Sydney’s Cost of Living Crisis Has People Turning to Cleaning Side Hustles — But the ATO’s Watching

Rent is up. Eggs are $9. Electricity bills make you cry.

So it makes sense that in 2025, cleaning side hustles are on the rise across Sydney. But there’s one catch — the ATO is cracking down.

📈 Why Cleaning Side Hustles Are Booming:

• Sydney rent is up 14.2% year-over-year (Domain, Q1 2025)

• Wage growth hasn’t kept up with inflation

• Gig platforms like Airtasker and Facebook groups are flooded with casual cleaning gigs

“I clean two cafes a week before my office job,” said one Ultrix cleaner. “It’s the only way I can pay rent and save.”

🚨 ATO Warning: Declaring Income is Non-Negotiable

The ATO has publicly stated that side hustle income is a 2025–2026 audit priority. That includes:

• Cash jobs

• Airtasker gigs

• Unregistered ABN cleaning “businesses”

Fines range from $1,110 to $4,500+ for non-disclosure of income.

🧼 The Ultrix Alternative

We support side hustlers — but we do it legally:

• Onboarding includes ABN help or payroll registration

• We track all income transparently for tax time

• Flexible shifts and fair hourly rates

“We’re helping young workers earn more — without risking fines,” — James, Ultrix Team Lead

📣 Call to Action

Want a flexible cleaning side hustle that won’t get you flagged by the ATO? Join Ultrix. We do it the right way.