Transport, carrying and packing during a move do not qualify for Finland's household tax credit (kotitalousvähennys). According to the Finnish Tax Administration, moving work is not ordinary household work. The credit can be claimed for move-out cleaning in both the old and the new home and for assembling new furniture, provided this work is priced and invoiced separately from the actual move. At the time of writing the credit is 35% of the labour cost on a company's invoice, up to €1,600 per person per year, after a €150 annual deductible.
What qualifies during a move
The line follows the nature of the work. Everything to do with moving belongings from one place to another is moving work. Cleaning a home and assembling a new piece of furniture are ordinary household work, even if they happen on moving day.
| Work | Credit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Transport and carrying | No | moving work |
| Packing and unpacking boxes | No | moving work |
| Dismantling and reassembling your old bed or wardrobe | No | part of the moving work |
| Assembling new furniture | Yes | household work when invoiced separately |
| Move-out cleaning of the old flat | Yes | cleaning is household work |
| Cleaning the new flat | Yes | cleaning is household work |
| Box rental, stretch film and other supplies | No | the credit only covers labour |
Plumbing work in the new home, such as installing a dishwasher with water and drain connections, can count as maintenance work on the home and qualify under the same rules. Here too the credit only applies to the labour, not to parts or the appliance.
The invoice decides
According to an advance ruling by the Tax Administration, cleaning and the assembly of new furniture only qualify if they are priced separately and are not part of the invoice for the actual moving work. If everything is on one line called "move", nothing qualifies.
01Ask for a separate invoice for cleaning and assembly
The clearest way is one invoice for the move and another for the cleaning or assembly. Mention it in your quote request, so the hours are recorded by type of work from the start.
02Labour shown separately
The credit is calculated from the labour cost including VAT. The invoice must show how much is labour and how much is materials or travel, along with the company's business ID (Y-tunnus).
03Check the prepayment register
The company must be in the prepayment register (ennakkoperintärekisteri). You can check this for free in the YTJ business information service with the business ID.
04Keep the invoice and the payment receipt
The credit is claimed for the year in which the invoice was paid. Keep the invoice and proof of payment in case the Tax Administration asks for them.
Example: how much the credit really is
The deductible makes small amounts disappointing, so let's be honest. The credit is 35% of the labour, and the €150 deductible is subtracted once a year.
| Work | Labour |
|---|---|
| Move-out cleaning of a two-room flat, 4 h × €40/h | €160 |
| Cleaning the new flat, 3 h × €40/h | €120 |
| Assembling new furniture | €150 |
| Dishwasher installation, labour | €150 |
| Total labour | €580 |
| Credit 35% | €203 |
| Deductible | −€150 |
| Your taxes go down by | €53 |
A move-out clean of a two-room flat on its own therefore does not exceed the deductible: 35% of €160 is €56, and the deductible absorbs all of it. The credit is, however, calculated from all qualifying work during the year. If you have also paid for home cleaning or renovation in the same year, the move-out clean adds to the credit in full. The deductible is covered once qualifying labour reaches about €430 a year.
Each spouse can claim the credit for their own share, and the deductible and the maximum are personal. If the amounts are small, it often pays to have one person claim everything, so the deductible is only subtracted once. The person claiming the credit must be the one who paid.
The credit in 2026 and the proposed increase
As of October 2026 the Tax Administration's website lists the credit for work bought from a company as 35%, with a maximum of €1,600 per person and a €150 deductible. The government has proposed a temporary increase for 2026 and 2027: 40% with a maximum of €2,100, the deductible unchanged. Check the current level on vero.fi before relying on it. With the proposed figures, the €580 of labour in the example would reduce your taxes by €82.
How to claim the credit
You claim the credit in MyTax (OmaVero), either during the year with a revised tax card or afterwards when you check your pre-completed tax return. Report the labour cost, the company's business ID and the payment date for each invoice. If you apply with a revised tax card, your withholding goes down straight away and you do not have to wait for the tax refund.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get the household tax credit for a moving company's invoice?
Not for transport, carrying, packing or dismantling and reassembling your old furniture, because that is moving work. Move-out cleaning and assembling new furniture can qualify when they are invoiced separately from the moving work.
Does move-out cleaning qualify for the household tax credit?
Yes. Cleaning is household work, and the credit can be claimed for cleaning both the old and the new flat. The cleaning must be its own work on the invoice, not part of the moving invoice.
How much is the household tax credit in 2026?
According to the Tax Administration in October 2026, the credit is 35% of the labour on a company's invoice, up to €1,600 per person, with a €150 annual deductible. The government has proposed an increase for 2026 and 2027, so check the current level on vero.fi.
Is it worth claiming the credit for move-out cleaning alone?
On its own, cleaning a two-room flat usually does not exceed the €150 deductible. The credit is calculated from all qualifying work during the year, though, so include the cleaning if you have paid for other household or renovation work in the same year.
Does assembling IKEA furniture qualify for the tax credit?
Assembling new furniture can qualify when the work is invoiced separately and is not part of a moving or delivery invoice. The pickup and transport do not qualify.
Want a separate cleaning invoice?
Mention it in your quote request. We record the moving and cleaning hours separately so the qualifying part is clear.