What is a Household Staff recruitment agency?

A Household staff recruitment agency finds staff for private households. The agency is not the employer. The agency provides a full-service including job advert creation, interviewing, and screening applicants, matching applicants to the clients requirements, setting up interviews for both parties, and interview feedback. An introduction fee is charged to the client upon their decision to employ an applicant introduced by the agency.

What is a Franchise?

It is a business that belongs to you, the Franchisee. You operate under our brand, using our knowhow and we support you to grow your business. You have full autonomy over your working day. You are the boss, and you work flexibly. This gives you the opportunity to manage your work/life balance. You purchase the Franchise and pay an ongoing royalty to the Franchisor.

What is a Discovery Call?

Our discovery calls are generally 30 mins long, at a time to suit you. They are hosted by our Franchise Support Manager, Charlotte Maggs. The call is your opportunity to ask any questions prior to completing our application form and submitting a business plan.

How quickly can I start?

In short, this is flexible. Once you have completed your application form and submitted a business plan, we assess your suitability, this will mean meeting you, checking your background, references, and curriculum vitae. You will be able to view a draft of our Franchise agreement, and once all parties are happy to proceed you will need to undertake our training. This whole process can be completed in less than one month but can take a little longer; depending on your individual circumstances.

Do you reject Franchise applications?

We feel that it is important that every applicant shares our ethos, passion, and drive. And so, we do not offer a Franchise to everyone that applies.

Where does the training take place?

Training is blended and delivered both remotely and in-person. The in-person training takes place at our offices in Uckfield, West Sussex. We use online video calls and screen sharing, and you are set daily tasks to complete and are given personal support throughout the 2 weeks of training. Generally training will be provided in small groups where you will get the opportunity to meet other new franchisees joining the network at a similar time to you.

Can I visit your Head Office in Sussex?

Yes, by appointment, you may visit our Head Office and meet our team.

When do I meet the Founder, Frankie Gray?

You will meet our Founder face to face after you have submitted your application form, this is usually a ‘next steps’ video call followed by an in-person meeting once we have mutually decided that we are a ‘good fit’.

How much does a Franchise cost?

The initial fee is £20,000 plus vat for one exclusive territory on a five-year agreement. The agreement can be renewed for a further five years by mutual agreement.

What are the annual costs of running a franchise?

As you will likely be working from home, the operating costs are extremely low. We can guide you through possible overheads including royalty payments and marketing budget once you have applied.

What is the annual turnover for a typical franchise? 

Typical turnover for a franchise depends primarily on the individual success of the Franchisee.

Figures can be given to you as an illustration to represent actual performance of a Franchisee once you have submitted your application form.

Our franchisee recruitment process is designed to provide a clear overview of the Harmony at Home business, so that prospective franchisees can make a commercial decision on how to proceed. Further to this, franchisees are encouraged to take their own independent legal and financial advice before entering into the franchise agreement.

Please note, that there is no guarantee that you will achieve the figures presented to you, and it is not intended that you should rely on them as a warranty or guarantee.

Can you help me obtain funding?

Yes, we have contacts which we are happy to share with you. Government backed loans are allowed to be used in a Franchise business.

How quickly does a Franchise become established?

All new territories have candidates and clients, who are already being served by Harmony at Home Head Office. This means that new Franchises become established within a matter of weeks, and it is usual to have returned your investment by month 6.

Can I work from home?

Yes, all you need is a fast and reliable internet connection.

Can a Franchise be flexible in relation to family life?

Yes! This is one of the huge advantages of owning a Harmony at Home business Franchise.

How long is the training and how much does it cost?

Initial training takes around two weeks and is included in the cost of the Franchise.

Do you offer ongoing support?

Yes, we offer ongoing support to all our Franchisees. There are many ways to access support, and we have created a range of support methods to suit everyone’s needs, most importantly we want you to be self-supporting, and able to access what you need when you need it most. For example, you can book 1:1 15-minute video power sessions with our founder or join in our weekly drop in Support video call. Our manual, and network hub are full of resources and guides, and every year we offer support and training at our yearly conference. Head Office are on hand to offer telephone and email support, and our network of industry experts and more experienced Franchisees are readily available to help with any extraordinary queries.

What is a ‘business in a box’?

All new Franchisees receive everything they need, including printed materials to start their business.

Can I keep my other job and run this too?

No, the Franchise will require dedication, time and energy and you must be always readily available to build your business.

How do you define a Franchise territory?

Territories are defined with online mapping software, and each Franchisee has their own exclusive territory mapped. We will check the availability of a local territory for you when you apply.

Can I live outside my territory?

Sometimes, yes. However, we recommend that you are within easy reach of your territory to keep overheads low.

What is the market like for your services?

The private household staffing sector has seen salary increases year on year, and the average live out housekeeper-nanny salary is between £30,000.00 to £40,000.00 and live in is £30,000.00 to £33,500.00. Some private employers offer salaries for Estate Managers of £45,000.00. Some ultra-high net families offer salaries of £75,000.00 to £100,000.00 for an experienced and highly qualified Nanny-PA. We see yearly growth in the volume of enquires from household principals across all regions of the UK. A high-net-worth family will typically employ 3 to 4 members of staff, usually including a nanny, housekeeper, chef, and gardener. Ultra-high net worth households can have anything up to 30 staff.

Has the pandemic affected business?

We have flexed to offer our recruitment services remotely and have been able to continue providing our services throughout the pandemic to households across the UK. In home childcare is seen as one of the safest forms of childcare during the pandemic.

Can I contact other Franchisees to ask them about the opportunity?

After your application form has been received, and we feel that you are a good fit, we will arrange for you to speak to a selection of our current Franchisees. Please don’t contact them before, as they are very busy running their businesses.

Who is my contact for support and advice?

Your main source of support is provided by our Head Office team in Sussex.

How does Head Office communicate with Franchisees?

In addition to regular telephone and email contact, Head Office produces a quarterly newsletter and organises an annual conference with training, which all Franchisees attend. There is also a private Harmony at Home group available to all Franchisees, to exchange ideas and provide support.

What help will I receive for local advertising?

We are pleased to offer suggested marketing stories and images for you to use every month, for free.

Which professional trade organisations do you belong to?

Harmony at Home Limited is a member of four professional Childcare, Recruitment and Franchising trade bodies: the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (Pacey), the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), Quality Franchise Association (QFA), and the British Franchise Association (BFA).

Is your brand protected?

Yes, the Harmony at Home Limited brand logo became a registered trademark on the 5th August 2015

Our franchisee recruitment process is designed to provide a clear overview of the Harmony at Home business, so that prospective franchisees can make a commercial decision on how to proceed. Further to this, franchisees are encouraged to take their own independent legal and financial advice before entering into the franchise agreement.

Please note, that there is no guarantee that you will achieve the figures presented to you, and it is not intended that you should rely on them as a warranty or guarantee.