Household guide

Home Help While You Are on Holiday: Keep Your Swiss Home Cared For in 2026

Plan plant watering, post, light household tasks and agreed pet checks while you travel. Confirm tasks, keys and employer duties; Flex booking is not open yet.

Helpore Editorial

Plan the visits your home needs while you travel: plants, post, light cleaning and any agreed pet checks. Set the tasks, dates, key access and gross wage before arranging help.

If someone already helps in your home, choose Helpore Admin Light for monthly payslips, paperwork and calculations while you register and pay, or Helpore Admin for the agreed administration under your authorization. Your Helper does not need a public profile or a Helpore account. Flex booking is not open yet.

What holiday home help covers

Every trip is different, so you decide the tasks and the days. A typical holiday visit includes some mix of:

  • Watering the plants. Indoor greenery and balcony pots that would not survive a fortnight of July sun get a proper drink.
  • Mail and post. Letters and parcels are collected so your letterbox does not advertise an empty home, and anything urgent can be flagged to you.
  • Light cleaning and airing. A quick tidy, dusting and a proper airing keep rooms fresh, so you do not walk back into a stuffy flat.
  • A pet check. Simple care such as feeding a cat, refreshing water or a short let out into the garden, agreed in advance.
  • Keeping the home lived-in. Opening and closing blinds, moving the odd light, and a general once over so the place looks occupied from the street.
  • A welcome home touch. An optional clean and fresh airing timed for the day before you return.

Why a lived-in home is a safer home

An empty home over the summer is an easy target. A brimming letterbox, blinds that never move and plants dying on the sill all quietly signal that nobody is around. Regular visits break that pattern. Post disappears, blinds change through the week, and the home simply looks cared for.

There is a practical side too. A Helper who visits can spot a small problem early, a dripping tap, a fridge that has failed, a window left ajar in a storm, before it becomes an expensive one. That quiet reassurance is often worth far more than the modest cost of the visits.

Declared and insured, not just a favour

Asking a neighbour to pop in is kind, but the moment you pay someone to care for your home you become an employer, and Swiss rules on domestic work apply. Doing it properly protects everyone.

  • Applicable AHV/AVS contributions. Home help is domestic employment. Working-age staff are generally liable from the first franc; young-worker and reference-age exceptions apply.
  • Accident cover. Arrange the applicable cover and check the actual premium; there is no universal yearly price for every employment.
  • A real contract. A written agreement on tasks, dates, rate and keys gives both sides certainty while you are far away.
  • Separate the costs. Check the agreed gross wage, applicable employer charges and administration fees. Future Flex quotes will itemize the costs before confirmation.

Light supplies monthly payslips, paperwork and calculations for you to act on; Admin performs the agreed administration with your authorization. Helpore takes no fee from the Helper’s gross wage; employee deductions remain.

What it costs

Agree the visits, tasks and gross wage for your home. The calculator provides an adjustable planning subtotal, not a complete quote or a verified market rate. Flex booking is not open yet.

Set your home size, visit frequency and illustrative wage to estimate hours and the displayed wage-related costs. Applicable employer costs and fees omitted by the estimator need separate provision. It is not a quote.

House cleaning cost estimator

Estimate your cleaning cost per visit and per month

Choose home size, frequency, hours and gross hourly wage to estimate the time and costs shown. Flex booking is not open yet.

Home size
Cleaning frequency

Suggested from your home size. Drag to adjust for how thorough the clean is.

CHF/ h

Set the gross wage you agree with your Helper and check the applicable minimum. The preset amount is an example for planning.

Your estimate

Estimated time per visit

2 hours

Estimated subtotal per visit

CHF 60

Estimated subtotal per month

CHF 280

wage CHF 260 + employer AHV/ALV share ~CHF 17 + illustrative accident premium ~CHF 8 = CHF 280 per month.

When Flex opens, households can request one-off or recurring help with payroll administration included. The Helper must confirm the request.

This 2026 estimate includes only the costs shown. Holiday pay, employer fund charges, pension, administration fees and payment charges may add to the subtotal. Insurance premiums depend on the policy. This is not a quote.

Join the waitlist

Want a deeper breakdown? See our 2026 cost guide or the Helpore cost calculator.

How it works with Helpore

For an existing Helper, Light and Admin can support the employment. Flex booking is not open yet. When it opens, you can:

  • Choose your Helper. Browse verified Helpers near you and pick the person you trust with your keys.
  • Set the dates and tasks. Agree exactly what happens and when, from a single airing to weekly visits across a long trip.
  • Check each cost. Review the gross wage and every applicable employer cost and administration fee before agreeing the employment. Flex booking is not open yet.
  • Confirm the practical arrangements. Agree tasks, access, emergency contacts and how visits will be recorded.

If someone already helps in your home, choose Helpore Admin Light for monthly payslips, paperwork and calculations while you register and pay, or Helpore Admin for the agreed administration under your authorization. Your Helper does not need a public profile or a Helpore account. Flex booking is not open yet.

Are you a Helper? See how much to charge in 2026 and create your free Helper profile.

Frequently asked questions

What does holiday home help include in Switzerland?

Typical holiday home care covers watering plants, collecting mail and parcels, light cleaning and airing, keeping the home looking lived-in, a quick check for leaks or problems, and a simple pet check such as feeding a cat. You agree the exact tasks and days with your Helper before you travel.

How much does a home Helper cost while I am away?

Agree the gross wage, tasks, visit length and schedule. Employer contributions, paid-holiday provision, insurance and any administration fees are separate. The tool is a planning subtotal, not a complete quote or current availability promise.

Can a Helpore Helper look after my pet while I travel?

Yes, for simple pet checks such as feeding a cat, refreshing water or a short garden let out, arranged as part of the visit. For animals that need medical care or long walks, agree the details with your Helper in advance.

Is holiday home help declared and insured?

Correctly declared employment includes the applicable contributions, insurance and wage records. Light supplies monthly payslips, paperwork and calculations for the household to act on; Admin performs the agreed administration under authorization. Flex booking is not open yet.

How far in advance should I book summer home help?

Book as early as you can, ideally a few weeks before you travel, so you can meet your Helper, agree the tasks and hand over keys calmly. Popular summer weeks fill up quickly.

Official sources