Intrigued by long-running advert in Guardian: Home help needed for female writer...

Charityworker

Perhaps the shopping bit is part of her interview process. Seeing as it's part of what your duties would be and she thinks it's complicated. No one yet has got it right in her eyes so that's why she's always advertising.

I had a similar thing about a year ago. I saw an advert in a shop window asking for someone to help an elderly person sort their paperwork out. After a quick phone call she invited me round. She didn't really ask anything about me but I did have a nice chat about my kids, my husband, my holiday and anything else irrelevant and a nice slice of cake and a cup of tea. Anyway, while I was there I noticed a photo on her sideboard of a woman who I recognised as being the woman who works in the corner shop near where I live. The next time I went in there I asked her about it and she said that the lady was her mum and she is a very lonely lady who likes having people round for a chat. She does need someone to do her paperwork but as yet hasn't found anyone who she thinks is suitable. The ad is still in the shop window a year later.

Raksha

Charityworker wrote: »

Perhaps the shopping bit is part of her interview process. Seeing as it's part of what your duties would be and she thinks it's complicated. No one yet has got it right in her eyes so that's why she's always advertising.

I had a similar thing about a year ago. I saw an advert in a shop window asking for someone to help an elderly person sort their paperwork out. After a quick phone call she invited me round. She didn't really ask anything about me but I did have a nice chat about my kids, my husband, my holiday and anything else irrelevant and a nice slice of cake and a cup of tea. Anyway, while I was there I noticed a photo on her sideboard of a woman who I recognised as being the woman who works in the corner shop near where I live. The next time I went in there I asked her about it and she said that the lady was her mum and she is a very lonely lady who likes having people round for a chat. She does need someone to do her paperwork but as yet hasn't found anyone who she thinks is suitable. The ad is still in the shop window a year later.

Does she realise how risky this may be for an elderly lady?

miss.p_2

wow! i didnt realise this thread was still running, and for those of you who thought me (Miss.P) and Gumby.S were trolls, no we are real people.

i am sitting at my desk, at work, having my lunch and reading the recent threads.

last year, after my bad experience with this employer and having put up the information about me and Gumby.S meeting up etc, alot of our threads were removed. i found it quite annoying, that why i have not been back on here and didnt put more information up as it was getting delted on a daily basis.

i only joined the thread to find out if anyone had known this woman or had a similiar experience, myself and Gumby.S did meet and did go round to see her, we put up the details and got a lot of flack from people on here, saying we were stalkers etc, the woman gave us her address and wanted us to come round with shopping etc, which we had to pay for first and the rest.

it was not nice, quite upsetting in fact, and even more so to put on here what we had experienced and then get flack for it,

so just to let you know that we are no trolls and we are not 'burried under the patio or under a bridge' as one put it.

sorry to those who inboxed me, i have not been on her for ages and have only seen your messages now.

jill25

I do know as an insider that this lady is particular about who comes to her house and is difficult to please. Understandable if you are living alone and vulnerable. Living alone for a long time, you can lose self awareness.

jill25

I had a similar experience actually and she owes me over £100

[Deleted User]

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

Why are people assuming she isn't actually reimbursing people the cost of the shopping? I'm sure if she wasn't, there'd be far more adverse publicity about her!

You'd also hope this quote by the said newspaper own website would come into force... if people got clever and could prove the shopping expeditions at their own cost beforehand surely it would count as per below; (though accept this is why Chameleon is right?)

"You should never need to provide bank account details or any other financial information, or make any form of payment, when applying for a job. If you are ever asked to do this by a recruiter on our site please email..." last ad was placed Dec 2013 on that site interestingly

I agree this thread has been very intriguing and given me the shivers, thanks OP I knew there was a reason why I didn't want to be a domiciliary carer with shopping duties! :A

[Deleted User]

jill25 wrote: »

I had a similar experience actually and she owes me over £100

I wouldn't let it rest, that is what the likes of Money claim online are there for
https://www.gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money/court-fees