Many service voucher companies are significantly increasing their costs. Price of fuel, energy, wage conditions for housekeepers… the sector says it has no choice.
“Is it really legal to charge us €2 more per service voucher when we have not signed anything to this effect?”, wrote to us a few days ago Caroline, a mother from the Namur region. And she is obviously not alone in worrying regarding this type of increase. Several people have reached us via the orange Alert us button. Customers informed by their cleaning company that increases would be or are already being made, in the form of administrative costs.
It maintains a local job
Caroline uses housekeepers for her ironing. She recently received a letter from her service voucher company, ‘Home Clean’, informing her of this increase of 2 euros. This increase is detailed by “the necessary equipment, the rental of premises allowing the activity, but also the soaring energy prices.” Nathalie Garcia is the director of ‘Home Clean’. She justifies this increase to our microphone: “It is urgent now because the costs are higher and higher (…). At some point, this loss becomes too great. We have two options: either we close the ironing centres, a choice that has been made by many competing companies, or we maintain the ironing activity and ask for additional costs. I positioned myself for this maintenance because we work with (rented) premises. It maintains a local job. I preferred that choice.”
Since 2014, the management of the service voucher system has become a regional competence. In Wallonia, out of the 9 euros paid by the customer, a tax deductibility of 0.9 euros on the first 150 service vouchers is granted. In Brussels, the figures differ. Each year you can benefit from a tax reduction of €1.35 for each of the first 163 service vouchers requested per person.
A matter of obligation
Nathalie Garcia points the finger precisely at this price of the service voucher (9 euros) unchanged since 2014 despite inflation and the crises: “Since 2014, the price of the service voucher is 9 euros for purchase. So 10.10 euros (+2 euros requested) is that a lot for an hour of work done by a professional ironer with professional equipment?, she asks. And to illustrate: “If you have a gardener who comes on the black market, he asks you for more than 10.10 euros. (…) The amount given to us per returned service voucher is insufficient to cover all of these costs. For a moment we have to to do. ”
The use of these additional costs is the only solution
The federation of service voucher employers, Federgon, does not say anything else and is sounding the alarm. It must be said that the sector is going through a period “very difficult“, according to Federgon. Reason why, failing to see an increase in the price decided by each of the three Regions, “The use of these additional costs is the only solution”, explains Arnaud le Grelle, director of the structure for Wallonia and Brussels. He mentions the current increases in the form of administrative costs: “Either the customer understands the need to pay his additional costs and he agrees, or there is a breach of contract.”
For Federgon, if these costs tend to multiply, it is also because the price of the service voucher has not been increased since 2014 and companies have “profitability that is too low and in a certain number of cases, it no longer justifies the minimum profitability” Arnaud le Grelle continues: ” We clearly need to get back around the table to discuss all the points. The first is to find ways to refinance the sector. Knowing that the Regions do not really want to increase their contribution – which we can understand given their budgetary situation – the only solution consists in asking individuals for an increased contribution, that is to say increasing the check price.”
A reform of the sector being finalized
And now is not the time to celebrate in the service voucher sector. The sector has also been asking for better wages and better reimbursement for business travel for months.
The only glimmer of hope in the sector, a major reform is announced (and hoped for before the summer) for 2022 in Brussels. A reform “being finalized“, according to the office of the Brussels Minister of Employment. Three avenues are envisaged, including that which leads to a review of the price of the service voucher, unchanged since 2014. The other avenues lead to “tax deductibility” or to “playing with the number of service vouchers” set at 163 in Brussels and 150 in Wallonia. Case to follow, but an imminent change is announced.
On the Walloon side, the Minister of Employment, Christie Morreale says to herself “anxious to preserve the general balance of the system and has begun thinking regarding ways to regulate this type of practice (Editor’s note: increase in administrative costs). A change of decree is announced.
