For London’s discerning homeowners, household staff are more than employees—they’re trusted insiders. A housekeeper might overhear a business deal in Belgravia; a chauffeur might drive a VIP through Knightsbridge. With such access, vetting isn’t just a step—it’s the foundation of trust. At Marshall Harber, we’ve spent decades perfecting our vetting process to protect private households across the UK and beyond. Here’s why it matters, what it involves, and how we ensure your peace of mind.

The Stakes: Privacy and Safety First
In a high-net-worth home, the risks are high. A single lapse—a nanny sharing gossip, a butler with an unverified background—can disrupt your life. Vetting mitigates this by ensuring staff are reliable, discreet, and safe. It’s not just about skills; it’s about character. Imagine a housekeeper who, without proper checks, shares details of your home on social media. For families who value privacy above all, that’s a risk you can’t afford.

What Thorough Vetting Looks Like
A robust vetting process covers multiple layers:
• DBS Checks: A Disclosure and Barring Service check flags any criminal history, ensuring staff are safe to work in your home—especially around children or valuables.
• Reference Calls: We don’t just read references; we call past employers to verify performance, reliability, and discretion. Did they handle sensitive situations well? Were they punctual?
• Identity and Right-to-Work: We confirm legal work status and identity, crucial in a city like London with strict regulations.
• Behavioural Interviews: We ask pointed questions—“How do you handle overhearing private conversations?”—to gauge instincts on privacy and professionalism.

The Difference It Makes
Thorough vetting ensures peace of mind. Consider a chauffeur role: without proper checks, you might hire someone with a history of reckless driving, putting your family at risk. Or picture a nanny who hasn’t been vetted for discretion—she might unintentionally share details about your children’s routines. Our process catches these red flags early, ensuring every candidate we place—whether a butler, housekeeper, or estate manager—is someone you can trust implicitly. We prioritise discretion at every step, so your household’s privacy remains sacred.

Why Choose an Agency?
DIY vetting can be daunting—time-consuming and risky if you miss a step. Agencies like Marshall Harber take the burden off your shoulders. We pre-screen every candidate, from housekeepers to estate managers, ensuring they meet our exacting standards before they reach your door. Our network spans London to international estates, giving us access to the best—vetted for your trust.

The Bottom Line
Vetting isn’t a formality; it’s a safeguard. It protects your privacy, your family, and your home’s harmony. For discerning London households, that’s non-negotiable.
Ready for staff you can trust? Marshall Harber delivers London’s finest, vetted with care. Contact us today.

The modern butler is a master of quiet precision, blending tradition with today’s demands in London’s discerning households. Far from the stiff stereotypes of yesteryear, today’s butlers are versatile professionals—part manager, part confidant. At Marshall Harber, we’ve placed butlers in residences from Mayfair to Monaco, each adapting to their household’s rhythm. Step into a busy event day for one such butler in a Kensington townhouse, to see why they’re indispensable.

6:30 AM: The Day Begins
The butler rises early, slipping into a crisp uniform—white shirt, black waistcoat, polished shoes. First task: a sweep of the home. He adjusts curtains to let in soft morning light, checks the dining room for breakfast prep, and syncs with the housekeeper via a shared app to confirm the day’s cleaning schedule. A quick glance at the weather app ensures he’s ready—rain means umbrellas at the door.

8:00 AM: Breakfast and Briefings
As the family gathers, the butler oversees breakfast—porridge with honey, fresh berries, and coffee, laid out with precision. He’s briefed the chef on preferences (no dairy for the eldest child) and ensures the table is flawless. While they eat, he reviews the day’s schedule: a school run, a client lunch for the parents, and an evening cocktail event. He texts the chauffeur to confirm timings, then arranges dry cleaning pickup for a suit needed tonight.

11:00 AM: Managing the Unexpected
A last-minute request arrives—the client lunch needs a venue change. The butler calls a trusted Mayfair restaurant, securing a private room, then updates the chauffeur. Meanwhile, he oversees a florist delivery for the evening event, arranging lilies in a crystal vase himself. Discretion is key: when a courier drops off a confidential package, he ensures it’s stored securely, no questions asked.

1:00 PM: A Brief Respite
With the family out, the butler takes a well-earned break—lunch in the staff quarters, perhaps a quick cup of tea while reviewing the evening plan. He meets with a contractor fixing a leak in the guest wing, ensuring work stays on schedule, then checks the wine cellar, ordering a case of the family’s favourite Chablis to replenish stock.

6:00 PM: Evening Elegance
The cocktail event looms. The butler transforms the drawing room—candles lit, playlist queued, glasses sparkling. He briefs the temporary staff on guest names and preferences, ensuring seamless service. As the family returns, he helps the host with a tie adjustment, then greets arrivals with a warm, understated smile. During the event, he’s a shadow—refilling drinks, clearing plates, all while laughter flows uninterrupted.

9:00 PM: Winding Down
Guests gone, the butler oversees cleanup, ensuring the home is pristine by 9:30 PM. He sets out the family’s evening tea—chamomile, as requested—then prepares for tomorrow: laying out school uniforms, confirming a car service for a 7:00 AM airport run. Before retiring, he sends a quick report to the family office, noting the evening’s success. On quieter days, he’d finish earlier, but events like tonight demand extra care.

Why It Matters
This butler doesn’t just serve—he orchestrates. His blend of tradition, tech-savvy, and discretion makes the household hum. For London’s discerning families, that’s the gold standard.
Need a butler to elevate your home? Marshall Harber connects you with London’s finest, vetted for excellence. Contact us today.

Employing household staff can be an incredibly rewarding experience for both the employer and employee. Not only does it provide much-needed support to busy households, but it also allows employers to build relationships with people who have diverse backgrounds and experiences. That said, there are many things that employers should consider before they bring new staff into their homes. Let’s take a look at five of them.

1. Understand Your Legal Requirements
It is important to understand the legal requirements that come with employing household staff, such as tax payments, minimum wage requirements, and other applicable labor laws. This will ensure that you are compliant with all regulations and avoid any potential legal issues in the future. It is important to remember that each country or state has different laws regarding employment—so be sure to research the specific regulations in your area before hiring anyone.
2. Develop Clear Job Descriptions
Having a clear job description for each role you need filled is essential for ensuring your expectations are properly communicated from the start. This will help ensure that your employees understand what is expected of them from day one and provide clarity when managing their performance throughout their employment.
3. Provide Adequate Training
Providing adequate training for your employees is critical for ensuring they know how to perform their job duties safely and efficiently—especially if they are working in a potentially hazardous environment like a kitchen or around any type of machinery or tools. Depending on the specific role, you may need to get additional certifications or licenses in order for your employee to legally work in certain roles like childcare or medical caretaking positions.
4. Establish Boundaries
Establishing boundaries between yourself and your employees will help maintain professional relationships while still allowing everyone involved to have a comfortable working environment. It’s important to make sure that everyone understands what is acceptable behaviour while they are on the job so that there are no misunderstandings down the line about what is expected from both sides of the relationship.
5 . Review Their Performance Regularly
Regularly reviewing an employee’s performance can help keep them motivated and open up opportunities for improvement when needed—plus it gives employers an opportunity to recognise good work! Performance reviews also give employers insight into how their staff feels about certain aspects of their job so they can better address any issues that may arise over time.

Taking on household staff can be incredibly rewarding when done responsibly. By understanding your legal requirements, developing clear job descriptions, providing adequate training, establishing boundaries, and reviewing performance regularly, employers can ensure that both themselves and their employees have an enjoyable experience all around! Doing this will ultimately create positive relationships between employers and employees while helping both sides reach success in their respective fields!

For high net worth families, having an experienced and reliable personal assistant can be invaluable. From managing their daily activities to providing support for family members, personal assistants play an important role in helping their employers live a comfortable lifestyle. Here’s a look at the responsibilities of private family personal assistants.

Organizational Responsibilities
One of the primary duties of a private family personal assistant is to organize their employer’s day-to-day life. This includes managing calendars, scheduling appointments, making travel arrangements, and coordinating with other staff members. Assistants may also be responsible for filing paperwork, taking notes during meetings, and performing administrative tasks like data entry or document preparation. Any tasks that need to be completed on a regular basis should fall under the scope of this position.

Family Support
In addition to administrative duties, private family personal assistants are often tasked with providing support directly to family members. They may help monitor children’s educational progress or coordinate extracurricular activities for them. They may also run errands or take care of any other needs that arise within the household. It is important for these assistants to have excellent organizational skills as well as strong interpersonal communication abilities in order to effectively handle these kinds of tasks.

Other Duties
The exact duties of a private family’s personal assistant will vary depending on the specific needs of their employer’s household. In some cases they may be asked to manage household finances or oversee repairs and maintenance jobs around the home. They may also be responsible for handling vendors or contractors who work with the family on special projects or repairs as needed. In short, no two days are ever quite the same when it comes to being a personal assistant in a high net worth household!

A private family's personal assistant plays an important role in helping their employers maintain an orderly lifestyle while providing direct support to each member of the family when necessary. Responsibilities range from organizing daily activities and making travel arrangements to monitoring children's educational progress and handling vendors and contractors for home repairs or special projects. No matter what type of task is required, it is essential for private family personal assistants to have excellent organizational skills as well as strong interpersonal communication abilities in order to successfully carry out their duties on behalf of their employer's household.

If you’re looking for a role in private household staff, you may be wondering what type of roles are available and how to get started. This article will provide an overview of the types of private household staff positions, as well as tips for finding and applying for these jobs.

Types of Private Household Staff Positions
There are many types of private household staff positions available. Some of the most common roles include butlers, chefs, housekeepers, nannies, gardeners, chauffeurs and security specialists. Each position requires specific skills and training so it is important to research each job thoroughly before applying.

Finding Private Household Staff Positions
The best way to find private household staff jobs is through online job boards or recruitment agencies that specialise in such roles. It is also beneficial to network with other professionals in this field who can provide advice and contacts that may be useful when searching for jobs. Additionally, many employers advertise their job openings on social media platforms such as LinkedIn or Facebook.

Applying for a Position
When applying for a position in private household staff it is important to have an up-to-date resume which should include relevant experience, references and any additional qualifications you may possess which could set you apart from other applicants. You should also make sure your cover letter is tailored specifically to the job you are applying for; this shows the employer that you have taken the time to consider their requirements carefully and taken the initiative to craft a unique application. During your interview, it is essential to demonstrate your enthusiasm and dedication towards the role, as well as having excellent communication skills and a positive attitude towards working with others.

Working in private household staff can be extremely rewarding; however it does require special skills and knowledge that must be acquired through training or experience before one can apply for these positions successfully. It is essential to stay informed about the different types of private household staff roles available so that you can properly prepare yourself for each job application; networking with professionals in this field can also prove invaluable when looking for employment opportunities. With hard work and dedication there will always be a place within this industry if you have the right skillset!

The Housekeeper is at the centre of all staffed houses. Whether it be part of a domestic couple, or part of a team in a formal household. Perhaps they operate in a combined role of Housekeeper/Nanny or Housekeeper/Cook. In any private household employing domestic staff, this particular category of staff is integral.

Finding the right housekeeper for the right job can be a challenge. A housekeeper needs a lot of skills and qualities in order to really succeed in the role. Whether you have an informal family home and only someone for a couple of days a week, or you have a larger more formal setup and you want a dedicated staff member on hand at all times, using an agency that specialises in household staff will significantly ease the process.

Choosing the right housekeeper can take some time, and you need a recruitment agency that can provide you with the best possible candidates. A housekeeper can perform a wide range of duties, from laundry and cooking to running errands, organising the home and supervising other staff if required.
Our consultants have a good understanding of how difficult it can be to find the right person for the role. Whether you’d like to hire a housekeeper, a chauffeur, an estate manager, chef or a cleaner, the team at Marshall Harber will be happy to assist you finding the right candidate for your needs and your environment.

If you are looking for your next Housekeeping job, please visit our Job Board to view all currently available vacancies.