Tax tips for tenants

Save on taxes as a tenant - this is how it works:

The office:

If you work from home, you can deduct your office from tax as a tenant. A distinction is made between two cases:

If your own study - as with home workers or the self-employed - forms the center of your entire professional life, you can deduct expenses such as electricity, heating or rent as business expenses. If you not only work at home, but there is no other space available for your activities, you can save up to € 1,250 per year. This applies to teachers, for example.

Save when moving:

Costs that arise due to a move for professional reasons can also be deducted as income-related expenses in the tax return. These include: travel expenses for looking for an apartment, repairs to damage in transit, transportation costs, a double rent payment of up to six months and travel expenses on the day of the move.

Lump sums can be set here instead of individual proofs. For people who live alone, the lump sum is € 764, that for family members who move with you is € 337 and that for life partners or married people is € 1,528. If you move for private reasons, you can also get a little money back. Even if you can't save that much here, you can still claim some costs as household-related services.

Household services:

The costs for "household-related services" such as mowing the lawn, cleaning, ironing, shoveling snow, taking care of the children or looking after the parents, can be deducted from the tax if you have hired a company or a self-employed person as a tenant. The rule is that one fifth of the costs of up to € 20,000 can be claimed in income tax. This can save up to € 4,000 a year. The services must have been carried out in your own apartment or on your property and the invoice must have been paid by bank transfer. If the landlord has billed you for the corresponding services, you can claim the respective amounts of the ancillary costs statement from the tax office.

Craftsman services:

The costs for craftsmen's services can also be deducted from the tax, provided that you have hired a company or a self-employed person as a tenant. Craftsman services include: fees for the chimney sweep, painting, modernizing the bathroom, working on the roof or facade, laying tiles, carpet or parquet, maintaining the heating or renovating doors and windows.

As long as the costs are shown in detail on the annual statement, you can also claim craft costs from the ancillary costs statement from the tax office.