RUT tax relief is the single biggest reason professional removals and cleaning cost less than people first assume. Even so, a surprising number of households either never use it or are caught out by what it actually covers.
Here is how it works in 2026, which of our services qualify, and the mistakes we see most often.
What is RUT?
RUT is a Swedish tax reduction for household services. The state covers part of the labour cost when you buy certain services for your home.
You do not apply for anything yourself. We deduct the amount directly from the invoice and claim the remainder from the Tax Agency. You pay only the net sum.
How much you get back
- Up to 50 per cent of the labour cost as a tax reduction
- A ceiling of SEK 75,000 per person per year
- The relief applies to labour only, not materials, mileage or call out charges
- If there are two adults in the household, each has their own ceiling, which in practice doubles the allowance
That last point is worth pausing on. A large move with packing help and end of tenancy cleaning can be split between two people in the same household if both appear on the invoice, and the ceiling then rarely becomes an issue.
Which of our services qualify?
Qualifies for RUT
- Removals and household moves between two homes in Sweden
- Packing and unpacking in connection with the move
- End of tenancy cleaning of the property you are leaving
- Regular home cleaning, weekly, fortnightly or one off
- Window cleaning at the property
- Deceased estate cleaning, subject to special rules, see below
Does not qualify
- Storage – it is not classed as a household service
- Office moves and any commercial cleaning – RUT is for private individuals
- International moves where much of the work takes place outside Sweden or the EEA
- Materials and packaging such as boxes, tape and bubble wrap
- The transport element itself, meaning mileage and call out fees
- Waste removal as the main service, as opposed to disposal forming a small part of a cleaning job
That final point causes the most confusion. In short, the cleaning qualifies, but driving a trailer to the recycling centre does not.
A worked example
Say an end of tenancy clean for a two room flat costs SEK 3,200, of which SEK 3,000 is labour and SEK 200 is materials.
- Labour: SEK 3,000
- RUT relief at 50 per cent: SEK 1,500
- Materials: SEK 200
- You pay: SEK 1,700
The same principle applies to removals. This is why two quotes with the same headline figure can cost you different amounts: the one with a higher proportion of labour gives more relief.
Always ask how a quote is split between labour, materials and transport. A serious firm sets it out without being asked.
Who is eligible?
- You must be a private individual, aged 18 or over at the end of the year
- You must be fully liable for tax in Sweden
- The work must be carried out at your home, or at a property you use, such as a holiday home or a parent's home
- You must have enough tax to offset during the year
That last condition is easily overlooked. If your income for the year has been very low, the relief may be smaller than expected and the difference is invoiced afterwards. If you are unsure, check your remaining allowance in the Tax Agency's online service before booking a large job.
Common mistakes
- The invoice is in the wrong name. The relief follows whoever pays and appears on the invoice, not whoever lives there.
- The ceiling is already used up. If you have bought a lot of household services earlier in the year, the allowance may be exhausted. It is visible in the Tax Agency's online service.
- Assuming transport is included. Mileage and call out fees never qualify.
- The firm lacks F-tax status. Without approved F-tax there is no relief, whatever was carried out. Always check before booking.
- Not splitting the invoice between two people in the household when both still have allowance left.
Deceased estates and RUT
Special rules apply here. As a general rule an estate can only use the relief for work carried out before the death. Cleaning and clearance performed afterwards is not normally covered by the deceased person's allowance.
A beneficiary may in some cases use their own relief, depending on how the property is used. The rules are detailed, so check with the Tax Agency or ask us before booking. We would rather clarify it in advance than have you surprised by the invoice.
How we keep it simple
There is nothing for you to fill in. We deduct RUT directly from the invoice, claim the balance from the Tax Agency, and set out clearly what is labour, materials and transport. If something does not qualify, we say so on the quote rather than letting you discover it later.
In summary
RUT makes removals, end of tenancy cleaning, regular home cleaning and window cleaning considerably better value. Remember three things: it applies to labour only, the ceiling is SEK 75,000 per person per year, and storage and commercial services fall outside it.
If you are unsure how it applies in your case, ask us before booking. We are happy to work through it so the quote shows what you will actually pay.