Ask seven questions before you choose a nanny agency: are the nannies employed, what has been checked, do we get the same person, what happens when she is ill, what is included in the price, is there a lock-in period, and do we get to meet the nanny first. The answers separate a company that takes responsibility from one that just passes on a name.
There are a dozen or so nanny companies in Stockholm, from national platforms with thousands of profiles to small local outfits like us. They look the same on the surface; they all promise safety and flexibility. The difference only shows when you ask concrete questions, ideally on the phone one evening when the children are asleep and you have time to listen to how the answers sound. Here are the seven that decide it.
Before you ring: three things to check yourself
- Is the company approved for F-tax and registered as an employer? You can see this at Skatteverket (the Swedish Tax Agency) and Bolagsverket (the Swedish Companies Registration Office) in a few minutes. F-tax is the Swedish business tax registration; without it, you become liable for the tax.
- Is the price on the website? A company that knows what its service costs writes it down. One that wants to "look at your needs" first often has a price that depends on how much you seem able to pay.
- Is there a human being with a name and a phone number? Not a form, not a chat. A number for someone who actually answers, and who is the same person the next time you ring.
1. Are the nannies employed, or just introduced?
This is the most important question, and the one most people forget. A company that employs its nannies pays wages, employer contributions, holiday pay and insurance. A company that introduces gives you a name, and sometimes you become the employer yourself without realising it, with tax deductions and employer declarations to follow.
Ask straight out: "Is the nanny employed by you?" The answer should be a yes with no caveats.
2. What have you checked before the nanny meets us?
Interview, references, utdrag ur belastningsregistret (an extract from the Swedish Police criminal records register), paediatric CPR training. Ask for the list, and ask to see it, not just hear about it. A company that has done the checks has nothing against showing them. Ask too how old the record extract is: one shown three years ago says little about today. And ask who rang the references. The answer should be a name, not "we".
3. Do we get the same nanny every time?
Big platforms are built on availability: someone always comes, but not always the same someone. For a child that is a big difference. Ask what happens if the regular nanny is busy: do you get a new person with no warning, or do you find out in advance and meet the stand-in first?
4. What happens when the nanny is ill?
The question nobody asks and everybody should. The answer reveals whether the company has capacity or just a list. A reasonable answer includes a timeframe and a promise that you will not be charged if they cannot solve it. Be suspicious of a company that promises it always works out. It does not, not even with us, and an honest answer is worth more than a pretty one.
5. What is included in the hourly rate?
| Should be included | If it is not |
|---|---|
| The nanny's wages and holiday pay | Ask who pays them |
| Employer contributions, 31.42 % | The price is not comparable |
| Insurance during the session | You carry the risk |
| Checks before the first meeting | You do the work yourself |
| The RUT deduction handled | You apply yourself |
An hourly rate under 300 kronor before RUT in Stockholm almost always means something in the left-hand column is missing. RUT is the Swedish tax deduction for household services, taken off the invoice directly. Do the sums yourself: a gross wage of 150 kronor plus employer contributions and holiday pay is 215 kronor before the company has earned a single krona. Ask too whether there are start-up fees, monthly fees or a minimum number of hours per session. Those rarely appear on the front page but turn up on the invoice.
6. Is there a lock-in period?
There should not be. A company that believes in its service does not need to tie you down. Ask about notice periods and cancellation rules, and ask to have them in writing before you start.
7. Do we get to meet the nanny before we decide?
In your home, with the children present, free of charge. It is the only way to know whether it works, and the only way for your child to recognise the person who turns up the first time for real.
Warning signs in the first call
- You only get a price after handing over your phone number and address.
- The answer to "is the nanny employed?" begins with "it depends".
- The company cannot say how many nannies it has, or gives a number that sounds like an app rather than a team.
- Nobody asks about your children. A company that is going to match a person with your family ought to want to know ages, languages and what the children like.
- You are promised a nanny by tomorrow. That is only possible if no checks have been done, or if the same person is sent to everyone.
Three ways to get a nanny, compared
| Platform | Company with employees | Employing yourself | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who is the employer | Often you, without knowing it | The company | You |
| Checks | Varies, often the profile itself | The company, before the first meeting | You do them |
| When she is ill | You look for someone new | The company tries to solve it | You look for someone new |
| RUT deduction | Sometimes, if you arrange it | Taken off the invoice | You apply yourself |
| Suits | Occasional evenings, older children | Regular hours, small children | Families who want to handle everything themselves |
How we answer the seven questions
At Happy Nanny the nannies are employed. Aleksandra interviews every nanny herself, first by phone or video and then in person, rings two or three references from real employers, sees the criminal record extract and checks paediatric CPR. You get the same nanny every time, and you meet her in your home before you decide. The price is from 165 kronor an hour after RUT, and it is published openly on the prices page. No lock-in period, no start-up or monthly fees.
When a nanny is ill, we are honest: the session is usually cancelled, and we offer another nanny when we can. For families with many sessions a week we recommend two nannies who both know the children. During working hours the nanny is covered by our liability insurance with Trygg-Hansa. The things that concern your family specifically, hours, notice and what should go on the note, we go through at the first meeting. We would rather promise nothing than promise something we cannot keep.
How we do it with our families
A typical first meeting looks like this: the nanny comes to a family in Sollentuna at six on a Tuesday, just before the children's dinner, because that is when she sees what everyday life is actually like. She sits down on the floor with the four-year-old while the parents ask their questions, often exactly the seven above. She brings the list of what has been checked and explains which nanny she has in mind and why, for instance Denise for a family who want Spanish in their daily life. The meeting takes just under an hour and costs nothing. Then the family thinks it over. Many ring the next day, some never, and that is how it should be.
Would you like a nanny who comes the same days every week and whom the children know? Book a free first meeting with the nanny in your own home, and we will work out a quote for your hours.
Read more: How much does a nanny cost in Stockholm in 2026? · What does a nanny earn? Pay and conditions in 2026 · Insurance when you have a nanny · FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What should you ask a nanny agency?
Seven things: whether the nannies are employed or just introduced, what has been checked before they meet you, whether you get the same person every time, what happens when she is ill, what is included in the hourly rate, whether there is a lock-in period, and whether you get to meet the nanny before you decide. Ask for the answers in writing if you are unsure.
Is a platform or an employer better?
An employer. Then wages, employer contributions, insurance and responsibility sit with the company. With a platform you often become the employer yourself without knowing it, with everything that entails in tax deductions, employer declarations and liability if something happens during the session. Ask straight out, and do not settle for a vague answer.
Why are some nanny companies so much cheaper?
Usually because employer contributions of 31.42 percent are not being paid, or because the nanny is not employed. An employed nanny costs the employer at least 215 kronor an hour before a single administrative cost is counted. A price far below that means someone else is carrying the cost, often the nanny herself or you.
How do you know whether a nanny agency is serious?
Check that the company is approved for F-tax and registered as an employer, that the price is published openly, and that you get the name of a person who answers. A company that will not say what it costs until after a sales call has something to hide. Look too at how old the company is and who is behind it.
What happens if we do not get on with the nanny?
With a serious company you say so, and you get a different person. It should not cost anything or require an explanation. Ask about it before you start: how do you change nanny, and how long does it take? With us a new match normally takes one to two weeks, and you meet the new nanny in your home first.