By Filipino Nanny | Updated 22 August 2026
If a nanny placement is not working, identify the problem before deciding that replacement is the answer. Clarify whether the issue is performance, communication, a changed job description, unrealistic workload or a serious conduct concern. The route matters because Filipino Nanny’s current replacement terms contain specific eligibility conditions and do not treat every departure the same way.
This page explains the agency process and general employment considerations. It is not individual legal advice; where a family is considering disciplinary action or dismissal, the employer should follow current employment law and obtain appropriate advice for the circumstances.
What should you do first when a nanny placement feels wrong?
Move from a general feeling to a specific issue. Write down what is happening, what the original job required, what has already been discussed and whether the issue is isolated or repeated.
Common categories include:
- Performance: an agreed duty is not being completed to the expected standard.
- Communication: handovers, instructions or expectations are repeatedly misunderstood.
- Role drift: the household has added hours or duties that were not in the original job.
- Availability mismatch: the working pattern no longer fits one side.
- Conduct or safety concern: the issue may require a formal response rather than an informal performance conversation.
If the concern can safely be raised informally, Acas says workplace problems can often be discussed informally first, with formal procedures available where that is inappropriate or does not resolve the issue. See Acas: how to raise a problem at work.
From our current terms: when does the replacement provision apply?
Filipino Nanny’s current client Terms and Conditions say that if a candidate does not start after accepting an offer, or leaves within six calendar months of starting, the agency will provide one suitable replacement candidate at no extra cost, subject to the stated conditions.
Those conditions include:
- the agency fee was paid in full in accordance with the terms;
- the client notifies the agency in writing within 7 days of the candidate’s departure;
- the original job specification has not changed;
- the client has not been abusive, negligent or acted in a way that would reasonably cause the candidate to leave;
- the departure is not due to redundancy, restructure, a change of job description or another reason unrelated to the candidate’s performance or conduct.
The current terms limit the provision to one replacement candidate per original placement. They also state that if the agency cannot find a suitable replacement within 4 weeks of notification, the client may be eligible for the partial-refund provisions set out in clause 10.
These are the agency’s contractual terms, not a general legal rule about all nanny employment. Check the current Filipino Nanny Terms and Conditions before relying on the replacement provision.
What if the family changed the role after hiring?
This needs to be separated from a candidate-performance issue. If the nanny was hired for one job and the household later changed the hours, duties or job description, the original placement may no longer be the same role. The agency’s replacement terms explicitly make an unchanged original job specification a condition of the replacement provision.
GOV.UK says employers usually need an employee’s agreement to contract changes. Acas likewise says employer and employee should consult and agree changes unless a lawful contractual provision applies. See GOV.UK: changing an employment contract and Acas: changing employment contracts.
If the family now needs a different role, use the nanny, nanny-housekeeper or housekeeper decision guide rather than treating the change as evidence that the original nanny is unsuitable.
How should performance concerns be handled?
For ordinary performance concerns, start by making the expectation specific and checking whether it was part of the agreed role. Explain what needs to improve and give the nanny a fair opportunity to respond.
Acas guidance on performance management says employers should keep records of conversations about performance and that dismissal should be a last resort. Where informal steps do not work, a formal process may be needed. See Acas: problems with an employee’s performance.
Do not invent a disciplinary process on the spot. If the issue could lead to dismissal, use appropriate procedures and advice for the employee’s status and circumstances.
What if the concern is serious?
A serious conduct or safety concern may not be suitable for an informal “wait and see” approach. The employer should protect the children and household, preserve relevant information and obtain appropriate employment advice before taking formal action.
GOV.UK says a fair dismissal requires both a valid reason and reasonable procedure, and even gross-misconduct cases still require a fair process. See GOV.UK: fair dismissals. This page cannot determine whether a particular incident meets that threshold.
Should you contact the agency before ending the placement?
If the placement was introduced by Filipino Nanny and you may need to rely on the agency’s replacement or refund terms, contact the agency promptly and explain the issue in writing. The current terms require written notification within 7 days of a candidate’s departure for replacement eligibility.
Bring the original job description, the agreed employment terms and a clear summary of what has changed or gone wrong. This makes it easier to distinguish a candidate issue from a role that has materially changed.
What partial refund does the current agency policy provide?
Under the current client terms, monetary refunds outside the cooling-off period are generally not offered except where the agency cannot find a suitable replacement as described in clause 9.3. Where that condition is met, clause 10.1 states the following potential partial refunds based on when the candidate leaves:
- within the second month: 50% of the agency fee;
- within the fourth month: 25%;
- within the sixth month: 10%.
The terms state that no refund is provided if the candidate leaves after six months and that refund requests must be made in writing within 7 days of departure. Eligibility remains subject to the terms as a whole; these percentages should not be read in isolation.
How should communication happen before problems escalate?
Use the managing your nanny relationship guide to separate routine handovers, feedback and actual contract changes. A clear role gives both sides something concrete to refer back to when the relationship becomes difficult.
If the concern relates to what was promised during hiring or screening, review our vetting and screening process and the client’s own responsibilities for checks under the current terms.
What if the family needs a different person or a different role?
Sometimes the problem is not that either side behaved badly. The family’s circumstances may simply have changed. A child starts school, a new baby arrives, parents’ hours change, or the household now needs more housekeeping than the original nanny brief included.
In that situation, decide whether the existing role can be changed by agreement, whether a nanny-housekeeper is now a better fit, or whether a separate housekeeper should be added.
How do you ask Filipino Nanny for help?
For a current placement introduced by the agency, email or contact the agency with the placement details and the issue you need help with. If you are starting a new search after the existing position has ended, use the client enquiry form so the new brief can be scoped properly.
Key takeaway
A placement problem should be diagnosed before it is labelled a failed match. The agency’s current replacement terms distinguish candidate-related departures from changed job specifications and other causes. Keep the role documented, raise concerns clearly, and use the correct employment process where the issue could lead to formal action or dismissal.