It's a reasonable concern. Our current au pair sometimes tells us a little of what the other au pairs in the cluster are doing or saying, and sometimes I'm just shocked by what I hear. AP will say, "Oh so-and-so is rematching and moving to X state because she didn't like the host family's house and thought that her room was too small." Ugh.

Our AP should be pretty happy because she has her own bedroom and en-suite bathroom, the house is new construction (we moved into it not long after AP arrived), we provide an iphone, she has a designated car, etc. But damn ... sometimes I forget we hired a 19 year old girl from another country to live in our house for a year. I remember what I was like at 19. I wasn't a brat, per se, but I definitely didn't appreciate all that I had been given.

How can you generalize all Au Pairs and answer this question. Chances are that if she is from a big city in Europe than she grew up in an apartment. But if she is not from a big city than the size of her room may be an issue.

Former au pair here. I think the basement would had been a deal breaker for me too if it didnt't had a proper window, no matter if it had a jacuzzi, game room , humongous tv screen and gym. I had a lovely little room in the attic of my HF' house with two big windows but I remember feeling trapped when I visited other au pair friends who lived in really nice basements but with tiny windows that were above eye sight.

BTW if your house is clean, the AP's room is nice and cozy and you live in an area with metro access you au pair will be fine. I said clean because I had to rematch with my first HF because I couldn't even sit on their couch without getting my clothes full of dog's hair or finding dirty diapers between the couch pillows. I tried to clean whenever I could because the family was nice but there was only so much I could take.

Good luck with your match! I think the au pair program is a really wonderful thing if there is a proper match.

Anonymous wrote:Most basements in this area tend to have water problems and have only only one exit\adit. Frequently, there are mold\mildew problems. The dogs and cats don't even have to sleep in basememt so why wouldI expect a human to live in the basement. An AP needs her owm space, with private bath. This is 2013 not 1950.

While I agree that you shouldn't put an au pair in a space that floods or has mold problems or no second egress, that leaves plenty of perfectly appropriate basement living spaces. Of course an AP needs her own private room, but I disagree on the bath. Is it nicer for them? Sure of course. But as long as you're up front, there is no issue sharing.

I don't understand why the year makes a difference, but I will not that in the DC area anyway, most of the families that live close to the city where APs would want to live are in houses from the the 1940s or earlier unless they have a tear-down...so I guess APs would have to decide - far out in a modern home, or next to the hot spots but live "like you're in the 1950s" whatever you meant by that.

Our basement is a separate apartment with its own kitchen, living room, bathroom, laundry and exit door! Ant AP who rejects basements would be missing out. But she's welcome to the tiny room next to the kitchen if she really insists! Then she can listen to me get ready for work at 5:30!

Most basements in this area tend to have water problems and have only only one exit\adit. Frequently, there are mold\mildew problems. The dogs and cats don't even have to sleep in basememt so why wouldI expect a human to live in the basement. An AP needs her owm space, with private bath. This is 2013 not 1950.