What is included in garden maintenance for a housing cooperative?
By Service Plus Stockholm AB6 min read
Short answer
What is included in garden maintenance for a housing cooperative?
Garden maintenance for a housing cooperative (BRF) usually covers lawns, hedges, flower beds, trees and shrubs, garden cleanup, and winter services such as snow removal – but the exact tasks and how often they're carried out are always agreed with the board or property manager and set out in a contract. Since the cooperative is a legal entity, the RUT deduction does not apply to invoices sent to the cooperative, only when an individual member orders work on their own patio or balcony. Service Plus Stockholm visits the courtyard, reviews the available areas, and provides a proposal for scope and price before any contract is signed.
What is usually included in garden maintenance at a housing cooperative's courtyard?
A courtyard at a housing cooperative usually has several types of areas that need different kinds of care throughout the year – lawn, planting beds, hedges facing neighbours and the street, individual trees, and sometimes a play area or barbecue spot. Which of these tasks are actually carried out, and how often, varies greatly between cooperatives depending on the size of the courtyard, the number of shrub beds, and what the board prioritises.
Below are examples of what is typically found in a maintenance contract for a cooperative. This is not a list of what Service Plus always does, but a starting point for the conversation held during the courtyard visit.
- Lawn mowing and trimming edges around beds, trees and fences
- Hedge trimming facing neighbouring plots, streets and between courtyard sections
- Weeding and maintenance in flower beds and plantings
- Pruning of trees and shrubs to maintain shape, health and safety
- Garden cleanup with leaf raking in autumn and spring cleanup after winter
- Watering of new plantings and sensitive beds during dry periods
- Snow removal and anti-slip treatment on paths, entrances and parking areas
- Waste removal of branches, leaves and other garden waste after the work
How is the exact scope and frequency decided for our cooperative?
The scope is always set based on the courtyard's actual conditions, not a standard template. During an initial visit, Service Plus reviews the areas together with the board or the property manager engaged by the cooperative, noting the number of square metres of lawn, running metres of hedge, number of trees and beds, and asking what the cooperative wants to prioritise.
The frequency – for example how often the lawn is mowed during summer or how many times the hedge is trimmed per season – is just as negotiable as which tasks are included. Many cooperatives choose more frequent mowing during the peak season of May to August and less frequent visits during spring and autumn, but this is a decision made together, not a schedule Service Plus sets on its own.
Who decides and how is the work documented?
The board or an engaged property manager is the party that approves scope, frequency and price, and this is also the point of contact used if something needs adjusting during the season. A named contact person at the cooperative means that changes – for example that a new flower bed needs tending or that a tree is felt to be too large – can quickly be raised and added to the contract.
Each visit is documented so the cooperative can see what has been done and when, which is useful both for ongoing follow-up and if questions arise at an annual general meeting.
Does the RUT deduction apply to a housing cooperative's garden maintenance?
No, not on the invoice to the cooperative. The RUT deduction only applies to work carried out for a private individual in their own home, and a housing cooperative is a legal entity. Maintenance of the courtyard's shared areas is therefore invoiced to the cooperative without a deduction, and the cost is instead covered through the ongoing monthly fee.
If an individual member, on the other hand, orders for example window cleaning or pruning of a shrub on their own patio, and the invoice is addressed to them personally, a RUT deduction of up to 50 percent of the labour cost can be applied to that invoice.
When are good times to review the maintenance contract?
February to April is a common period for cooperatives to review or tender maintenance contracts ahead of the coming season, since lawn mowing and hedge trimming normally start up in April–May. It is also possible to enter into a contract during an ongoing season, for example if a cooperative changes supplier or a courtyard gains new areas after a renovation.
Regardless of the time of year, Service Plus assesses the courtyard on site and suggests what is reasonable to do now and what can wait until the next period, so the cooperative is never left without maintenance between two contracts.
How does Service Plus maintain a housing cooperative's garden?
Service Plus Stockholm puts together a team based on what the courtyard needs – Mulle for lawn mowing, Tuja for hedges, Saxa for pruning of trees and shrubs, Lövet for garden cleanup, Droppen for watering and Skottis for snow removal in winter – with a shared point of contact towards the board or property manager. We bring our own equipment to every visit and remove branches, leaves and other garden waste so the courtyard is clean when we leave.
Get in touch for a free assessment of the courtyard – Service Plus provides a proposal for scope and price within 24 hours, and any work on an individual member's own patio can be invoiced separately with the RUT deduction.
Common follow-up questions
Can an individual member get the RUT deduction even though the cooperative has a maintenance contract?
Yes, if the member personally orders work on their own patio or balcony and the invoice is addressed to them individually, they can apply for the RUT deduction on that invoice, even though the cooperative's shared maintenance does not qualify for a deduction.
Is waste removal of garden waste included in the maintenance?
Yes, removal of branches, leaves and other waste can be included and negotiated into the contract, but it does not qualify for the RUT deduction since waste removal and materials are always excluded from the deduction-eligible labour cost.
Is it possible to join a maintenance contract in the middle of the gardening season?
Yes, Service Plus takes on cooperatives at any time of year, assesses the courtyard on site, and suggests what is suitable to do right away and what should be planned for the next period.
Does the board need to be present at every visit to the courtyard?
No, it is enough to have a designated contact person who approves scope and any changes, so that ongoing maintenance can be managed without every visit requiring a board meeting.
