Starting a Freelance House Cleaning Business in Switzerland

Swiss authorities are on high alert for “disguised employment” (pseudo-independence) – situations where a worker is labeled as an independent contractor but in reality acts like an employee under a boss’s control. Domestic cleaning is a classic risk area for this. By default, Swiss social security law considers domestic work (like house cleaning) to be a form of regular employment, not independent business activity. In practice, this means that if you clean private homes, each household is normally viewed as your employer, and you as their employee. The AHV (Old-Age and Survivors’ Insurance) and other social insurance contributions are supposed to be paid for you from the very first franc you earn in someone’s home.

Why is this a concern? If a cleaner claims to be “freelance” but hasn’t been officially recognized as self-employed, the AHV sees a risk that the situation is actually illegal undeclared work. According to an advisory from quitt.ch (a Swiss service for domestic employment), most cleaning staff who tell clients “I’ll handle my own social security” are working illegally – unless they can produce an official confirmation from the cantonal compensation office (Sozialversicherungsanstalt, SVA) that they are self-employed for that specific job. Without that SVA certificate, the law treats the arrangement as an unregistered employment relationship, meaning both the cleaner and the client are liable to prosecution for failing to register and pay contributions. The AHV’s worry is that some households and cleaners might try to avoid paperwork or contributions by calling the cleaner a “freelancer,” while still treating them like a regular maid – a form of tax and social security evasion. To prevent this, the AHV sets a high bar for recognizing genuine self-employment in the cleaning sector.

In fact, Swiss social insurance authorities generally do not accept “self-employed cleaners” in private households at all. As quitt.ch bluntly puts it: under Swiss law, domestic cleaning is always viewed as direct employment – effectively “there are no self-employed cleaning persons in Switzerland”. This means the onus is on you to prove that your cleaning business is a real independent enterprise and not just a series of undeclared side-jobs. Failing to meet the criteria (explained below) can result in authorities reclassifying your work as employment. This would force each of your clients to retroactively register as your employers and pay backdated AHV contributions, possibly with penalties. In serious cases, fines and even criminal charges are possible for deliberate abuse or Schwarzarbeit (undeclared work). Clearly, it’s in everyone’s interest – yours and your clients’ – to set things up correctly from the start.

To be officially recognized as self-employed (selbständig) in Switzerland, you must genuinely operate like an independent business. The AHV compensation offices evaluate this on a case-by-case basis, looking at the economic reality of your work, not just what you call yourself. Here are the key conditions you should meet for the AHV (and SVA Zurich, in the canton of Zurich) to recognize your house cleaning as a legitimate freelance business:

• Multiple Clients: You should work for several different clients, not just one single household. If you clean for only one family (or a single main client), the authorities will normally regard you as that client’s employee. Aim to have at least three clients to avoid economic dependence on one source. The more clients you serve, the stronger your case for true self-employment.

• Own Business Identity: Present yourself under your own name or company name, not as just an individual “hired hand.” In practice this means running a sole proprietorship or company: for example, “Maria Garcia Cleaning Services” rather than just “Maria, the cleaner.” The AHV expects that you publicly market your services as a business – e.g. you might register a trade name, list yourself in directories, have business cards or a simple website, and issue invoices in your own name for your cleaning work. Professional branding signals that you are in business for yourself and not tied to any one employer.

• Control Over Work & Schedule: Truly independent cleaners decide how and when the work gets done. You set your own schedule in agreement with clients, rather than being given fixed shifts like an employee. You can choose which jobs to accept or refuse, and you’re free to organize your work methods. For example, you might offer certain cleaning packages or use your own techniques. You are also free to hire someone to help or subcontract if needed (though in a one-person business you likely won’t, this freedom is a hallmark of independence). The more autonomy you have from the client’s direct instructions, the better – a freelancer should not be micro-managed by the homeowner.

• Use of Own Tools and Materials: A key practical criterion in cleaning is that a self-employed cleaner provides their own equipment and supplies. If you were truly like a cleaning company, you would “show up with your own vacuum, mop, cleaning agents, etc., and even your own car for transport”. In other words, you are investing in the tools of the trade. By contrast, if each client provides all the cleaning products and tells you to use their vacuum and mop, it looks like they are treating you as an internal helper. To be seen as an independent contractor, come equipped like a pro: use your own cleaning products (and include the cost of those in your fees), bring your own tools, and arrange your own transportation to the job sites. This also means you bear the cost and upkeep of those materials – an aspect of bearing your own economic risk.

• Financial Risk and Pricing: Being self-employed means you carry the financial risk of your business. You should be charging clients a rate that covers not just your take-home pay but also all your expenses (materials, travel, insurance, taxes, etc.) and a margin for profit. You’ll typically set your own prices or hourly rates for cleaning jobs, instead of simply being told a wage. For instance, a self-employed cleaner might quote a client “CHF 35 per hour inclusive of social charges and supplies,” whereas an employed cleaner is paid an hourly wage fixed by the employer. If a client doesn’t pay an invoice, you must handle it (risk of non-payment) – another sign that you’re in business on your own account. Demonstrating that you calculate quotes, invoice clients directly, and possibly even charge VAT if you exceed the turnover threshold, all support your self-employed status.

• Independence in Organization: You operate for your own account and initiative. For example, you decide whether to expand your services, advertise to find new clients, or maybe specialize in certain types of cleaning. You are not integrated into any one client’s household beyond the service you provide. Often, independent cleaners will perform work outside of just one home – e.g. also cleaning offices or multiple households – showing that they are not tied to one employer’s premises. (Domestic cleaners by nature work in clients’ homes, but the idea is you’re not working in one home exclusively day after day; you are mobile.)

In summary, you must truly act like a business owner rather than a household servant. The Swiss compensation office will look for evidence of all the above when you apply for self-employed status. They may ask for documentation such as: contracts or invoices to several clients, proof of your business advertisements or website, your business stationery or flyers, perhaps a business registration or a rental contract for any storage/workspace, etc., to ensure you meet the test. Only if they are satisfied that you “work under your own name, for your own account and bear your own economic risk” will they grant you the official status of self-employed cleaner. Obtaining this status is critical – it’s your protection against being treated as an undeclared worker.

Challenges and Alternatives for Aspiring Cleaners

Being a self-employed cleaner in Switzerland comes with both advantages and challenges. On the plus side, you have the freedom to set your own hours, choose your clients, and grow your income without splitting it with an agency. You can potentially earn more per hour gross than you might as an employed cleaner, because you’re taking on the administrative responsibilities yourself. Many people enjoy the independence and personal client relationships that come with freelancing. If you establish a good clientele, you might even expand your business (e.g. hiring a teammate, or specializing in high-end cleaning with premium rates). As an EU citizen, you also have the flexibility to provide services across cantons and even connect with clients in the international community, leveraging language skills.

However, there are significant challenges to be aware of:

• Administrative Burden: Running the business side – paperwork, dealing with the compensation office, paying insurance premiums and contributions – can be daunting, especially if you’re not fluent in German (in Zurich) or French (in Geneva) to read all the forms. You’ll need to stay on top of quarterly AHV bills, tax filings, and possibly correspondence with authorities to maintain your status. This is manageable, but it’s extra work that employees don’t have to worry about.

• Financial Considerations: When self-employed, you must budget for your own social contributions, taxes, and benefits. For example, if you catch the flu and miss a week of work, you won’t automatically get paid – that’s lost income unless you have insurance coverage. You also won’t have paid holidays by default; you need to factor vacation time into your pricing (many self-employed people incorporate a bit extra into their hourly rate to be able to “pay themselves” for some holiday time). Additionally, unlike an employee, you can’t access unemployment benefits if your work slows down. This means you should maintain savings to cushion any dry spells or unexpected setbacks.

• Recognition Hurdle: As discussed, getting official recognition as self-employed in a domestic cleaning field is not easy – authorities are skeptical. You might find that the SVA initially rejects your application if they feel you haven’t demonstrated enough independence. If that happens, you may need to gather more evidence (additional client contracts, etc.) and possibly appeal or reapply. It might be frustrating to navigate this bureaucracy. Be patient and prepared to defend your case. It sometimes helps to have a local expert or accountant help with your application to ensure all the criteria are clearly met.

• Client Acquisition and Competition: Starting out, finding enough clients can be tough. There is competition from cleaning agencies (like Batmaid, Helpling, etc.), other independent cleaners (some of whom might undercut prices or, unfortunately, work off-the-books), and even informal recommendations in communities. You may need to invest time in marketing your services. In a city like Zurich, cleaning rates and expectations can be high – clients will expect quality. Make sure not to set your prices too low; not only do you need to cover your costs, but very low prices might make officials doubt you are charging “like a business” (remember, a self-employed cleaner “would charge the total costs” including social contributions in their rate). Research the going rates: for legal cleaning services in Zurich, clients often end up paying around CHF 30–40 per hour (including all contributions) when hiring through an agency. As an independent, you might set a competitive rate slightly lower than an agency’s total price, but high enough to cover what an agency would normally cover for their cleaners. It’s a balancing act to win clients but also remain viable.

Given these challenges, it’s important to also consider alternative solutions and be honest with yourself about what’s best for you:

• Working via an Agency or Platform: If dealing with all the business formalities is too much, you could work for a cleaning company or through a platform that acts as the employer. Some platforms in Switzerland allow clients to book cleaning, and either you become the client’s official employee (with the platform handling admin on the client’s behalf, like quitt does), or the platform might employ the cleaner directly and send them to clients. For example, one model (as with some services) is that the platform is just a payroll facilitator – you still have multiple small employers but they handle the paperwork. Another model (like a “premium” service) is the company hires cleaners on staff and the customer is not an employer at all. Pros: You get the stability of being an employee (accident insurance, social contributions paid) without having to find clients or manage admin. Cons: The hourly pay you receive may be lower than what you could charge privately, since the company takes a cut. Also, you lose some independence in choosing clients or schedule. Nonetheless, for many Permit B holders, starting with an agency can provide Swiss work experience and income stability. You can always transition to freelancing later once you understand the market better.

• Accepting Household Employment (Legally): Another option is to remain an “employee” of each client, but do it in a fully legal way. This means each family or individual you clean for would register you with the AHV and insure you, as described earlier. You might encourage them to use a service like quitt.ch or Batsoft (the payroll service by Batmaid) to make the process easy. From your perspective, you would get official payslips, contributions to AHV, maybe even BVG (pension fund) if you earn above the threshold with one employer, and coverage for accidents. You could still work for multiple families; you’d just have multiple small part-time employment contracts. Pros: You don’t have to pay the AHV contributions out of pocket (they are split and handled by employers), you get the full employee protections (paid accident leave, etc.), and you avoid the hassle of registering as self-employed. Cons: You have less flexibility in how things are run (each employer may set rules), your gross rate might be a bit lower since families will factor in the extra costs they bear, and you’ll need to coordinate with each household on the paperwork. Also, having many employers can be administratively complex (though services like quitt bundle it nicely). Still, for some cleaners this is a viable way to work independently (in the sense of having multiple clients) without being self-employed per se.

• Forming a Cooperative or Partnership: If you have friends or contacts also interested in cleaning, you could consider forming a small cleaning collective. For instance, a few cleaners together start a general partnership or cooperative, pool resources (for marketing, maybe share equipment), and either each one is self-employed under that umbrella or you create a small company. This can give you a bit more support structure – you can cover for each other when one is sick or on holiday, and present a more established front to clients. However, it also requires a high level of trust and coordination among the partners. It’s less common, but it’s an idea if going solo feels too risky.

• Upskilling or Niche Focus: An alternative within the cleaning domain is to specialize in a niche where clients are more accustomed to hiring companies. For example, focusing on end-of-tenancy deep cleaning (where you work with real estate agencies or landlords), or office cleaning for small businesses, or post-construction cleaning. These clients (businesses or agencies) are more likely to accept an invoice from a self-employed cleaner (they themselves don’t want the responsibility of being your “employer”). If you go in that direction, you might find it easier to be treated as a vendor rather than a domestic worker. Just note, doing purely office/commercial cleaning would remove the “domestic work” issue – the domestic work rules we discussed specifically apply to private households. So targeting some commercial clients could strengthen your independence status. For instance, if half your income comes from a couple of office cleaning contracts, and the other half from private homes, the private homes might be more willing to be just clients (and AHV might view you more like a cleaning business). It’s a bit of a grey area, but expanding beyond just private households can help your case as a freelancer.

Important: If you ever find that maintaining self-employed status is not sustainable (financially or bureaucratically), do not hesitate to seek advice. Organizations like SVA Zürich can provide guidance on what you might need to adjust. Also, make sure to do things like paying your AHV invoices on time – if a self-employed person fails to pay their contributions, the status can be revoked. Keep everything above board to protect your B permit as well; Swiss immigration can check whether a self-employed person is meeting their obligations (for example, if you never paid any AHV or taxes, they’d question the legitimacy of your business when renewing your permit). Staying in good standing with both AHV and immigration will ensure you can continue your freelance activity long-term.

This guide can be quite frustrating to read. You are thinking: "I just want to start my business, do things the right way and keep it simple" and yet, Switzerland is making your life harder, telling you that this is not possible. On top of this, there might be a language barrier making communication harder with the AHV.

This freelance debate comes up very regularly in most countries: authorities think they're are helping and protecting people in fragile economical situations by creating those laws when all they're doing is making their lives even harder and making it even more difficult to earn a living. Uber was another similar debate that the freelancers lost, in some Swiss cantons, Uber drivers now have to work via some employer platform, reducing their revenue even more.

This is the privilege of a country like Switzerland: "like it or leave it" and because salaries are so high here, people don't leave and put up with a lot of bullsh*t.

So unfortunately, if you want to just start a simple cleaning business, your options are to either use a solution like Quitt (that will cost you 10% of your revenue and likely more since some customers might not want to deal with the complexity of it) or simply not declare your revenues, which prevents you from getting insurance, access to social security (and is obviously illegal).

Both are unfortunately bad options and I wish that wasn't the case.