Having an ayi (housekeeper) is one of the perks of living in China. Chances are high that most Westerners could not afford to hire weekly or bi-weekly cleaning services back in their home country. Thanks to the relatively cheap cost of labor over here, however, everyone from CEO's to English teachers can hire one. But there are a few things you should keep in mind when hiring an ayi in Shenzhen. Read on for some basic guidelines for a harmonious (and clean!) home.

What kind of ayi do you need?

Before you begin looking for an ayi, it is worth having a think about what exactly her duties will entail. For many – in particular young single people – simple housework such as dusting, bathroom/kitchen cleaning, mopping, sweeping, and laundry are sufficient. Others will have a much longer list of requirements for their ayi, such as child care, cooking, shopping and more in depth domestic tasks. In these situations it is worth considering more thorough methods for finding an ayi. Families with specific and intensive needs may consider hiring a live-in ayi. Of course, there is always the middle ground; for example, someone might require an ayi for light domestic work and also for minor administrative tasks requiring an increased level of trust, for example paying utility bills.

How to find who you need

1) Word of Mouth/Recommendations
Generally the most fool proof way of finding an ayi is by word of mouth through recommendations from a friend or perhaps a friend of a friend. This is a great means for finding an ayi with a solid track record. In many complexes in Shenzhen, residents form very close-knit communities and it doesn’t hurt to ask friendly neighbours to put their ‘feelers’ out and make inquiries about finding quality ayis. This can be a great means for seeking domestic help that is very local, should short notice call out be one of your requirements.

Another advantage of this method is that there is no ‘middleman’ so to speak of: by finding an ayi on your own steam and employing her independently you can negotiate a price and know that the whole of the fee goes to the lady in question.

2) Agencies
There are a number of companies that cater to the needs of expat families: in particular expat families requiring more involved ayi services than a simple once over with a mop once a week. Often families – especially newcomers to Shenzhen – require an ayi that is able to speak rudimentary English, so as to make proceedings a little smoother. A number of companies supply such a service with ayis that they themselves have provided with English language training. This is a god send for many, as in the pool of ayis accessible by the means that many Chinese people use, English speakers are as rare as hen’s teeth.

Shenzhen  Shunxing Housekeeping 深圳顺和兴家政服务有限公司 View In Map
Add: Room 404, Haochang Building, Mingzhu Erlu, Shajing Jiedao, Bao’an District, Shenzhen
地址：深圳市宝安区沙井街道明珠二路濠昌大楼404室
Tel: 0755 2724 4730
Getting there: take bus No, 756, 779, 781 or m254 to Mingzhu Shichang stop (明珠市场站)

Shenzhen Wanjia Housekeeping 深圳市万家家政服务有限公司 View In Map
Add:  11G, Blg 3, Jinhaiyan Gardens, Qiaocheng Donglu, Nanshan District, Shenzhen
地址：深圳市南山区侨城东路金海燕花园3栋11G(侨城店)
Tel: 0755 2694 3875(Qiaocheng branch)

Shenzhen Jiangzhifan Housekeeping 深圳市江之帆家政服务有限公司 View In Map
Add: 107-9 Bujizhenji Lu, Longgang District, Shenzhen
地址：深圳市龙岗区布吉镇吉华路107-9号
Tel: 0755 2828 1805
Email: JZF2828@163.com
Website: http://www.28281805.com
Getting there: take the Longgang or central metro line to Buji station

More Shenzhen housekeeping listings here.

How much to pay

Rates obviously differ from ayitoayi, but there is usually a rough range you can expect to pay in Shenzhen. The range differs depending on a number of factors, including the frequency with which you want the ayito come clean the apartment or house, the duties you want performed (For example, will she just clean? Clean and cook? Clean, cook, and baby-sit your children?), and the experience level of the ayi. You can arrange with the ayi beforehand whether she would prefer to be paid by the hour or by the month. The hourly charge can range from 18 to 20 RMB, while the monthly rate is roughly equivalent to the hourly rate times how many hours per month she visits. Live-in au-pairs who do child care and cleaning services can cost from 4000-800 RMB per month, with salary increases over time, while live-in ayis who only do housekeeping chores generally earn about 2500 RMB per month.

Ayi hiring tips

• It’s highly unlikely that your new ayi will be aware of all your needs straight away. Rather than giving an ayi free reign and then getting upset when she doesn’t do things just so, try to communicate with her as much as possible
• Agencies provide flexible housekeeping services and are great for finding help for performance of lighter tasks. Don’t be afraid employ a little trial and error, by requesting a new ayi from a company.
• When searching for a live in ayi or one involved in child care, prepare yourself well for holding interviews. Outlining all of your potential requirements is a must as you don’t want to end up hiring an ayi that refuses to perform a given task.
• Standards of hygiene vary widely between all people. Sometimes ayis consider something looking clean as, for all intents and purposes, being clean. Also, for others there is a rule that if you can not see it; then it doesn’t require cleaning. If you take a shine to your ayi but she seems to have different standards of cleanliness, try to be patient in explaining how you wish for things to be done. This effort is often infinitely better than looking for someone all over again.
• The Ayi Survival Guide is an indispensable resource for all manner of other questions you might have and is readily available to purchase online.

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