A family experienced great difficulty with hiring a nanny and getting her to stay, so they decided to offer seemingly generous pay, vacation time, and other nice perks. However, there was also one special condition that sent nannies running in the other direction.
A family in Scotland offered to pay a full-time nanny $64,000 annually. There were many benefits offered with the job, but there was also one unique requirement that made potential nannies run the other way. The family placed an advertisement on Childcare.co.uk for the live-in nanny position, and they described everything the job would require.
According to the post, the couple’s two kids are 5 and 7 years old, and they resided in a “lovely, spacious, historic property in a remote spot with spectacular views.” The job description started off by listing things you would expect: “preparing breakfast, getting the children ready for school, dropping off and picking up from school and assisting after school, including helping with homework and getting them ready for bed.”
The prospective nanny would spend up to four nights alone with the kids each week because both parents must frequently travel for work. In addition to a $64,000 salary and 28 vacation days, the family provided qualifying candidates with a “comfortable room with en-suite bathroom and private kitchen.”
There was, however, a slight catch. The family had resided in their home for almost ten years, but the job listing revealed that it was rumored to be haunted by ghosts. “We were told it was ‘haunted’ when we bought it, but kept our minds open and decided to buy the house regardless,” the mother wrote.
It seemed to be a minor concern until you consider that they had great difficulty finding a nanny brave enough to stay for more than a few months. “Five nannies have left the role in the last year, each citing supernatural incidents as the reason, including strange noises, broken glass and furniture moving,” the post alleged.
“This has obviously been a period of great upheaval for our children. We haven’t personally experienced any supernatural happenings, as they have been reported only while we’ve been out of the house, but we’re happy to pay above the asking rate, and feel it’s important to be as up-front as possible to find the right person,” the post continued.
The advertisement drew a flood of replies. The mother noted in an update that they had received over 2,000 responses, including messages of support and employment applications. Childcare.co.uk CEO Richard Conway said that the family’s struggle was “the most interesting story we’ve heard.”
“When we saw the advert, we were stunned,” Conway said. “Some of the guys at HQ were skeptical, but after talking to the family and their previous employees, we realized it was a genuine position,” he added. “The family has assured us that no harm has come to anyone living in the house, however the nanny will have to have a strong disposition.”
