Landlord Tools
A single percentage point on a management fee sounds small. Across a year of rent it is not. See what the difference is actually worth in dollars.
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The detail
Management fees are quoted in percentages, but you pay them in dollars. Here is how to judge whether yours is fair and when a cheap fee turns out to be expensive.
Most Sydney agencies charge a management fee calculated as a percentage of the rent they collect, and the market spans a wide range, roughly 5 to 8.8 per cent including GST depending on the agency, the suburb and the property. The percentage matters less than what sits behind it: what is included, what is charged separately and how well the property is actually run.
Our standard management fee is 6 per cent of rent collected, and the calculator lets you set our rate and your current rate to whatever you like, so the comparison is always on your numbers.
On a property renting at $750 a week, one percentage point of management fee is $390 a year. That is real money, but it is also small next to the other lever: the rent itself. A property that sits vacant three extra weeks costs $2,250, and a rent set $30 a week under the market costs $1,560 a year. A saving on fees that comes with slower leasing or lazy rent reviews is not a saving at all.
Benchmark
The Sydney range
Management fees in Sydney typically run from around 5 to 8.8 per cent including GST. Anything at the top of that range should come with an exceptional level of service.
Rule of thumb
One point, half a week
One percentage point of management fee costs about half a week of rent a year. Three weeks of avoidable vacancy costs six times that.
Watch for
Fee stacking
A low headline rate often travels with separate admin fees, statement fees, technology fees and inspection charges. Always compare the all-in annual cost, not the percentage.
The point of this calculator is not to find the cheapest manager in Sydney. It is to put a dollar figure on the gap between what you pay now and what you could pay, so you can weigh that against what you are getting. If your current agency communicates well, leases quickly and reviews the rent every year, a fair fee is money well spent. If they do not, you are paying twice: once in fees and again in lost rent.
For a full schedule-level comparison including letting fees, marketing and admin charges, use the Fee Comparison calculator. And if you want the real number for your property, request an appraisal and we will put our fees in writing beside it.
Day-to-day management of the tenancy: rent collection and arrears follow-up, tenant communication, maintenance coordination, routine inspections, lease renewals and rent reviews, plus compliance with NSW tenancy law. What is bundled in versus charged separately varies by agency, which is why the all-in cost matters more than the rate.
Often, within reason. Agencies price for the work involved, so a well-presented apartment with a reliable tenant may be priced more sharply than a complex property. Be wary of an agency that drops its fee dramatically the moment you push back. The discount usually comes out of service.
Rarely. The management fee is the smallest lever on your return. Vacancy, under-market rent and poorly handled maintenance each cost multiples of any fee saving. Judge an agency on days on market, arrears rates and how they communicate, then make sure the fee is fair.
Generally yes. Management fees on an income-producing rental property are typically deductible in the year they are incurred, along with many other holding costs. Confirm your own position with your accountant.
If the annual difference is meaningful, ask your current agency what you are getting for it. If the answer is unconvincing, switching is simpler than most owners expect. The incoming agency handles the transfer, including notifying the tenant, and there is no gap in management.
Keep running the numbers
This calculator produces general estimates from the figures you enter. It is a guide only, not financial or investment advice and not a formal appraisal or valuation. Speak to your accountant or financial adviser about your own position. The Gallery Real Estate Pty Limited, licence 10103433.
The real number
Tell us about your property and we will show you exactly what management with The Gallery would cost, in writing.
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