A live-in maid is a different arrangement from a day-shift one, not just longer hours. Someone is living in your home, and that asks more of the household as well as of the worker. Most live-in placements that fail do so because the household hadn't thought through what it was offering.
What your home genuinely needs to offer
- A private room, ideally with an attached bathroom, not a shared or storage space
- Food, and clarity about whether it is shared family meals or separate
- Real time off: a weekly day, and hours in the evening that are genuinely free
- A way to stay in touch with family, and occasional leave to visit them
Describe the room honestly before anyone arrives
The fastest way to lose a live-in placement is for someone to arrive and find the room is not what was described. Say exactly what it is.
Pay
Live-in maids earn at the top of the local range, with food and accommodation on top of salary. In Islamabad and Rawalpindi that range is roughly Rs 25,000 to Rs 60,000 a month; accommodation is not a substitute for fair pay.
What to agree in writing before day one
- Salary and the date it's paid each month
- Duties, listed specifically
- Working hours, and when the day actually ends
- The weekly day off and annual leave
- Notice on both sides, and what happens to accommodation if it ends
Checks that matter more for live-in
Everything you would check for a day-shift maid, plus a police character certificate, which matters far more when someone is in the house overnight. Take a permanent family address and a guarantor you can actually reach.
How to make it last
- Pay on the same date every month, without being asked
- Protect the time off you agreed to, rather than letting it erode
- Raise problems early and directly; most are fixable in the first weeks
- Treat the room as theirs: knock, and don't use it for storage
See also live-in vs live-out and what a fair agreement covers.
Households in the twin cities can also find maids in Rawalpindi through Staffly.
Looking for actual staff or work, not just information?
Browse staff who have already listed themselves across Pakistan, or list yourself for free.