Types of Staff

Whether you require a butler on a temporary or permanent basis for private or corporate positions we are able to provide professional, qualified and experienced butlers.

A butler could be expected to carry out duties such as establishing household routines, managing the domestic staff in a household, ensuring that the house is in a clean and neat state throughout. He may also be responsible for cleaning silver, glassware, and fine china and some light tasks such as tidying up, etc as necessary. Care of the gentleman's wardrobe may also be required.

A butler will be responsible for serving food, drinks and wine to the highest formal standards, as well as organising functions, co-ordinating with the kitchen, arranging flowers and setting the table. He may also be required to care for fine wines/wine cellar and cigars.

A butler is often required to act as a PA/Manager for the employer, which may involve making travel arrangements, packing, and travelling, keeping household accounts and in some cases household shopping. Other responsibilities could involve greeting guests, handling luggage, coats etc., taking care of simple household repairs and organising contractors etc. Driving and dog walking duties may also be required.

An under butler may also be employed in a large household and will be expected to assist the butler in all the above duties.

Salaries for a butler range from £400 upwards net per week while an under butler can expect to earn from £300 upwards net per week. These figures are dependent on age, experience and duties required. There are a number of butlers who manage large households, yachts, jets etc. and may travel extensively with employers. These butlers can earn considerably more than the average salary.

We can provide full and part-time, daily and residential housekeepers on a temporary and permanent basis. Duties will, of course, vary with every job.

A housekeeper could be expected to carry out duties such as cleaning, laundry and ironing, take responsibility for household and grocery shopping, household accounts and assist with dinner parties and functions. The salary for a residential housekeeper starts at anything from £350 upwards net per week depending on experience. A daily housekeeper's salary varies from area to area.

A cook/housekeeper could be expected to carry out any of the duties listed above, as well as cooking for family meals and dinner parties. The salaries generally range from £350 net per week upwards depending on experience.

A nanny/housekeeper could be expected to carry out household duties such as cleaning, laundry and ironing as well as taking some sole charge of the children. The salaries range from £350 net per week upwards depending on experience.

We can provide professional experienced couples to cover all our clients' requirements, whatever your needs and in whatever combination you require - e.g. cook/housekeeper & butler/driver or housekeeper/nanny & gardener/handyman.

We can provide you with experienced and trained staff for all occasions.

Chefs and cooks are usually required to cook three meals a day for the family and in many cases will also have to cook the staff lunch and children's teas. They are responsible for the menu planning (in consultation with their employer), shopping, cooking and kitchen accounts, as well as keeping the kitchen clean, tidy and well stocked at all times.

A chef will be expected to cook for most formal functions to a very high standard but should also be prepared to cook for children and informal family meals. A cook, on the other hand, will be required to prepare meals to a good family standard and to cater for informal dinner parties.

Salaries for a chef may range from £400 net per week for a qualified chef to £1000 net per week for a qualified and very experienced chef.

Salaries for a cook may range from £350 to £450 per week net depending on age, experience and duties.

Full or part time managers to organise all aspects of home and social life from dry cleaning to driving or secretarial duties, allowing clients to focus on work or other commitments.

Some of the duties of an estate manager could include recruitment and supervision of permanent staff, organisation and supervision of outside contractors and maintenance workers, implementation of health, safety and welfare policies, responsibility for security, hands-on work in conjunction with other estate staff from gardeners to cleaners and driving duties. Salaries vary enormously depending on duties.

Qualified and experienced staff can be provided for all our clients needs, both for private and corporate placements.

Professional, qualified and experienced gardeners to cover all our clients' requirements.

A maintenance gardener could be expected to maintain established gardens and hard landscaping, tennis courts, fences, water features, ponds and pools.

A gardener with horticultural qualifications may have experience of landscaping, soft and hard fruits, herbs and propagation. They could be expected to plant out and maintain formal and informal gardens and lawns, look after orchards, woodland and greenhouses, hard landscaping, ponds and pools.

A gardener may sometimes also be responsible for security systems, household maintenance and act as a driver for tasks such as airport runs, school runs, errands etc.

The salary for a gardener ranges from £250 to £300 per week net for an unqualified maintenance gardener and between £300 to £400 per week net for a qualified gardener. These salaries will depend upon age, experience and duties required. Accommodation is sometimes provided as part of the salary package. However, a part-time or live-out gardener could expect to earn between £10 and £14 per hour.

Duties could involve driving the employer to and from work, school runs, driving the lady of the house and driving members of the family to and from evening engagements. Other duties could include running errands and assisting with office tasks. A chauffeur is also expected to maintain the employer's vehicle to the highest standard at all times and is responsible for ensuring regular services are carried out. An excellent working knowledge of local routes and motorways is essential.

The salary for a chauffeur may range from about £350 - £500 per week net, depending upon age, experience, location, duties and hours required. It is customary for employers to pay overtime and weekend rate of time and half after an agreed number of hours worked.

Duties include the expert care of a wardrobe, preparing and packing suitcases and attending to the personal needs and requirements of employer and guests.

Qualified nurses and experienced companions - whether your needs are for temporary or permanent personnel, we can supply you with the highest calibre of staff.

For all your childcare needs - nannies, maternity nurses and governesses click here

College trained Nannies generally attend a two year course studying all aspects of child care from birth to seven years old. Training is not only theoretical but also practical, with first hand contact in schools, maternity wards and children's hospitals. Success at college results in qualifications such as NNEB (National Nursery Examination Board), NAMCW (National and Maternal Child Welfare Certificate), CCC (Child Care Certificate), Montessori Teaching or B.Tec or NVQ.

Home trained Nannies will have gained on the job experience in looking after children in private homes, and naturally will have proven themselves to be caring and well suited to the demanding requirements of childcare.

The exact duties of a Nanny should be thoroughly discussed and agreed before work commences, but generally speaking a Nanny is expected to be responsible for all aspects of a child's life. This includes organising the child's meals, clothes, laundry, bathing, cleaning the Nursery, and stimulating the child's mind and imagination. Nannies are not expected to help out with the general housework, laundry or preparation of meals other than those related to their charges.

Mother's Helps

Those who work as Mother's Helps are less experienced with children than Nannies. They are usually younger than Nannies and act as general help for Mothers with children.

Maternity Nurses

Maternity Nurses are trained or experienced Nurses or Nannies who specialise on the care of newborn babies. A Maternity Nurse helps the Mother from the time she leaves hospital until she and her baby are settled into a routine at home, normally from four to eight weeks. They work 24 hours a day, 6 days a week.

Proxy Parents

Proxy Parents will take care of a family's children, house, pets and all other aspects of home life, so that travelling parents can have a relaxed trip.

Governess/Tutors

We supply private teachers for many subjects at most levels: the standard is high and the variety broad.

Children's Guides and Escorts

We can arrange escorts for your children to be collected from, for instance, stations or airports and taken to specific destinations. Special tours for children visiting London can be arranged, and our experienced Nannies will take your children to see sights that will both entertain and interest them.