Ask what the percentage applies to
A quoted percentage is incomplete without its calculation basis. Ask whether it applies to accommodation revenue before or after platform deductions, whether cleaning collected from guests is included and whether any minimum fee applies. Request a worked example using one hypothetical booking and clearly labelled assumptions. This article does not publish a market-average fee because the service scope and calculation methods differ. The useful comparison is what you pay for the same responsibilities and the same booking value.
Put the included tasks in a table
List advertising preparation, guest messages, calendar updates, arrivals, departure checks, cleaning coordination and owner statements. For each, record whether it is included, charged separately or left to you. Repairs, linen replacement, consumables and building fees deserve separate lines. A lower management percentage can still leave important work uncovered. Ask how after-hours issues are handled and who approves extra spending rather than assuming every problem falls inside the standard fee.
Read the owner statement before signing
Ask for a blank or anonymised statement showing booking income, refunds, platform deductions, management fees and property expenses. Check when money is paid out and how you can question a line item. The balance transferred to an owner should be traceable to the underlying bookings and agreed charges. Our calculator can illustrate a simple scenario with figures you enter, but it cannot replace the actual agreement or account for every cost and tax treatment.
Agree owner use and the handover at the end
Discuss how you block personal-use dates, who controls the platform accounts and what happens to existing reservations if the agreement ends. Clarify the return of keys, records and listing access. These questions matter even when the relationship begins well. When requesting a proposal from Doykin Properties, include your town, complex, apartment layout and the work you want to delegate so the discussion starts with the actual property rather than a generic percentage.
Ask for a worked example using the same booking
A percentage is difficult to compare until the calculation basis is clear. Ask each provider to show an illustrative booking with the same accommodation amount and identify each deduction. For example, ask whether platform costs are deducted before or after the management fee is calculated, how cleaning is recorded and whether approved property expenses appear separately. The example should explain the proposal, not claim that a particular level of income will be achieved.
Then compare the scope behind the numbers. Who answers guest messages, coordinates arrivals, deals with cleaning changes and prepares the owner statement? Which tasks are included routinely and which need a separate instruction or charge? A lower percentage can cover less work, while a larger scope may still leave responsibilities with the owner. Write down unresolved points and ask for clarification in the proposal. The goal is an agreement you can understand and verify, not simply the smallest number in a comparison table.