Cleaning and Finland's household tax credit in 2026: invoicing through Bisse.fi

Contents

1. The short answer
2. Why does the household tax credit matter for cleaning?
3. Which cleaning work can qualify?
4. The household tax credit in 2026
5. How should you price cleaning services?
6. Creating the invoice in Bisse.fi
7. Light entrepreneur or sole trader: what does the client see?
8. Examples of the client’s tax credit
9. When does cleaning not qualify?
10. Frequently asked questions
11. Putting it into practice

1. The short answer

Domestic cleaning generally qualifies for Finland’s household tax credit, or kotitalousvähennys, when performed in the client’s home, holiday home or a relative’s home covered by the Tax Administration’s rules. The client can claim the VAT-inclusive labour portion when the invoicing business is in the prepayment register and the invoice clearly identifies the labour charge.

For a Bisse.fi user, the priority is a clear invoice:

• put cleaning labour on its own line
• list supplies, travel and other expenses separately
• use a specific description, such as “Domestic cleaning at the client’s home”
• apply VAT correctly
• explain that the client claims the credit in MyTax, under the Tax Administration’s conditions.

Do not guarantee a tax credit. A useful phrase is: “The work may qualify for the household tax credit under the Finnish Tax Administration’s conditions.”

2. Why does the household tax credit matter for cleaning?

Clients often compare both the initial price of cleaning and its cost after tax relief. The household tax credit can therefore be a practical selling point for cleaners and small cleaning businesses.

It is not a discount on the invoice. The client pays normally and claims the credit in their own taxation. It reduces their tax if they have enough tax payable to use it.

Explain this in your quote. For example:

Domestic cleaning: €180 per month. The labour portion may qualify for the household tax credit under the Finnish Tax Administration’s conditions. The client applies for the credit through MyTax.

This is clear without promising too much. The client’s tax situation, annual credit limit, personal liability amount and the precise work affect the result.

3. Which cleaning work can qualify?

The Tax Administration lists cleaning, cooking, laundry, ironing and other clothing care, garden work and snow removal as examples of household work. Domestic cleaning is therefore a core qualifying service.

Examples include:

• weekly or monthly cleaning at the client’s home
• a more thorough seasonal or deep clean
• window cleaning as part of domestic cleaning
• laundry, ironing or other clothing care in the client’s home
• cleaning a holiday home
• cleaning a parent’s or grandparent’s home, if the other conditions are met.

The location matters. The credit covers work purchased for a home or holiday home. Cleaning business offices, commercial premises, a housing company’s common areas or premises used for the client’s business is not ordinary qualifying domestic work.

Cleaning a rented apartment may qualify when it is the client’s own home. A landlord cannot claim the household tax credit for costs relating to an apartment rented out to others. A housing company cannot claim it either.

4. The household tax credit in 2026

Checked on 21 September 2026: the Tax Administration’s page on the credit amount states that the amounts and personal liability are the same in 2025 and 2026.

For cleaning purchased from a business in 2026, the figures in that guidance are:

The calculation includes only labour. Cleaning products, equipment, materials, travel and other separate expenses are not eligible labour costs.

The Tax Administration also highlights a government proposal to raise the maximum and percentages temporarily for 2026 and 2027. Under the proposal, the rate for work purchased from a business would rise from 35% to 40%, and the maximum from €1,600 to €2,100. Do not present proposed figures to clients as confirmed before the Tax Administration updates its final guidance.

5. How should you price cleaning services?

Show the full price clearly. Do not subtract the household tax credit directly from the invoice, but help the client understand which part generally forms the basis for it.

A good quote states:

• what will be cleaned
• where the work takes place
• the estimated hours
• the hourly rate or fixed price
• whether cleaning products are included or supplied by the client
• whether travel or other costs are charged
• whether VAT is included
• that the work may qualify for the household tax credit.

For example:

Domestic cleaning at the client’s home: three hours at €55 per hour including VAT, total €165. Labour will be itemised on the invoice. The work may qualify for the household tax credit under the Tax Administration’s conditions.

The same principle applies to a fixed cleaning price. Specify which part pays for labour and which covers supplies or other expenses.

Remember your own profitability. A tax credit may lower the client’s after-tax cost, but it does not reduce your expenses. Your price must account for working time, service fees, insurance, taxes, travel, equipment and administration.

You can use Bisse.fi’s salary calculator and the hourly rate calculator, in Finnish.

6. Creating the invoice in Bisse.fi

When the cleaning may qualify, prepare the invoice so the client can find the information needed for MyTax.

1. Put cleaning labour on a separate invoice line.
2. Describe it specifically, for example “Domestic cleaning at the client’s home”, “Holiday home cleaning” or “Window cleaning at the client’s home”.
3. Enter the quantity, unit price and VAT.
4. Add supplies, travel and other costs on separate lines.
5. Do not combine labour and supplies in one lump sum.
6. Keep the contract, messages or other record of when the work was agreed.

For example:

The client reports the VAT-inclusive labour portion in MyTax, not the entire invoice if it includes other items.

If you need help itemising the invoice, Bisse.fi customer support can help you use the service. Check tax credit eligibility with the Tax Administration.

7. Light entrepreneur or sole trader: what does the client see?

There are different ways to provide cleaning services through Bisse.fi. For the client, what matters is that the invoice is valid, labour is itemised and the invoicing business meets the credit’s conditions.

If you invoice through Bisse.fi without your own Business ID, the client receives the invoice through the service. When claiming the credit, they use the business details shown on the invoice and the labour amount.

If you operate as a sole trader and use Bisse.fi for financial administration, the client generally uses your business’s Business ID. You must then ensure that your own prepayment registration is valid when the agreement is made.

In practice:

• without your own Business ID, make sure the invoice’s business details are clear to the client
• with a sole trader business, check your prepayment registration in YTJ
• in either case, itemise labour so the client can report it in MyTax.

8. Examples of the client's tax credit

Example 1: regular domestic cleaning

A client purchases cleaning for €180 per month. The entire sum is labour, including VAT. During the year they pay:

€180 × 12 = €2,160

Using the Tax Administration’s current 2026 guidance:

€2,160 × 35% = €756

After subtracting the €150 personal liability, the credit is €606, assuming the client has no other household tax credits that year and enough tax payable.

Example 2: a deep clean and supplies

A deep clean costs €760 in total:

• labour: €700 including VAT
• cleaning products and supplies: €60.

The client reports €700 as labour in MyTax, not the full €760.

€700 × 35% = €245

If the client has no other household tax credits that year, the €150 personal liability is subtracted. The resulting credit is €95, subject to sufficient tax payable.

Example 3: cleaning purchased by spouses

Spouses purchase €5,400 of domestic cleaning during the year. If all of it is labour, the preliminary calculation is:

€5,400 × 35% = €1,890

This is before personal liability and the individual maximum. The maximum is €1,600 per person per year. The Tax Administration can transfer an unused amount to the spouse, but the second spouse’s €150 annual personal liability is then also deducted unless already taken into account. Report the division of costs carefully in MyTax. Each spouse must have enough tax payable to use their credit.

9. When does cleaning not qualify?

Cleaning does not always qualify. Typical exclusions include:

• cleaning a business office, shop, restaurant or other commercial premises
• work in a housing company’s common areas, paid for by the housing company
• a landlord paying for cleaning or repairs in an apartment rented out to others
• an invoice that does not identify the labour portion
• an invoicing business not in the prepayment register when the agreement is made
• support or a service voucher for the same work that prevents the credit
• the client’s own work or work by someone in the same household.

For moving, rental activity, Airbnb, estates, assisted living or a relative’s home, check the specific Tax Administration rules. Who pays, where the work takes place and how the premises are used often determine the result.

10. Frequently asked questions

Can domestic cleaning invoiced through Bisse.fi qualify?

Generally yes, if it takes place in the client’s home or holiday home, the work qualifies, the invoice is itemised and the invoicing business is in the prepayment register when the agreement is made.

Can the client claim the whole invoice?

Not necessarily. Only the labour portion including VAT is eligible. Supplies, materials, travel and other separate costs are excluded.

Must the cleaner submit the claim for the client?

Usually the client submits it in MyTax. They need the business’s Business ID, the contract or order date, total invoice amount, labour amount and payment date.

Should the tax credit be mentioned in the quote?

Yes, conditionally. Show the work’s price and say that it may qualify. Do not guarantee a particular final tax benefit, which depends on the client’s other credits and taxes.

Does office cleaning qualify?

Not as an ordinary household tax credit. The credit concerns work in a home, holiday home or certain relatives’ homes. Business office cleaning is a business expense rather than a private individual’s household tax credit.

What if the 2026 percentage changes later?

Follow the Tax Administration’s guidance. When checked on 21 September 2026, the page still stated 35% and a €1,600 maximum, while also describing a proposal to increase the figures for 2026 and 2027. Clients should use MyTax and the official calculator; the Tax Administration calculates the final credit.

11. Putting it into practice

Domestic cleaning falls within the household tax credit when the other requirements are met. The credit can make regular cleaning more affordable for the client and help the provider explain its value.

As a Bisse.fi user, keep the invoice clear: separate labour, describe the work understandably and list supplies and travel separately. This helps the client claim correctly in MyTax.

Start here:

• Cleaning and light entrepreneurship
• The household tax credit and work invoiced through Bisse.fi
• Light entrepreneurship through Bisse.fi
• Setting up a sole trader business

Sources and further information, in Finnish: Tax credit conditions, amount and personal liability, eligible work, how to claim, proposed changes announced on 16 June 2026 and YTJ business search.

English version published on 21 September 2026. Based on the Finnish article of 7 September 2026. Tax credit figures and the proposal’s status checked on 21 September 2026.

Agree on the cleaning work and prepare a clear invoice. Start invoicing through Bisse.fi.