Tax return: As a tenant, you can also deduct ancillary costs from your taxes
Created: 09/16/2022, 19:00
By: Carina Blumenroth
The tax return is pending and you have to search through the information?
That can be tricky.
Read here what you should also consider as a tenant.
You have to submit your tax return for 2021 by October 31st - for many this means that you still have to deal with your invoices, receipts and other documents.
For some, the use of the ELSTER tax portal is also pending, which can also get on your nerves.
Owners can deduct some things from their taxes - if you "only" live for rent, you can also claim costs in your tax return.
You should note the following.
As a tenant, you can also deduct ancillary costs from your taxes.
© Imago
If you live for rent, you can also claim costs on your tax return
As a tenant, you can also get money back from the state – you do that with your tax return.
You can partially state house or apartment ancillary costs in the declaration and then get money back.
This applies, among other things, to household-related services and tradesman services.
Household services include:
street cleaning
stairwell cleaning
Moving company services (especially if you need to move for work)
garden maintenance work
cleaning of the apartment
Handyman services include:
drain pipe cleaning
roof work
chimney sweeper
elevator costs
basement extension
thermal insulation
water damage restoration
pest control
Renovation and refurbishment costs
You can state these costs in the tax return if you pay them to your landlord via the utility bill or if you transfer the bill directly to the service provider.
You can offset up to 20 percent of the expenses against tax.
Make sure that you can only claim the invoices, especially for tradesmen's services, if you have paid them by bank transfer.
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You can state these sums at most for the tax:
Household services: up to 4,000 euros per year
Handyman services: up to 1,200 euros per year
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Deduct ancillary costs from your taxes as a tenant: you need this as proof
If you want to claim costs in your tax return, you need proof for the responsible tax office.
To do this, simply take the ancillary cost statement that you received from your landlord and submit it with the tax return.
You will receive this information annually – possibly also from your property management.
It is important that it shows which costs for which services were passed on to the tenants.
Make sure that labor and material costs, for example for craftsman services, are clearly written down separately.
If this is not the case, it may not be recognized by the tax office.
The background to this is that labor and travel costs are tax-deductible, but material costs are not.
By the way: If you are already drawing a pension, you can also deduct income-related expenses on your tax return.
Tip
If you notice that the costs are not itemized, ask the landlord or your property management company to provide you with a cost overview.
Ask about the proportionate costs for the craftsman services or household-related services.
