Questions to ask a property manager before you hire one

Fees

• What is the monthly management fee, and is it a percent of rent or a flat amount?
• What do you charge to find a tenant, to renew a lease and to handle a vacancy?
• Is there a markup on repairs or a fee for coordinating them?
• Are there setup, onboarding, inspection or cancellation fees?

Example a made-up manager charges 8 percent of monthly rent and one month's rent to place a tenant. On a $1,800 rent that is $144 a month, or $1,728 a year, plus $1,800 each time a new tenant is placed. A year with one turnover costs $3,528. A year with no turnover costs $1,728.

Money and records

Ask where the rent and the security deposits are held, how quickly the owner is paid, and how deposits are accounted for. State laws set rules on deposits and many states license property managers, so ask for the license number and check it with the state. Ask how often you receive an owner statement and what it includes.

Tenants and the law

Ask how they screen applicants and whether the criteria are written and applied to everyone. Fair housing law bars refusing to rent or setting different terms because of race, color, religion, sex, familial status or national origin, and a manager who works for you acts on your behalf. Ask what training they have and who handles a complaint.

For homes built before 1978, ask how lead paint disclosures are handled; the EPA says the renter must get them before signing a lease.

Repairs and approvals

• At what dollar amount do you need my approval before a repair?
• Who are the vendors, and can I use my own?
• How are emergencies handled after hours?
• Do I see the invoices?

The contract and the exit

Read how long the agreement runs, how it renews, how much notice to cancel and what you owe if you leave early. Ask what happens to the tenant files, deposits and keys when you end it. If the answers differ from what was said on the phone, ask for the contract to change.

How to compare two managers

• Ask each for the same written fee schedule, so the lines can be put side by side.
• Ask each for a sample owner statement and a sample repair invoice.
• Ask for two references from owners with a similar kind of property.
• Add up the first year's cost for each, with and without a tenant turnover.

The lowest monthly percent is not always the lowest total cost, because placement, renewal and repair fees change the result. Put each manager's year in a small table and compare the totals. Then read the cancellation terms last, because they decide how hard it is to change your mind. Keep a copy of the signed agreement in the property folder.

How DoorKeeping fits

DoorKeeping is software for owners who manage their own properties, at $2 per unit per month with every feature included. Some owners use it to check a manager's work: the owner statement, the ledger and the bills are visible in one place. You can ask Claude or ChatGPT, for example, "Show me all the repairs last quarter and what each cost." Approvals stay with you.

Tenants pay rent to your own bank account by bank transfer, free from DoorKeeping, and DoorKeeping marks rent paid when the deposit matches.

Sources

1. 42 U.S. Code 3604, Discrimination in the sale or rental of housing, Cornell Law School, read Oct 30, 2026
2. Real estate disclosure of lead-based paint, EPA, read Oct 30, 2026

Questions

What fees do property managers charge?

Commonly a monthly fee, a fee to place a tenant and sometimes renewal or repair fees. Get every fee in the written agreement.

Who holds the rent and deposits?

It depends on the manager and on state law. Ask where the money is held and how you are paid.

Can I fire my property manager?

Usually yes, as the agreement allows. Read the notice period and any early exit fee before you sign.