Letting someone into your home — to look after your children, cook or keep the house running — is one of the highest-trust decisions you will make.And not all domestic staffing agencies work the same way: legality, guarantees, how rigorously they vet candidates and how they charge can vary enormously.
This guide brings together the criteria that genuinely matter when comparing agencies in Spain, with a checklist so you can decide on facts rather than instinct. The aim isn't to point fingers at anyone, but to give you a clear yardstick for choosing with confidence.
One important note before we start: it helps to separate two costs. The agency's fee (what it charges to find your candidate) is different from what the employee costs. The latter is made up of the salary — full-time, this starts at the 2026 minimum wage: €1,221/month over 14 payments (€1,424.50 over 12) or €9.55/hour, rising with experience and profile — and, separately, employer-paid Social Security. We break this down in full on our pricing page.
01LEGALITY
1. Placement agency: check it operates legally
In Spain, selecting and placing domestic staff is reserved for placement agencies, which operate with a number from the public employment service (SEPE).Before anything else, ask for that number and check it: it's the difference between a properly regulated business and an informal middleman. A placement agency takes on real responsibilities around data protection, contracts and the fair treatment of workers.
What to ask for: the placement agency number, a documented selection process, and a clear explanation of who is responsible for what at each step. Maids & Co is placement agency no. 1300000318 — a public, verifiable detail you can check without taking our word for it.
02GUARANTEE AND REFERENCES
2. Guarantee, replacement and genuinely verified references
A good hire can still fall through for any number of reasons, and that's where a written guarantee earns its keep.Look at the period it covers, whether it includes a free replacement and the conditions for triggering it. Be wary of verbal promises — insist it's set out in the service agreement.
The second decisive filter is how references are checked. Reading a CV is not the same as calling previous employers to confirm real experience, duties and conduct. That direct verification is probably what reduces risk the most. At Maids & Co we back every selection with a guarantee — a free replacement within 6 months in Madrid, Barcelona and Marbella and, wherever you are, a 50% refund of the fee if you're not satisfied in the first month — and we check references by speaking directly with each candidate's previous employers.
03FEES
3. Transparent, success-based fees
How an agency charges tells you a lot about it.The fairest model for a family is a clear fee, quoted upfront and paid only if you actually hire — the so-called 'success-based' fee. That way the agency's interest is aligned with yours (finding the right person), and you avoid retainers, lock-ins or paying just to 'search'.
The Maids & Co fee is one month's agreed gross salary plus VAT (21% in Spain; outside Spain, whatever applies), in a single payment you only make once you take someone on and are happy. Before you confirm the hire, the service includes 2 trial days with the candidate so you can check the fit. We confirm the exact amount beforehand, with no obligation. Remember this fee is separate from what the employee costs: the salary (full-time, from the 2026 minimum wage of €1,221/month over 14 payments or €9.55/hour, depending on experience and profile) and, separately, employer-paid Social Security, which we set out in full on our pricing page.
04CONTRACT AND REGISTRATION
4. Help with the contract and Social Security registration
Employing domestic staff comes with legal obligations that are not optional: you must draw up a contract and register the person with Social Security from the very first hour of work, including for hourly roles.Paying cash-in-hand without registration is not legal and leaves both sides without cover in the event of sick leave or an accident.
An agency worth its fee won't leave you alone with the paperwork. Check that it guides you through the contract, the registration and the terms (salary, hours, extra payments, holidays). At Maids & Co we support you with the contract and Social Security registration so the placement is fully compliant from day one.
05SPECIALISATION
5. Specialisation, verifiable reviews and when an agency is worth it
Not every agency covers every profile well.If you're after a live-in housekeeper, a nanny with languages, a cook or a house manager, prioritise specialisation: a well-matched profile lasts longer and fits your household better. And sense-check reputation with verifiable, independent reviews — on Google, for instance — not only the testimonials a website hand-picks. Maids & Co holds 4.8 stars from 93 Google reviews and a premium selection built for demanding households.
In fairness: you don't always need an agency. Hiring a candidate directly or through a platform can cost less and work well if you have the time to advertise the role, screen, interview, check references and handle the contract and registration yourself. An agency earns its place when you want to save that time, lower the risk with real verification and a guarantee, and have a single point of contact who answers if something doesn't go to plan. Choose based on how much you value your time and peace of mind.
THE NEXT STEP
Put the checklist to the test with us
Ready to choose with confidence? Tell us what your home needs and receive your first verified profiles in under 3 hours — with nothing to pay until you hire.
“We are very happy with our experience with Maids & Co. We had quite a demanding search, as we have three children under five and were preparing for a big international move from New York to Spain. Although we were unlucky with a few candidates who changed…”
Tatiana2 months ago · Google review
★★★★★
“Isabella and her team were fantastic in helping us find a nanny. From an initial call to align on profiles to the process and platform they use, together with the candidates presented, it was a smooth an easy process. They were very communicative and helped…”
David5 months ago · Google review
★★★★★
“Great and easy experience hiring our new house keeper with Maids & Co. They are very helpful and were continuously searching for the perfect candidate. We are very happy and will keep working with them in the future.”
Georgia6 months ago · Google review
★★★★★
“My experience having Maids&Co supporting me finding and choosing an assistent was the best! Very organized, plenty of good options, speedy and trustworthy. I recommend it.”
Check that it's a placement agency with a number from the public employment service and ask for that number. Maids & Co is placement agency no. 1300000318, a public and verifiable detail. A legal agency documents its selection process, respects data protection and works with proper contracts.
It varies, but the most common and fairest model is a fee of roughly one month's salary, paid only if you hire. At Maids & Co it's one month's gross salary plus VAT (21% in Spain; outside Spain, whatever applies), in a single success-based payment with no retainers or lock-ins, and it includes 2 trial days with the candidate before you confirm the hire. That fee is separate from what the employee costs: the salary (full-time, from the 2026 minimum wage of €1,221/month over 14 payments or €9.55/hour) and, separately, employer-paid Social Security.
A clear, written period and a free replacement if the person doesn't work out. In our main hubs (Madrid, Barcelona and Marbella), Maids & Co offers a 6-month guarantee with one free replacement if the person leaves or doesn't settle in. And wherever you are, if you're not satisfied during the first month, we refund 50% of the fee. Always ask for the guarantee to be stated in the service agreement and check the conditions for triggering it.
If you have the time to search, interview, verify references and handle the contract and registration, hiring directly can cost less. An agency is worth it when you want to save time, lower the risk with genuine reference checks, and have a guarantee and a single point of contact. With Maids & Co you also only pay if you hire, and you receive your first profiles in under 3 hours.
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