terrible experience with babysitting service

My husband and I were invited to a wedding last night. We called Jumeirah Maids for a babysitter for our 3 children to arrive at 7:00pm. I confirmed this time twice with the company. So last night, I am ready at 7:00pm with a new dress, hair done, etc. to attend this wedding. 7:15 comes and no babysitter. I try calling, no answer. 7:30 comes and still no babysitter. I try calling again and still no answer. The third time I call, someone answers and she says she'll check with the driver and call me back. She doesn't call back. 15 minutes later, I call again. Apparently there was a mix up with drivers or something she says she'll send the sitter with a different driver and she'll be at my place in 10 or 15 minutes (it's now 8:00). In the meantime, our taxi is waiting downstairs for us. After a few phone calls back and forth with the driver, the sitter finally arrives at 8:40pm and now, of course, our taxi has left. Now, during this time, I have to put my two youngest children to bed. My husband and I call a new taxi, finally leaving the house at 9:00 pm!!! (2 hours late) We are too late to go to the wedding as it was a formal dinner and we felt we could not walk in half way through dinner so we decide to go for dinner instead. Before we left, my husband asked the sitter what time we needed to be home and she said 1:00 or 2:00 no problem. At 1:15 am I received a call from the driver asking what time he should pick her up and I told him in half an hour. We then left the restaurant and took a taxi home. When we arrived home, I found that the sitter had not done anything while we were out! My oldest son was asleep on the couch! There was a half eaten baby bottle on the rug, there were diapers, toys, blankets all over. There were dirty dishes in the sink. The kitchen counters were not wiped. I honestly could not see anything that she had done. She then presented me with a bill for her services (40 aed per hour) with an additional 70aed charge for a taxi home. I knew that a driver was picking her up and questioned her as to why we had to pay for a taxi when a driver would be taking her. My husband and I asked her why she didn't do any cleaning or tidying while we were out. She asked me if I would pay the bill and I said I would sort it with the company the next day (today). She left. I never asked her to leave. I assumed the driver would be waiting downstairs as it was now 2:00 am.

I received a call at 9:00 am this morning from the company wanting to know what happened last night. Instead of an apology from them for being so late I am accused of mistreating the babysitter. They say that I threw her out of my home! They say she had no way to get home! They give me excuses for the unsatisfactory job that she did. I get no compensation or apology for missing the wedding that we were supposed to attend. I am so shocked! They want to know when they can send the driver to pick up the money. I will pay the babysitter for her time but I am so unhappy. I have used their services regularly and have been very happy. Previous babysitters have been great. As a stay at home mother of three children, it really is a treat to come home to my babies all tucked safely in their beds and a tidy home. I didn't expect the babysitter to do a great deal of cleaning but as she arrived so late and didn't have children to deal with for very long, I did think she would at least tidy up and wash the few dishes that were in the sink, perhaps wipe the counters. (We were being charged 40aed per hour) Now she says that kids were sleeping in every room so she could not do any cleaning. Were they sleeping in the kitchen? Why would she leave my son on the couch? I told her to put him to bed within one hour after we left, but she did not. I found my five month old baby sleeping in her cradle with towels draped over the sides of her bed. Why?? What would stop the baby from pulling the towel down over her head?

I am so frustrated as the company really doesn't care! I needed to rant somewhere!!