The Informal Family Home

Our Fourth Live-In Couple Position: A Family Home in Borehamwood

Our fourth live-in role brought us to Borehamwood, working for a professional couple with three daughters—two at school and one at university. It was a warm, informal household, and we loved our time there. The family treated us exceptionally well, and the arrangement struck a great balance between work and life.

Kirsten’s primary duties were as a cook and housekeeper. She prepared breakfast daily for the two school-going girls, lunches for them to take, and dinners for the whole family Monday to Friday. Alongside this, she managed general housekeeping tasks like vacuuming, laundry, and keeping the house in pristine order.

The family home was a comfortable four- or five-bedroom house, with a lovely garden that I helped maintain alongside a daily gardener. My responsibilities included driving the girls to and from school, handling odd jobs like changing lightbulbs or unblocking drains, and managing contractors for any specialised work. I also assisted the gentleman of the house with his wedding and events business, based in a nearby barn on the property.

For the events, I built the barn’s website (still in use today), conducted viewings with potential clients, and was on hand to manage weddings, bar mitzvahs, and other occasions. Summers were busy with weekend events, so I occasionally worked seven days, but we balanced this out with quieter periods when the girls were on holiday.

We lived in a private annex next to the barn, which afforded us space and privacy. The role was rewarding, varied, and deeply enjoyable, and we formed a close bond with the family and their daughters. Even now, we remain in contact with the family, and this role stands out as one of our favourites.

We worked here until June 2016. At that time, we found our next job. Unfortunately, Craig was fired from that job.