Home Office Expenses

SARS Home office expenses for Employees

Employees who work from home may claim certain home office expenses from SARS, but only if the following requirements are met:

  • A specific part of the home is equipped as an office.
  • The area is used regularly and exclusively for employment purposes.
  • It is not also used as a bedroom, dining room or other private space.
  • More than 50% of the employee’s duties are performed in the qualifying home office during the tax year.

Simply working from home does not automatically qualify an employee for a deduction.

What expenses may an employee claim?

A qualifying employee may generally claim the appropriate portion of:

  • Rent paid for the residence
  • Rates and taxes
  • Electricity
  • Cleaning costs
  • Homeowners’ building insurance
  • Non-capital security costs
  • Repairs relating to the home office
  • Wear-and-tear on qualifying office equipment and furniture

Expenses relating to the property are normally apportioned according to the size of the home office compared with the total floor area of all buildings on the property.

A genuine repair relating only to the qualifying home office may be claimed in full. However, renovations, improvements and new installations are generally capital expenses and cannot automatically be claimed in full.

Can an employee claim bond interest?

No. SARS does not allow employees or office holders to claim mortgage bond interest as a home office expense from the 2023 tax year onwards.

The capital portion of a bond repayment is also not deductible.

What expenses may an employee generally not claim?

An ordinary salaried employee may generally not claim:

  • Mortgage bond interest
  • Internet or fibre subscriptions
  • Mobile phone and data costs
  • Stationery
  • Software subscriptions
  • Household contents insurance
  • Bond or life insurance
  • Capital renovations or improvements

Office equipment may qualify for a wear-and-tear allowance instead of an immediate deduction.

What documents will SARS require?

You should retain the following documents to support your home office claim:

  • A letter from your employer confirming that you were permitted or expected to work from home
  • A completed Home Office Expense Schedule setting out the expenses being claimed
  • A separate schedule recording the days and locations from which you worked, including days worked from the qualifying home office, at the employer’s premises and at any other location
  • A floor plan showing the home office and the accurate measurements of all buildings on the property
  • Photographs showing the dedicated and specifically equipped home office
  • Invoices, statements and proof of payment for all expenses claimed
  • Purchase documents and wear-and-tear calculations for office equipment and furniture

The schedule of days and locations worked is important because it helps demonstrate that more than 50% of the employee’s duties were performed in the qualifying home office.

An employer’s letter confirms the work-from-home arrangement, but it may not, on its own, prove where the employee actually performed their duties.

What about independent contractors?

Genuine independent contractors and self-employed individuals are treated differently from employees. They may potentially claim a wider range of business expenses, including the qualifying business portion of internet, telephone and mortgage bond interest.

However, being described as an “independent contractor” in an agreement is not enough. The actual working relationship must support that classification.

The home office must still be specifically equipped and used regularly and exclusively for the independent contractor’s trade. Independent contractors must also prove that the expenses claimed were incurred in producing their business income.

Important Capital Gains Tax consideration

Using part of an owned home for business may affect the primary residence exclusion when the property is eventually sold.
We recommend considering the possible Capital Gains Tax consequences before submitting a home office claim.

TaxAssist can help determine whether you qualify and calculate the correct deduction.