Black vs. white cleaning: what are the risks for you as a buyer?
If you buy black market cleaning services, you are breaking the law yourself. Since July 1, 2018, it has been punishable for private individuals to purchase cleaning services from a business not approved in the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority's Renholdsregisteret (cleaning services registry). You also have no insurance if something is damaged, and no one to complain to if the job is poor. The low price costs you more than you think.
Most people think of black market work as the seller's problem. For cleaning services, this is not the case. The legislator has placed an independent responsibility on you as the buyer, and this applies whether you are a business or a private individual. Here, we go through what you actually risk, and how an approved company protects you.
What do black and white cleaning services mean?
White cleaning services refer to work where everything is in order: the company is registered, pays employer contributions, holiday pay, and taxes, has liability insurance, and you receive an invoice. Black market cleaning services are the opposite – cash payment, no receipt, no reporting. Wages are usually below the collective agreement, and no authority knows the job is taking place.
The distinction is not always as clear as one might think. A company might look reputable online but still lack approval in the cleaning services registry. A private individual might take on a job now and then without being aware of the reporting rules. Therefore, it pays to know exactly what the law requires.
Is it illegal for you as a private individual to buy black market cleaning services?
Yes. This surprises many. Since July 1, 2018, it has been illegal and punishable for private individuals – not just businesses – to purchase cleaning services from a business not approved in the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority's Renholdsregisteret.
Previously, the purchase prohibition only applied to businesses. Now, your household is covered on equal terms. If you buy cleaning services from a company not listed in the registry, you are breaking the law, no matter how pleasant the company or how good the job.
The good news is that it takes less than a minute to check. The Renholdsregisteret is public and free. Search for the company on arbeidstilsynet.no and look for the status "godkjent" (approved). We have written a separate guide on how to do this in lovlig vaskehjelp og renholdsregisteret.
An approved company has an HMS card for each employee and an active registration you can verify. If the company lacks this, find another one. It's not worth the risk.
What is the difference between the cleaning services registry and the NOK 6,000 limit?
Many people confuse two completely different sets of regulations here, and that causes trouble. Let's distinguish them sharply.
| Situation | Which regulations apply | What is required of you |
|---|---|---|
| You buy cleaning services from a company | Renholdsregisteret | The company must be approved. You check this before ordering. |
| You directly employ a private individual for work in the home | A-melding / payroll reporting | If you pay over NOK 6,000 per year, you must report wages and deduct tax. |
The Renholdsregisteret is about who you buy from. If you buy from a company, the company must be approved – full stop. It has nothing to do with the amount.
The NOK 6,000 limit is about something else entirely: you becoming an employer yourself. If you hire a neighbor's daughter or an acquaintance to clean your home and pay over NOK 6,000 in a year, you must report the wages via an a-melding and deduct tax. If you pay less than NOK 6,000 per year to the same person, the wages are tax-free for the recipient, and you avoid reporting. Separate, higher limits apply for childcare in the recipient's own home, among other things.
The important thing: the NOK 6,000 limit is not a tax deduction. There is no tax deduction for buying private cleaning services in Norway in 2026. If someone entices you with "you save tax on this," it is incorrect, and often a sign that someone is trying to sugarcoat a black market solution.
What do you risk if something is damaged?
This is perhaps the most expensive trap. A reputable cleaning company has liability insurance. If the cleaner knocks over a vase, scratches the parquet floor, or stains your sofa, the damage is covered by the company's insurance. You have an agreement, an invoice, and a company to deal with.
With black market work, none of this exists. No agreement, no insurance, no documentation that the person was even in your home. If something is damaged, you must either bear the loss yourself or argue directly with a person who may not have money to pay. Your own home contents insurance usually does not cover damages caused by others you have hired on the black market.
And if an accident occurs – the cleaner falls down your stairs and is seriously injured – you, as the "employer" in a black market agreement, could be left with a responsibility you were never prepared for. An approved company has occupational injury insurance for its employees. You don't have to worry about it.
Why are black market cleaning services so much cheaper?
Because someone cuts everything that makes white market work safe. No employer contributions, no holiday pay, no insurance, no tax – and often wages below the collective agreement.
Cleaning services have a generalized minimum wage. As of 2026, the floor is NOK 236.54 per hour for adults (NOK 185.55 for employees under 18, with a night supplement of at least NOK 29/hour). The rate is revised every June. This is the minimum wage before a company adds employer contributions, insurance, equipment, administration, and profit.
Do the math. A legal hourly rate for a customer must be well above the wage floor for the figures to add up. The market price for home cleaning is estimated at around NOK 450–700 per hour as of 2026, depending on location and assignment. If you get a quote of NOK 250 per hour cash, it is mathematically impossible to deliver legally. Then you are paying for black market work, whether you know it or not.
How does an approved company protect you?
In short: it shifts the risk away from you. Here's what you actually gain by choosing white market services.
- You stay on the right side of the law. An approved company in the Renholdsregisteret means your purchase is legal.
- Damages are covered. Liability insurance covers damage to your home and contents.
- You have someone to complain to. Poor job? You have an agreement and an invoice to refer to, and the company has a reputation to protect.
- Employees are safe. Wages according to collective agreement, occupational injury insurance, and proper conditions – you do not contribute to exploitation.
- You avoid employer responsibility. The company is the employer, not you. No a-melding, no tax deductions, no payroll administration on your plate.
The checklist before you order is simple:
- Search for the company in the Renholdsregisteret on arbeidstilsynet.no, and confirm "godkjent" status.
- Ask that employees have a valid HMS card.
- Demand an invoice, never just cash without a receipt.
- Be skeptical of an hourly rate that is far below market level.
- Ask about liability insurance before the job starts.
What do I do if I have already bought black market services?
Don't panic, but correct it. Switch to an approved company for future assignments. If you have personally hired a private individual and paid over NOK 6,000 per year without reporting, you should report the wages via an a-melding and arrange for tax deductions. The Norwegian Tax Administration is more lenient towards those who correct themselves than towards those who are caught.
The point of choosing white market services is not to be kind to the state. It is to avoid being stuck with the bill – legally, financially, and practically – the day something goes wrong. The small saving on the hourly rate is rarely worth it.
If you want to ensure your next cleaner is legal, start with lovlig vaskehjelp og renholdsregisteret. It's the easiest step you can take to sleep well at night.
Home safety: never mix chemicals
A final warning, regardless of who is cleaning. Never mix chlorine with anything other than water. Chlorine and vinegar produce chlorine gas; chlorine and ammonia or sal ammoniac produce harmful chloramine. Both can make you seriously ill in seconds in a closed bathroom. A reputable company knows these rules. If you clean yourself, they apply just as much.
