house at night and only come back early in the morning pretending she went out to buy things in the market. We have to search for transfer maid. After interviewing all the maids from most of the maid agency in Bukit Timah Shopping Centre, only manage to find a transferred indo maid in Labour Express who we think her attitude was acceptable. We hired her eventhough she been transferred 3 times within 3 months as she gave us good excuses and further the agent strongly recommend her. After working for 3 days, she starts to quarel with my aunt who live with my mum and don't give her face at all as she's not her employer. After we told her that my aunt will be in charge when my mum not in Singapore, she then starts to respect my aunt. Her performance was below standard but we tolerate with her as we feel getting another maid to train again is too troublesome. But after 5 months working with my mum and all her loan paid off, she asked to transferred. When we ask for reason, she said no reason and she just wanted to be transferred. We hired another maid from another agent and they willing to help us transfer the old maid without cost. The maid told my DH that she want only Ang Mo employer. She even told my mum that her previous agent at Lucky Plaza manage to find her an Ang Mo employer who live alone with a dog. She just need to take care of the house and dog. she did not go to that agent. We don't care her request and just sent her to our agent. Later we get to know that she wanted transfer because she know she will get better pay and off day every week under the new rule.

My conclusion, quality of the maids from Labour Express is really not up to standard, and every services comes with charges. Do think twice if you want to get a maid from them.

Re: Labour Express

Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 9:29 am
by Searchingyou
Anyone is using Labour Express lately? Their Filipino salary is only $450.

Re: Labour Express

Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 11:51 pm
by Endo
I just took one maid from them . So far so good.

It's Filipino and the pay is $450 every month.

The maid agreed for not having any off days.

So far she does her job well.

I hope this can continue going.

Re: Labour Express

Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 1:53 pm
by Shinna
i just deployed one filipino from them recently. so far so good. u can skype and interview the maid, let her know the jobs required before she arrived. and the agent that attended to me at katong was quite nice too. it really depends on your luck sometimes. lousy maids doesnt mean the staff are bad....how to QC human? they are not product...not easy for them also. got scoldings from customers also have to swallowed..maid naughty they also have to take care of them...not all agents are nasty...

Re: Labour Express

Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 4:51 pm
by kyp71
I have been hiring domestic helper for the past 10 years to look after my 2 daughters. So far all my helpers are recommended by Labour Express and same for my sister inlaw. I am from a client perception and definitely not an agent writing this review.

Whenever I encounter any problem pertaining to helper issue, Labour Express staff will definitely render their best support to solve for me. I do approach them for replacement before and the staff will take all effort to screen through their bio-data and propose the best match. There are cases when I select a replacement from the transfer list due to urgency, the staff will kindly advise me not to due to my need not suitable to match with the transfer maid they currently have and instead convince me to wait longer for a better one. There maybe some unhappiness in your experience but trust me their staff are really very efficient, patient and do spend their manpower resources to ensure my new or replaced helper best match my family needs.

Same for my sis-inlaw she has never change any agent since her 1st child was born. So far we prefer to source from agent who have larger pool of bio-data because if need replacement will not run into problem of shortage of bio-data.

Maybe you can discuss with the staff on your problem I am sure they will be very willing to help.

Re: Labour Express

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2018 3:26 pm
by Chelseachm
I am utterly disappointed by the staff at the Labour Express Hougang Green Branch. She goes by the name Elli.

Firstly, we texted her regarding looking at a maid for my elderly grandmother, who is an 80-year-old woman. We texted her last night, 19 Sept, to confirm, regarding looking at a maid, whom we are told from our previous appointment, that would be at the agency today, 20 Sept, at 12 noon. For starters, she ignored our text messages and calls. Which is very irresponsible and unprofessional.

Subsequently, she replied today, 20 Sept, at roughly 11.30 am in the morning to confirm that we will be going down to see the maid. To add in, at this point, she also confirmed that the maid will be in at 12 noon. Upon receiving this message, we proceeded to confirm and made our way down to the branch.

At 12.15 pm, she called and ask if we are coming down and we said that we are nearby and reaching. The phone call was short and ended at that. However, less than 5 minutes after our phone call, she told us the maid that SHE (ELLI) recommended to us, was taken even though she literally just hung up with us less than 5 minutes ago.

This is very unprofessional and irresponsible because we are talking about making an 80-year-old woman travel down to look at potential maids only for their staff to tell us that the maid is taken, less than 5 minutes after a phone call with us.

Re: Labour Express

Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:00 pm
by Sam-wong
Chelseachm wrote:I am utterly disappointed by the staff at the Labour Express Hougang Green Branch. She goes by the name Elli.

Firstly, we texted her regarding looking at a maid for my elderly grandmother, who is an 80-year-old woman. We texted her last night, 19 Sept, to confirm, regarding looking at a maid, whom we are told from our previous appointment, that would be at the agency today, 20 Sept, at 12 noon. For starters, she ignored our text messages and calls. Which is very irresponsible and unprofessional.

Subsequently, she replied today, 20 Sept, at roughly 11.30 am in the morning to confirm that we will be going down to see the maid. To add in, at this point, she also confirmed that the maid will be in at 12 noon. Upon receiving this message, we proceeded to confirm and made our way down to the branch.

At 12.15 pm, she called and ask if we are coming down and we said that we are nearby and reaching. The phone call was short and ended at that. However, less than 5 minutes after our phone call, she told us the maid that SHE (ELLI) recommended to us, was taken even though she literally just hung up with us less than 5 minutes ago.

This is very unprofessional and irresponsible because we are talking about making an 80-year-old woman travel down to look at potential maids only for their staff to tell us that the maid is taken, less than 5 minutes after a phone call with us.
Thx for the warning. Almost went to them to get a new maid. Went to another maid agency which turned out fine. Thank god! :xedfingers: :xedfingers: