Withholding obligation for the cleaning sector, checked automatically
Professional cleaning and maintenance companies are within scope of article 30bis. Checkplicht runs the NSSO, NISSE and FPS Finance lookups automatically for every payment.
Legal basis
Cleaning and maintenance activities under joint committee 121, performed regularly and against payment for a client, are treated as works under article 30bis.
Rates identical to construction: 35 percent NSSO, 15 percent FPS Finance, global cap 50 percent.
Since 2024, self-employed social debts (NISSE) are included and penalties have been strengthened.
How the withholding obligation works in practice
Cleaning of buildings qualifies as a work in immovable property. The cleaning sector is therefore fully subject to article 30bis, even though the provision is usually associated with building sites. At every payment to your cleaning partner you check for social or tax debts, with the same percentages: 35 percent for the NSSO, 15 percent for FPS Finance, capped together at 50 percent.
The practical difference with construction is the rhythm. Cleaning contracts run continuously and are invoiced monthly, often across dozens of sites. One check per year leaves eleven months uncovered. A monthly or fortnightly cadence matches the invoicing and keeps every payment run backed by a fresh check.
The sector also relies heavily on subcontracting and temporary staff. A facility company that passes cleaning on to a specialist partner stays inside the chain. Every link checks its own counterparty and liability runs back up to the principal.
For which businesses
B2B cleaning
Office, industrial and daily cleaning for companies and public bodies.
Facility management
Soft services and facility teams that outsource cleaning.
Glass and façade cleaning
Window, façade and height cleaning.
Specialised cleaning
Hospitals, food industry, hospitality, cleanrooms, post-fire restoration.
Property management
Syndics and property managers for common areas.
What Checkplicht verifies for you
NSSO, employer social debts
Live lookup on company or VAT number.
NISSE, self-employed social debts
For sole traders and self-employed without staff.
FPS Finance, tax debts
Automated check.
History and certificates
Every certificate is archived with timestamp and unique verification code.
How it works
- 01
Import via Excel or company number
Add your cleaning suppliers in a few clicks.
- 02
Automated re-checks
Weekly or daily for long-running contracts.
- 03
Withholding alerts
Direct notification with the calculated amount.
- 04
Official payment handover and PDF certificate
Handover to the official NSSO payment channel.
The pitfalls we see most often in this sector
Assuming 30bis is only about construction
Cleaning of buildings is a work in immovable property. Not screening your cleaning supplier carries exactly the same risk as on a site.
Not splitting mixed facility contracts
A contract bundling cleaning, catering and reception contains a 30bis component. Judge the contract by the nature of the services, not the invoice title.
Letting small monthly amounts pass
The scheme has no threshold per invoice. A monthly invoice of a few hundred euro also needs a check on the day of payment.
Treating multi-site invoicing as one payment
Invoicing per site usually means several payments. Each payment counts separately, even for the same supplier.
Risks without a check
- Administrative fine equal to twice the un-withheld amount.
- Joint liability up to 100 percent of the service price.
- Risk of losing public tenders without recent certificates.
What to do when a debt is found
When a debt is found you split the payment. The withheld part goes to the administration concerned, the remainder to your cleaning partner. Communicate this: suppliers generally understand the legal duty, which avoids disputes about a partially paid invoice.
Checkplicht calculates the amount and hands you over to the official government application for the payment details. We deliberately do not store administration account numbers in the app, precisely to avoid outdated data.
Ask your supplier for a certificate limiting the withholding when the outstanding debt is smaller than the calculated amount. That certificate, together with the dated check certificate from Checkplicht, forms your evidence file.
Checklist for your next payment run
- All cleaning suppliers and their sub-suppliers are in the file.
- The automatic check cadence follows your monthly invoicing.
- Mixed facility contracts have been assessed by the nature of the services.
- Every payment run starts with a fresh check and ends with a certificate.
- Check certificates are kept for at least five years.
Read on
Frequently asked questions, cleaning
Are the rates the same as in construction?
Yes. 35 percent NSSO, 15 percent FPS Finance, global cap 50 percent.
My contract is monthly, how often should I check?
At every payment. Monthly contracts are easily covered by a monthly or weekly automated re-check.
What about service vouchers?
Service-voucher work for private use is outside 30bis. As soon as a company hires a cleaning firm for its offices, the obligation applies.
Are certificates stored?
Yes, with a unique control ID and QR verification. You can also download a monthly overview.
Official sources
- NSSO, declaration of works article 30bis
- Official withholding obligation lookup (checkinhoudingsplicht.be)
- NSSO, withholding obligation
- Act of 27 June 1969 (consolidated text, Justel)
- FPS Finance
This page is informational. For a specific case, consult the official sources or your accountant.
Other sectors
Get started in minutes
Import your cleaning suppliers and let Checkplicht run the checks for you.