According to advance information obtained by YLE television news, nearly 200,000 households have taken advantage of the tax break. Small renovations and cleaning services are the most popular.
The tax break allows individuals to deduct up to 2,300 euros a year on home care-related services, of which renovation costs can be at most 1,150 euros.
The Ministry of Labour believes the benefit is doing exactly what it was hoped it would do: increasing employment and reducing illegal labour in the service sector. The Ministry estimates that at least 5,000 new jobs were created last year.
The construction industry supports the benefit but wants the government to go even further. Industry representatives are calling on the government to double the allowed tax refund on renovations.