Tax deductions for cleaning in Norway and Sweden

The rules are different in Norway and Sweden. In Norway, you do not get a tax deduction when purchasing cleaning services from a company. In Sweden, private cleaning services, including move-out cleaning, can qualify for a RUT deduction on the labor cost when the requirements are met.

Norway

When you buy cleaning services from Vaskeladden or another company in Norway, you do not receive a tax deduction for the purchase.

The threshold amounts of 6,000 and 60,000 NOK that you may have heard about apply when a private individual directly employs another private individual to work in their home. They do not apply when you purchase cleaning services from a company or a sole proprietorship. The Norwegian Tax Administration explains the rules for pay for work in the home.

Sweden

In Sweden, the RUT deduction can cover up to 50 percent of the labor cost approved by Skatteverket, including VAT. Move-out cleaning and regular residential cleaning can be covered. Only actual working time on site is included in the basis. Materials, equipment, travel, and administration do not qualify for a RUT deduction and must be paid in full.

The main requirements are that:

• the work is performed in or near a home you use
• you are invoiced for and pay for the work
• you are at least 18 years old and have paid enough tax in Sweden
• the company is approved for F-tax when the agreement is entered into or the invoice is paid
• you provide the correct personal identity number (personnummer)
• you pay electronically, for example by card, Swish, direct debit, or online banking. Cash payments do not qualify for a RUT deduction

ROT and RUT deductions combined can be up to 75,000 Swedish kronor per person per year. How much you can actually receive depends on factors such as how much tax you have paid in Sweden, what other deductions you have used, and whether the work and the residence meet the requirements. See Skatteverket's complete RUT terms and conditions.

How pricing and payment work

When a Swedish quote from Vaskeladden includes RUT, you see both the standard total price including VAT and a preliminary amount payable after the RUT deduction. The deduction can be up to 50 percent of the approved labor cost. It is therefore not necessarily half of the total price if the quote includes costs that do not qualify for a RUT deduction.

Once you have selected RUT and verified your identity with BankID, we send the invoice with the preliminary RUT deduction subtracted. The amount is preliminary. BankID only confirms your identity, not that you meet the requirements or that Skatteverket has approved the deduction. If Skatteverket rejects all or part of the deduction because you do not meet the requirements, the work does not qualify for a RUT deduction, or you do not have enough deduction left, you must pay the rejected amount. We will not invoice you for amounts rejected because Vaskeladden submitted the claim incorrectly or late.

Only after the work has been performed and your electronic payment has been received can the company request payment of the preliminary deduction from Skatteverket. Skatteverket pays the approved amount to the company. Choosing the option in the quote does not mean that a claim has already been submitted or approved.

How to select RUT in a Vaskeladden quote

1. Check the price after the preliminary RUT deduction and the price without RUT in the quote.
2. Book the cleaning. You do not need BankID to book.
3. The morning after the cleaning, you receive the payment link by email. If you have not yet confirmed RUT with BankID, the invoice is for the full price, and the email asks you to confirm with BankID before you pay.
4. If you confirm with BankID before the invoice is paid, we credit it and send a new invoice with the RUT deduction, a new payment link and a new due date. You do not need to contact us. If you want to pay without RUT, pay the invoice you have received.

You can also confirm your identity with BankID before the cleaning, from the card at the top of the page for your order or from the Confirm RUT deduction button in the booking confirmation email. Both open your quote. If you have already paid the invoice without RUT, write to us and we will look into it. Without a verified personal identity number, the standard price applies. The selection records that you want a RUT assessment. It does not confirm that a claim has been sent to or approved by Skatteverket. Skatteverket determines whether the deduction is approved and how large it will be.

What do you see in the quote?

A Swedish quote shows the price after the preliminary RUT deduction as the main price. Below it, you see the price without RUT including VAT, and that the RUT price requires that you are eligible for RUT and confirm your identity with BankID before you pay. If you only see one amount, reload the page. If you still cannot find the deduction, ask Vaskeladden for clarification on the quote.

Is the RUT deduction approved?

The amount in the quote is preliminary. Selecting RUT and confirming your identity does not mean that Skatteverket has approved the deduction. Only after the work is completed and electronic payment is received can Vaskeladden submit the claim to Skatteverket.

You can check for yourself how much RUT deduction you have used and what has been approved on Skatteverket's Mina sidor. Vaskeladden cannot look up how much RUT deduction you have remaining.