Finally my maid agency called me to inform me the "In principal approval" of the next employer employing Warsiah is done. But the next employer is an insurance agent, there she wants to process the FDW (Foreign domestic worker) insurance herself, therefore my name will not be taken off the record unless she did it by tomorrow, which it is the last day for my current maid to stay in Singapore, else I will be fined!!!

I tried calling the MOM contact person. She informed me that she is the one asking my agent to call me to update the status (no wonder suddenly my maid agency's service become so good..) I asked for the MOM officer to help me on the late issuance in case Warsiah's next employer did not do the insurance on time. She replied that it cannot be helped as the agent had did their part. Once again, I informed her that I returned the maid to the agency for more than 2 weeks already, I cannot be incurring with this type of fine, S$100 at least due to the delay on the agency end.

MOM officer told me a shocking news, which is, the agency told her that they were not informed that I have another maid on hand!!!!!!!!! OMG!!! I cannot believe that Fiona can tell MOM this kind of statement which I called her on 26/03, her boss, Crislo on 29/03 when I returned the maid face to face as she asked me to get another maid from her, I told her my previous maid is back. Told another of the staff, Kewell, on 04th April!!! Made my appearance to the agency on 05th April to make sure they get my point that it is urgent after calling more than 3 times and Fiona did not take my calls as she was very very busy....(for the record,she promised to call me back in 5 mins after I get her on the 1st time).

I just kind of give Crislo Employment some credits for informing me on the good news, after this conversation with MOM officer, I immediately, blacklist them to the pit!!!

I am only hoping that the employer did something today so that my current maid can do her thumbprint and I can get back my refund!! Never will I go back to this agency and I will never never recommend anyone there!!!

CRISLO EMPLOYMENT AGENCY (http://crislo.com.sg)

The maid issue have been going on for weeks. Till today, it is not resolved as yet. Last wednesday, I went to CASE to complain the agency (Crislo Employment) and went there to send the letter draft by CASE to the MD.

When I was there, Fiona and Kewell immediately stopped me while seeing me proceeding to Crislo (MD of the agency) and sort of exclaimed "Ken!! we found your maid an employer, should be out of your record on friday"

Last friday, the agency whom help brought back my ex maid told me she cannot proceed online to arrange for thumbprint for my current maid. I sensed something amiss!! I called up MOM and the officer told me that the application of the employer failed, so the maid I got from Crislo is still under my record.

Do note that no one from Crislo Employment called me to inform me about this. My current maid's stay in Singapore is due on thursday (10th April). I called up Fiona from Crislo Employment and asked her, "do you have any update for me?" She replied "yes, but bad news...blah blah blah..." It's friday and I do not want to spoil it, so I told her, "when there is update, let me know"

Today, my current agent sms me to let me know that my current maid's last day is confirmed to be on 16th April, this wednesday. If she overstay, I will have to pay fine. I immediately called up Crislo Employment, as usual, when the staff asked for my name, his reply is "Fiona is on the line or with customer" without fail.

This time round, I asked for Crislo. When I asked her how come the maid is not out from my record yet, she kind of raised her voice, conversation as below.

Crislo: It has not been one month, so we are not wrong!! She shouted across to Fiona on the phone..."Fiona, Warsiah chu le mei you (has warsiah found an employer)..orh..xing qi san yi ding chu..(confirm out on wednesday)

Ken : I am not arguing about that!! I am checking with you how come last week say got employer already, but still not out of my record. No one update me also. Last day my maid can stay is 16th April, I will be fined after that...

Crislo: Your CASE letter also came liao...I will get your maid out from your record..aiya...might as well go small claim lah...I can explain myself there... (HELLO!!! no one mentioning about small claim here hor)

Anyway to make thing short, I kind of stopped her from going on as I just want Warsiah to be out from my employment record. I called up MOM to alert them on this case as I have returned the maid to the agency for more than 2 weeks. If tomorrow, the maid is not out from my record, I will contact the officer again to see what she can help.

My current maid agency called me to inform me that till now, she cannot send in request to get my current maid to go for thumbprint due to my ex maid is on my record. I immediately called that previous agency to check it out.

One employee (Kewell) picked up my call because Fiona was with customer. He explained due to slow demand of maid, they are unable to market out the maid and said that they need around a month to do so in worst case. I was fuming mad!!!! I told him I do not care, get my ex maid out the record as my current maid is in!! I wrote them an email below.

Urgent - I need my ex maid to be market out fast!!!

Dear Officer-in-charge,

I hope you would forward this email to Cris herself to handle this case. I picked up my ex maid, Warsiah from your agency on 29/01/2008, after 8pm. Visited the agency on 04/02/2008 to insist of returning the maid due to her dishonesty (telling lies on her first working day, 30/01 morning) and not up to the expectations, which Fiona, the manager handling my case highly recommended this maid. Due to CNY, Cris herself said that she will not accept the maid and asked me to wait.

To cut the story short, I have called up Fiona on 26/03 (Wed) to inform her that I will send back my ex maid on 29/03 (Sat). Till now, when I spoke to Kewell earlier, my ex maid is still have not found an employer.

As mentioned to Fiona (last wed), Cris (last sat) and Kewell (earlier), I have made my point clear that my maid arrived in Singapore last week and there is only less than 14 days for Warsiah to be out from my employment record.

Kindly take special attention that I want my ex maid to be out of my record by next Monday, 07/04/2008. If this affects my current maid's stay in Singapore and I have to incur the cost of sending her back, I will take the necessary actions and to re-coup my losses. ($388.00 - agency fee), S180+ 70% of the insurance bought for Warsiah

Another thing is that I spent so much on direct hiring and if my current maid have to go back due to this matter, I will do the necessary to make this issue known!!

Another displease,when employing the maid, the payment was took on the spot of collection. But when returning the maid, the refund is not done on the spot. What kind of logic is that?

I have already walked out of your agency as an unsatisfied customer!!!! Hope you can at least resolve this problem by making some extra effort to make sure Warsiah is out from my record on the above mentioned dateline! I am waiting to hear from you informing me that the issue is resolved!!!

From your utterly unsatisfied customer,
Ken Lee

**********

I decided to post what I have wrote to the agency on 01st Feb 2008, their feedback service. When I vistited the agency on Monday, 04/02/2008, the boss, Cris Lo told me that they have no time to even reply to sales email, not to say the feedback. (GOOD BUSINESS HOR???!! SUCH A BIG CONTRAST ON THE ABOVE STATEMENT THEIR STAFF MADE)

Firstly, I would like to thank you for the service provided to me more than a year ago, which I was recommended with a trustworthy maid whom can make sure all household issues are look after. But unfortunately, I have to send her on 21st Jan due to her daughter's death. On the same day, I was strongly recommended to take up my current maid whom I picked her up from your agency at people’s park on 29/01 evening.

Firstly, I would like to express my unhappiness and frustrations during my visit to the agency:

1) I was charged with agency fee of $388.00 instead of $288.00 which Cris waived $100 for me on the first time. But I am not given this kind of privilege being a repeat customer.

2) The application for this maid takes more than a week due to some MOM rulings and CNY as explained by Fiona whom handled my application of maid. I am actually fuming due to the delay.

3) Warsiah is a transfer maid whom was so called, the hardworking, obedient, honest highly recommended by your agents. To think that now I have to bear with this maid, only on her second day that my mum found that she lied to her about mopping the floor which obviously she did not.

Her cleaning standard is so poor that I can see my bathroom floor still so dirty after she cleaned up. My study table has been in the same mess on since her first day in my place.

My dogs are not served with fruits even she was asked to cut them up to serve them. Pressing of clothes are not nicely done. I want to express my ultimate displease with this maid and I hope that your organization will have a satisfactory resolution on this matter. I was introduced to your agency by word of mouth and I have introduced 2 of my colleagues to use your service.

I hope to see some prompt actions after you received my feedback. Please do not try to market out the maids whom are rejected by other employers to me as I do not want to stand with this kind of nonsense as I really do not have time for all these!!!!!!!!!

I am happy to see that your organization is growing and I would like to see that she lives up to the slogan created to her “Providing You Only With The Best!” and not turning to be some nightmares!!

I just called my maid agency to inform that I will be sending the current maid back this coming sat, 29/03 and ask the service staff, Fiona to confirm the amount refundable from her finance and have the cheque ready on that day.

She told me that they will not be able to refund me immediately as if the maid is not transfer out, the agency will hold the refund. I am very angry with that reply and immediately I raised my voice at her!!!!

Me : Look here!!!! Your agency asked for an advanced payment of the maid's owing from me, and when I do not like her service and returning back to you, I actually have to wait for my refund!!!! When ask for money so fast, refund why so slow?!!

Fiona : If you return her and she cannot find a employer, we cannot refund you. (I was like WTF!!! My problem???!!!)

Me: It is not my problem!! I replaced her with another maid and she only has 14 days to do a transfer. I do not care about if she find an employer!! My point is I want my refund!!!

Fiona: Ken, I cannot help you, it is in the agreement that we will process your refund in 30 days. Else if she cannot find a employer, who we can get her loan from?? (I am fusing mad now!!!!)

Me: She is not under my care anymore once I return to you!!! Since she has 14days under my name before her permit is terminated!!! I demand a refund within 2 weeks!!!

Fiona: I can't promise you Ken, but we will try to market her so that you can have your refund early...I also do not know if you are going to return her this saturday.

Ken : I am telling you in advance that I am returning her on saturday...DEFINITELY!!!!!!!!!! So I will want my refund 2 weeks later (at the back of my mind, I have decided to contact CASE about this agency)

Anyway, I am polite enough to say thanks to her and put down the phone. I think that I am not an unreasonable person, but this agency definitely piss me off...Look through the contract on my ex maid's folder, but cannot find the 30 days refund policy, will check tonight on the current maid's one.

Anyone can tell me how to lodge a report to CASE???

Few hours back, I just had a huge argument with my maid agent. The head quarter is situated on 03rd floor ONE unit of People's Park Complex (got the hint of the unit number?). It has two small office there (white signboard), the newest office is with a pink signboard now.

I used to have a maid whom takes care of everything in the house and my family members do not need to worry a single thing, but she has to be back home as her 5 year old daughter passed away suddenly around 2 weeks back. I have no choice but to get another maid which turns out to be a disaster!!!

My debate with the agency earlier is that I will pay the number of days of service I used the maid and return her immediately!! Yes, 2 days before CNY, I am returning my maid as I cannot stand her cleaning standard. (I will go in details later). My agent want me to pay $2800.00 for the maid's salary owing to the agent. Actually I did gave them a cheque, but the bank rejected it due to the signature. I am actually puzzled how come it will bounced as my signature is somewhere there (anyway, I seldom sign cheque nowaday as there is no need for these. Everything is through online or AXS machines).

It is ridiculous of them to be asking me to pay the full sum, then refund me. I told them I do not want to use their service and they refuse to refund me my agent fee of $388.00. I will definitely lose out on the insurance I buy for the current maid $267.55 (within 6 months terminate, will refund only 30% of the premium). You can see that it is a LOSE LOSE situation for any employer. I told them I will go to CASE to make a report, but they said that I will not win (obviously I am not interested in the agency fee anymore when I just want to return the maid, my purpose is to make sure that this kind of service standard is made known to CASE)

After more than an hour of argument, I told the boss that I am going to cease my relationship with the agency but she still want my business and willing to waive $60 to compensate for the insurance which I lose out. Anyway, I am giving this agency a last try.

The website slogan is "Providing You Only With The Best" which I actually wrote a feedback to them and mentioned something to them hoping that they will not provide customers with their "worst nightmares". Anyway, the owner (lady) told me that they are too busy to read feedbacks as they are even too busy to reply all the sales enquiries (well, making big business mah..)

Ok, now to the things this maid of mine did so far and her service in my house is less than a week. (5 days)

- Bad cleaning standard (cannot even wash the tiles in toilet purposely)
- Smelly towel which I used yesterday (I nearly fainted)
- No refill of my water bottle in my room since her first day
- Lied to my mum (Did not mop floor, said she did)
- Misplaced the rice scoop (cannot find till now)
- Did not cut fruits for my dogs when told to (went to sleep, next time when told her, she cut the fruits, soaked in salt water, wait for my mum to come back) Hello!!!!!!!STUPID BOH???
- When I wear my shoe going to work, she will ask "Sir, what drink you want??" *BIG SIGHS!!!!!!!!!!!*

I definitely go crazy with this maid in my house and I do not know if anyone know what kind of shit I went through!! I can't scold as my mum dun let me because I want to sack this maid and it is going to be CNY!!!

Anyway, do be careful when you go to maid agency. Make sure you understand their policies.

Somemore someone actually gone missing when I need you most!!! WTF!!!! I seriously HATE YOU!!!