The AU-PAIR Service: Terms & Conditions

• AU-PAIR Service charges

There is no registration fee. Service charge is payable per Au-Pair accepted, according to the length of placement.

Full payment of the service charge must be made by the client before the Au-Pairs travel arrangements can be organized and disclosed.

For payments by:

• Credit or debit card (Visa, Master, Switch, Solo, Visa Electron, Delta, JCB or Maestro): the service charge will be automatically debited from your account after a suitable candidate has been accepted.
• Cheque: The service charge is required as soon as a suitable candidate has been accepted, prior to the Au-Pair starting work. Cheques must be made to: A1 KidsCare UK
• Cash: The service charge is required as soon as a suitable candidate has been accepted, prior to the Au-Pair starting work. Cash payments can be made at A1 KidsCare UK premises only.

If the Au-Pair should stay longer than the period specified and paid for, a charge of £45 per month will be chargeable at the start of each extra month. If the Au-Pair should stay for longer than specified, it will be the responsibility of the client family to keep the agent informed.

In the event of payment of the service charge not being received, the Agency shall be entitled to charge a further administration fee of twenty five percent for each calendar month or part thereof from the date of the candidate being accepted until the debt is fully paid.

The client may not extend the stay by submitting the difference between the time periods. For example, if the client accepts an Au-Pair for 5 months and then wishes her to continue after this time period it will be treated as a new placement. However, given that the Au-Pair is already with the family a 20% discount will go towards the renewal charge.

Please note: For native English speaking Au-Pairs such as British, Australians, South Africans, Canadians... etc., a surcharge of 50% above the standard fees applies.

• General Conditions

Whilst the agency makes every reasonable effort to verify the integrity and suitability of the Au-Pair; the agency cannot be held liable for the non-arrival of, or any negligent, dishonest or malicious act by the Au-Pair.

If the family require the Au-Pair to drive, this shall be the full responsibility of the host family concerned. The agency cannot accept responsibility for this at all. In addition, the Au-Pair cannot be held liable for any accident or negligent behaviour.

The agency fee is the payment for the introduction of the Au-Pair. Given this, the agency cannot be held responsible should the Au-Pair stay for a shorter time than planned.

The client will at all times behave in a reasonable and responsible manner towards the Au-Pair.

The agency reserves the right to refuse a family or to remove the Au-Pair when these Terms and Conditions have not been adhered to. This includes failure to settle the invoice at the appropriate time, falsification of any information in the application and repeated problems with different Au-Pairs.

• Unsatisfactory placements

It should be understood that a little patience is expected from both parties in the early days of living together. From experience, the Au-Pair will after a while get over the initial "culture shock" i.e. different environment, customs and food, with a positive attitude. Should it however not be possible to live together harmoniously, the following points should be considered.
The au-Pair arrangement is restricted to a set length of time. Consequently, it finishes on the expiry of the contract. Before expiry of the contract the arrangement can in principle be cancelled only by mutual consent. The family must give a minimum of two weeks notice to A1 KidsCare UK and the Au-Pair, plus the weekly pocket money to the Au-Pair, although in most cases both parties agree that the Au-Pair stays until an Au-Pair replacement has been arranged for the family and another family found for the Au-Pair. However, if there is a serious reason that can be proved, then it is possible to terminate the contract without notice, following consultation with A1 KidsCare UK.

A1 KidsCare UK employs the following refund policy:

• if contract is terminated within 3 weeks of the placement, the agency will use it's best efforts to offer a replacement free of charge. A maximum period of 4 weeks should be allowed to enable the agency to find a replacement. If it is unable to do so, a refund of half of the fee paid will be made to the family. This is only valid for placements lasting 3 months and over.

• Ø if contract is terminated between 3 and 5 weeks of the placement, the agency will use it's best efforts to offer a replacement free of charge. A maximum period of 4 weeks should be allowed to enable the agency to find a replacement. If it is unable to do so, a refund of one third of the fee paid will be made to the family. This is only valid for placements lasting 3 months and over.

• In case of contract termination between 5 and 8 weeks of the placement, the agency will offer a 15% discount of the introduction fee. This applies for the first 8 weeks period from termination of the contract.

• in all instances the agency must be informed immediately and contacted in writing within 10 days from termination of the contract, with a satisfactory reason of the Au-Pair leaving, otherwise no replacement will be offered nor will a refund be payable to the family.

• In the event that a replacement becomes necessary, the agency will offer an Au-Pair who is able to stay for the remaining time period wherever possible. However, if at the time the most suitable Au-Pair is only available for a shorter time than the original placement, the agency will then offer a subsequent replacement to cover the time period paid for.

• Where replacements are required, the agency can give no guarantees as to the nationality of the new Au-Pair. The character and suitability of a replacement may not be judged according to nationality.

• Should the replacement stay for longer than the original time period agreed, the family will be invoiced accordingly.

• Should the family decide at anytime to cancel their agreement with the agency and does not wish to have any replacement through the agency, this will in all case result in no refund being made.

• All refunds are subject to a minimum charge of £65 for the agency's expenses.

• Au-Pair failing to arrive

Should the Au-Pair cancel or fail to arrive, the Agency will make it a priority to find a suitable replacement. If this is not possible then a refund will be made less £65.00 for administration costs.

• Family withdrawing from the arrangement

In the event of a cancellation by the client after the Au-Pair has accepted but before she has bought her ticket to travel, or obtained her entry visa half the fee will be refunded.

Cancellation by the client after the Au-Pair has accepted and after she has bought her ticket to travel or obtained her entry visa, will result in no refund being made.

• The agency is not responsible for the cost of any Au-Pair's telephone calls or travel expenses
• Introductions

Families must not encourage Au-Pairs to start work before the placement has been confirmed with A1 KidsCare UK. Introductions are confidential and passing on of an introduction to another family, resulting in an engagement, will render the customer who passed on the information liable to payment of the Agency's fees.

A1 KidsCare U.K.
3rd Floor, Suite D, Smithfield House, Digbeth, BIRMINGHAM B5 6BS
FREEPHONE: 0800 096 4916 Tel: (0121) 622 2480 Tel/Fax: (0121) 622 5671
info@a1kidscare.co.uk www.a1kidscare.com