{"id":1604,"date":"2019-05-22T18:07:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-22T10:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/blog\/?p=1604"},"modified":"2026-01-15T01:00:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T17:00:02","slug":"house-rules-for-domestic-helpers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/","title":{"rendered":"House Rules for Domestic Helpers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"550\" src=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/House-Rules-for-Domestic-Helpers.png\" alt=\"House rules for domestic helpers\" class=\"wp-image-14587\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Domestic helpers are a blessing to many families, but <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/how-to-handle-domestic-helper-problems\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">managing them can be challenging<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Drafting house rules for domestic helpers and specific helper guidelines will create some much-wanted peace.<\/span><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#General_points_of_house_rules_for_domestic_helpers\" >General points of house rules for domestic helpers<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#Key_items_in_House_Rules\" >Key items in House Rules<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#Work_conditions_and_rest_days\" >Work conditions and rest days<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#Rest_day_arrangement\" >Rest day arrangement<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#Mobile_phone_usage\" >Mobile phone usage<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#Tasks\" >Tasks<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#Keep_the_receipts\" >Keep the receipts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#Be_clear_on_your_preference\" >Be clear on your preference<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#Create_a_work_schedule_for_your_domestic_helper\" >Create a work schedule for your domestic helper<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#Leaves_and_holidays\" >Leaves and holidays<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#Home_security\" >Home security<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#Loaning_and_borrowing_money\" >Loaning and borrowing money<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#Review_the_house_rules_regularly\" >Review the house rules regularly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/house-rules-for-domestic-helpers\/#Building_a_Respectful_Household_Together\" >Building a Respectful Household Together<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every household has its own rhythms and habits. A new domestic worker joining your family may have difficulty with the house rules used in your family. Even if she has a lot of experience, she will need time to learn your way of doing things. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"General_points_of_house_rules_for_domestic_helpers\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">General points of house rules for domestic helpers<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The general rule is the earlier you discuss house rules the better. It is good for the domestic helper to know your expectations, but be flexible with the nitty-gritty details because no one can do it exactly as you do. It\u2019s better to make sure the domestic helper is comfortable with your house rules before hiring her. You can discuss the general house rules during the interview, then <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/manage-your-new-helper\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">get into the details on the first few days<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> your new domestic helper joins your family.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_items_in_House_Rules\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Key items in House Rules<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Include not only the number and nature of tasks you expect her to do but also rules such as personal hygiene, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/smartphones-and-domestic-helpers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mobile phone usage<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, safety-related matters, borrowing money and so on. This may seem tedious, but the more you discuss on the first day, the more likely it is that you will avoid problems afterwards.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Work_conditions_and_rest_days\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work conditions and rest days<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Write down the working hours, days off and the hours. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although there is no regulation on working hours, we suggest you provide the domestic helper with adequate rest such as breaks during working hours.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Domestic helpers in Hong Kong and Singapore are entitled to 1 rest day per week. Usually, the rest days fall on Sundays. In Hong Kong, a domestic helper\u2019s weekly rest day should be at least 24 hours consecutively according to the law. Thus, setting up a curfew would be a violation of the law. Also, you cannot pay in lieu of your domestic helpers\u2019 rest days in Hong Kong. But this practice is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/guide-helpers-days-off-singapore\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">allowed in Singapore<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rest_day_arrangement\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rest day arrangement<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employers have a lot of concerns about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/hong-kong\/employers-domestic-helper\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">what their domestic helper is doing on her rest days<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. If you are worried, communicate with her in advance on her rest day plans. Yet remember that she is a grown-up and has her freedom on activities. Common domestic helper rest day activities include church visits, sports or hiking, and hanging out with friends.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mobile_phone_usage\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mobile phone usage<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Include a section on the usage of the mobile phone and the internet, but be reasonable. Let your domestic helper know <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/internet-privacy-rules-domestic-helper\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at what times she can check it<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> e.g. during her break and at what times she cannot, e.g. when she is attending to the children.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tasks\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tasks<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Keep_the_receipts\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep the receipts<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The domestic helper should keep all the receipts for grocery shopping, or even keep track of all the expenses in a notebook. You may want her to keep all the grocery shopping money in a dedicated bag.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Be_clear_on_your_preference\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be clear on your preference<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let the domestic helper know which brands you prefer. If she is not sure she can take pictures of your preferred brands. Clothes should be separated by colour or fabric; which items can be hand-washed only; which items the domestic helper needs to iron; how to handle baby clothing.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Create_a_work_schedule_for_your_domestic_helper\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a work schedule for your domestic helper<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work out what needs cleaning and set a schedule to make sure your domestic helper knows when she should clean what parts of the flat. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/3-tips-help-domestic-helper-organise-cleaning-work\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting a schedule<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a major part of ensuring that you get the best cleaning results.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Leaves_and_holidays\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Leaves and holidays<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Employers must follow the local domestic helper-related labour law to arrange leaves such as sick leave, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/hong-kong\/hk-labour-department-domestic-helper\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">annual leave<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">home leave<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for their domestic helper: when the domestic helper is entitled to a leave, whether the leave is paid leave and whether you will afford the domestic helper\u2019s travel expenses.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Home_security\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Home security<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let your domestic helper understand clearly how she should handle her key and when she should bolt the door. If the domestic helper leaves the house to buy some food, should she close all the windows or leave them open? Can she bring people over the house when your family is out of town?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Loaning_and_borrowing_money\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Loaning and borrowing money<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Domestic workers are usually the major financial support of their own family. Encourage your domestic helper to discuss with you first if she has financial difficulties due to family emergencies (or other reasons) to avoid her <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/domestic-helper-loan-sharks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">getting loans from loan sharks<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You should also educate your domestic helper potential consequences if she cannot pay off the loans, or send her to a financial education class.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can make the basic house rules for domestic helpers as detailed and specific as possible, but try and keep it as simple as possible so your domestic helper doesn\u2019t get confused.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Review_the_house_rules_regularly\"><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Review the house rules regularly<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After your domestic helper start working for a while, you may spot what she should improve. Regular feedback on her work performance is important to remind your helper of your expectation and keep her work up to your standard. You can set up a monthly meeting where you both review her performance and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/domestic-worker-house-rules\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">add new house rules<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if you feel the need.<br \/><br \/><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 data-start=\"5705\" data-end=\"5748\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Building_a_Respectful_Household_Together\"><\/span><strong>Building a Respectful Household Together<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"5750\" data-end=\"5941\">Well-thought-out house rules create structure without tension. When expectations are clear and communication stays open, domestic helpers feel more confident, and employers feel more at ease.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"5943\" data-end=\"6165\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">At <a href=\"_wp_link_placeholder\" data-wplink-edit=\"true\">HelperChoice<\/a>, we believe that clear guidelines, mutual respect, and regular conversations form the foundation of strong, long-term employer-helper relationships \u2014 where both sides can work and live together comfortably.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Domestic helpers are a blessing to many families, but managing them can be challenging. Drafting house rules for domestic helpers and specific helper guidelines will create some much-wanted peace. Every household has its own rhythms and habits. A new domestic worker joining your family may have difficulty with the house rules used in your family. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":5286,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"description":"A practical guide to setting clear house rules for domestic helpers, covering tasks, rest days, boundaries, and communication at home.","title":"House Rules for Domestic Helpers - HelperChoice Blog"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[383],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-manage-helper"],"blocksy_meta":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/domestic-helper-work-calendar-timetable-schedule.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1604"}],"version-history":[{"count":45,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1604\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14588,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1604\/revisions\/14588"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5286"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.helperchoice.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}