High Fees, Low Safety: How Kashmir's Maid Market Exploits Families

By Faria Bhat

Hanan Ashraf still remembers the Monday his sister's maid vanished.

She left their home in Parimpora, Srinagar, without a word, leaving behind an empty room and a family full of questions.

Hours later, they discovered that money was missing.

The shock deepened when the police told them the maid had several criminal cases registered against her.

“She came through a local consultancy,” Hanan recalls.“They promised a trained, trustworthy helper. We assumed the agency had done its homework. They hadn't.”

Stories like Hanan's are becoming common in Kashmir, where a growing network of maid service agencies promises trained domestic workers to families balancing work and home life.

These agencies charge upfront fees between ₹50,000 and ₹80,000, while monthly salaries for workers range from ₹8,000 to ₹10,000.

Families, often desperate for help, trust agencies to verify backgrounds and skills. Many are left disappointed, or worse.

Dr. Fiza, a working mother in Srinagar, paid ₹50,000 for a maid under a one-year contract. Two months in, the maid stopped showing up.

“The agency promised a replacement, but nothing happened,” she says.“I spent weeks visiting their office, making calls, and only after persistent effort did I get my money back.”

Verification processes are inconsistent. Background checks, identity authentication, and family screenings are often cursory.

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