Have to vent - help!

[josoo]

We are about to move into a new apartment, which I'm really excited about, we have double the space and the maids get a huge kitchen. However, the maid's room only has a small vent hole and no windows. I'm getting them, I have two helpers, a bunk bed and sliding closet made; plus an air-con installed.

Today I was nice enough to ask one of my helpers what type of mattress she wanted, soft hard or medium, and she said "there is no window in our room, how could that be?". I got so annoyed! Its not as if I wanted them not to have a window. I think I'm already spoiling them with the tailor made bunk bed and sliding closet. I'm buying a brand new TV and DVD player to put in the kitchen, so they can enjoy the entertainment as well, I feel really guilty all night.

But I can't build a window! The room is around 150sq. foot and the bunk bed is a reasonable size, bigger than the usual single bed, and I even got my contractors to knock out a closet so they have more space.

Can someone tell me if I am a horrible employer? What do these helpers want? Queen size bed and a 500 sq. foot bedroom?

 

[HappyV]

I don;t think this vent even deserves a response, but I'm going to go ahead.

Perhaps instead of moaning about your two (yes, two) helpers, perhaps your vent could be about the property developers who can somehow get away with NOT putting a window in a bedroom - even if it is 'only' for the maids.

One day the HK gov will wake up and start to lay down rules about what a building should have - and yes - a window in a bedroom would be a good start.

 

[carang]

in canada, there MUST be an easily accessible window in EVERY bedroom... what would happen if there was a fire? they'll have no way to escape!

 

[msmslau]

do you have alot of family members living in the apt? if not, perhaps, you can give up one of the standard bedrooms (assuming with windows) to the 2 maids and use the "maid room" as storage?

 

[josoo]

I appreciate positive responses rather than negative, so I'll simply ignore HAPPYV's comments. (I feel extremely happy for your helper, she must be living in a mansion! Maybe you have a terrace for your helper, a bath-tub and a dressing table as well - BLESS YOU!).

GIVE ME A BREAK! I think everyone lives a different lifestyle and one shouldn't comment on another! I don't think I'm the only person out there with two helpers, get a grip?

Afterall I'm not complaining about my helpers and do you think it'll help complaining to the developer? Are you even from HK? Developers in HK don't care and mind you tons of buildings in HK were built in 30-40 years ago. There are tons of illegal structures in HK.

I'm trying to find a solution. Maybe I'll just get a window built...anybody else had this problem? I have heard horror stories of how some helpers live. I might just get them a shutter board, so they can leave their bedroom door open at night, our kitchen is huge anyways. They won't get trapped if there's a fire, because their bedroom is right across a set of windows and two separate entrances...

 

[Corina]

How about installing a window above the door - I was told that this can be done.

 

[annahk]

I understand your frustration. The house we finally rented was the largest that we looked at but had the smallest maid's room. We started by offering one of the bedrooms to our helper, but she declined, as she would rather be more removed from the rest of the family. The landlord has been pretty unhelpful about every change that we wanted to make to the room. It has a door with a window, but no AC. He cannot understand why we want to make the rom more 'liveable'. There is no way that he would approve of putting a new window in!

We have managed to put in broadband tv, plasma, phone, dvd, custom-made furniture to maximise space. Not a single thank you. Same for the 10 weeks paid leave and the 4 flights home she's had in under a year. I don't expect flowers or for her to be beside herself with gratitude, but just a small sign that she appreciates the odd gesture, after all she chose to sleep in the room.

I am sure that you did not deliberately choose a house in which the helper's room has no windows. I agree that the HK authorities should introduce some legistlation to improve the living conditions of helpers, but they have to start with developers, and the boarding houses (I hear that there are plenty of rooms in boarding houses withour windows or running water). As a tenant, with ever increasing rents, I have to put my family's needs first. I cannot choose a house on the basis of how comfortable the helper's room is, but will do everything I can to make it as comfortable as possible for her.

 

[Matty]

josoo, you are obviously not a horrible employer and have done everything you can to ensure your helpers are comfortable.
It is not your fault that the room has no window.

You have done what you can, even installing air con.
It isn't like they have to spend 24hrs a day in this room.
I'm sure that your helpers are intelligent enough to realise you are not a magician, and can't change the fact that there is no window.

 

[Bear Lau]

Josoo,
I will simply ignore your maid or since you are absolutely a good employer - to install the air-cond, DVD and TV.
I don't know the experience of your maid, but you have to let her know she is being lucky to have a room !!! A lot of maids who work for "normal" Chinese family live in a very small apartment. My maid have a friend who work in a family of four living in a govt housing which is less than 400 sq feet !!!!
If I tell your story to my Chinese friends, most of them will ask you to simply fry her.....

 

[josoo]

Thank you for all the helpful comments.

I woke up this morning feeling really bad, so I called my contractor!

We've decided to put their wardrobe in the laundry area, so their room does not feel so cramped. I will also put a tv in their room, so they have a choice to watch it in their own room or outside the kitchen!

Without the wardrobe their room will be spacier. I have also decided to buy a screen, so they have a choice to leave the door open at night, but still have privacy with the screen.

Hopefully they will be happy in this new environment, so we all live in harmony. Sometimes I feel like I owe them my life...