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Property Management Fees in Australia 2026: Rates by State

Management fees by state for 2026 (5.8% NSW to 8.7% WA and Tasmania), letting fees, and renewal, inspection and statement charges where published.

Andy McMaster

Reviewed by Andy McMaster, Editor

Written by Your Property Guide editorialUpdated 12 min read

How we keep this accurateSources

Key takeaways

  • Management fees average 7.5% of rent nationally: 5.8% in New South Wales, 5.9% in Victoria, 7.1% in the ACT, 7.5% in Queensland and South Australia, 8.5% in the Northern Territory and 8.7% in Western Australia and Tasmania (LocalAgentFinder, March 2026). Regional areas run higher than the capitals everywhere.
  • Letting fees average 1.4 weeks' rent each time a new tenant is signed: about 1 week in Queensland and the Territory, 2 weeks in Tasmania and 2 to 3 weeks in Perth.
  • No state sets or caps the fee. Each requires it in a written agreement (NSW's agency agreement, Victoria's managing authority, Queensland's Form 6, WA's written authority) and each consumer regulator says it is negotiable.
  • Lease renewal, routine inspection and statement charges come on top where the agency levies them. Only Western Australia and South Australia have published ranges for those lines, so get every charge in writing before you sign.
  • The calculator below starts at your state's published figures and shows the annual cost as a share of rent: about 6.9% at New South Wales' figures and 11.7% at Western Australia's.
In this guide17 sections

The rule for choosing a selling agent holds for a property manager too: hire on results, not the headline rate. A cheap manager who leaves the property empty costs more, so get every fee in writing and compare the total annual cost.

The headline rate is just the start

Most quotes advertise the management percentage and stop there. The full picture is the management fee, plus the letting fee each time a tenant changes, plus the renewal, inspection and statement charges the agency levies. The table gives each state’s published figures; the calculator adds them up for your rent.

Property management fees by state (2026)

The management fee is a percentage of the rent collected. The letting fee is charged in weeks of rent each time a new tenant is signed. The table gives each state’s published range and its state average, then the three extra charges where a named source publishes a range for that state; where none does, the cell says so rather than guessing. Footnotes point to the sources listed under the table, as at 30 September 2026.

StateManagement fee (% of rent)Letting fee (weeks of rent)Lease renewalRoutine inspectionStatements and admin
New South Wales
Sydney		5% to 8% (Sydney; up to 12% in regional NSW); state average 5.8% [1, 2, 3]1 to 2 weeks; state average 1.1 weeks [1, 3]No published NSW rangeNo published NSW rangeNo published NSW range
Victoria
Melbourne		5% to 10% (about 6% in metropolitan Melbourne, 8% to 10% in regional Victoria); state average 5.9% [1, 2, 4]1 to 4 weeks; state average 1.5 weeks [1, 4]No published VIC rangeNo published VIC rangeNo published VIC range
Queensland
Brisbane		7% to 12% (Brisbane average about 9%); state average 7.5% [1, 2, 5]1 to 2 weeks; state average 1 week [1, 5]No published QLD rangeNo published QLD rangeNo published QLD range
Western Australia
Perth		8.5% to 11% (Perth; 11% or more in regional WA); state average 8.7% [1, 2, 6]2 to 3 weeks; state average 1.7 weeks [1, 6]$150 to $250 [6]$50 to $100 (each, at most four a year) [6, 16]$20 to $40 (statement or annual summary) [6]
South Australia
Adelaide		9% to 15% (Adelaide agencies mostly 9% to 11%); state average 7.5% (a separate statewide measure from LocalAgentFinder, not part of the Adelaide range) [1, 2, 7]2 weeks; state average 1.9 weeks [1, 7]1 week's rent (often one week's rent) [7]$50 to $100 (each) [7]$30 to $100 (annual statement) [7]
Tasmania
Hobart		5% to 10% (5% to 7% in central Hobart, 9% to 10% regional; Hobart average 8.4%); state average 8.7% [1, 2, 8]1 to 4 weeks; state average 2 weeks [1, 8]No published TAS rangeNo published TAS rangeNo published TAS range
ACT
Canberra		6% to 8% (Canberra; higher outside it); state average 7.1% [1, 2, 9]1 to 2 weeks; state average 1.2 weeks [1, 9]No published ACT rangeNo published ACT rangeNo published ACT range
Northern Territory
Darwin		5% to 10%; state average 8.5% [1, 2]about 1 week (state average) [1]No published NT rangeNo published NT rangeNo published NT range

Sources for the table, with dates. The state averages are LocalAgentFinder’s; the ranges are REIQ’s table (sourced to realestate.com.au) and WhichRealEstateAgent’s city guides. A “no published range” cell means none of these names a figure for that state, not that the charge does not exist.

  1. [1] LocalAgentFinder, Property Management Fees Australia: 2026 Guide (state average management and letting fees), 13 March 2026.
  2. [2] REIQ, Property management fees: an in-depth guide (metro and regional averages by state, table sourced to realestate.com.au), 1 December 2023.
  3. [3] WhichRealEstateAgent, Sydney Property Management Fees 2026 Guide, updated 19 March 2026.
  4. [4] WhichRealEstateAgent, Melbourne Property Management Fees 2026 Guide, 2026 edition, read 30 September 2026.
  5. [5] WhichRealEstateAgent, Brisbane Property Management Fees 2026 Guide, 2026 edition, read 30 September 2026.
  6. [6] WhichRealEstateAgent, Perth Property Management Fees 2026 Guide, 2026 edition, read 30 September 2026.
  7. [7] WhichRealEstateAgent, Adelaide Property Management Fees 2026 Guide, updated 19 March 2026.
  8. [8] WhichRealEstateAgent, Hobart Property Management Fees 2026 Guide, 2026 edition, read 30 September 2026.
  9. [9] WhichRealEstateAgent, Canberra Property Management Fees 2026 Guide, 2026 edition, read 30 September 2026.
  10. [16] Consumer Protection WA, You and your property manager (fees fully negotiable; every charge written into the authority; four inspections a year), updated 12 February 2025.
7.5%
National average management fee, as a share of rent collected
LocalAgentFinder, March 2026, from agency quotes across the eight states; the letting fee averages 1.4 weeks' rent.

Annual property management cost calculator

Enter the weekly rent and pick the state. The management percentage and letting weeks start at the state average from the table, the extra charges at the midpoint of the state’s published range (or empty where none is published), and every line is editable. The result is the annual cost of management and its share of the rent, which is the figure to put into the rental yield calculator as your management cost. The same calculator is also available on its own page.

Your rental

Ongoing and letting fees

New South Wales: 5% to 8% (Sydney; up to 12% in regional NSW); state average 5.8%. The average is the starting figure.

New South Wales: 1 to 2 weeks; state average 1.1 weeks. Charged each time a new tenant is signed.

The letting fee is spread over this. With 12-month leases, a tenant who stays two years renews once.

Queensland’s Form 6 states the fee inclusive of GST; elsewhere check the agreement.

Extra charges

New South Wales: No published NSW range. Enter your quote; leave blank if the agency does not charge one.

New South Wales: No published NSW range. Many agencies include inspections in the management fee.

NSW caps routine inspections at four in any 12 months, each with 7 days' written notice.

New South Wales: No published NSW range. Monthly statement, EOFY summary and postage charges, if any.

What management costs a year in New South Wales

Annual rent ($600 a week)
$31,200
Management fee (5.8%)
$1,810
Letting fee, spread over the tenancy ($660 each time, over 2 years)
$330
Annual cost of management (6.9% of rent)
$2,140

Indicative only: this is an estimate, not a quote, and not financial, tax or legal advice. The starting figures are each state’s published averages and ranges, and the fee figures are as at 30 September 2026 (sources are listed with the state fee table); every line is negotiable and quoted individually. Management fees are deductible against rental income.

NSW, VIC, QLD, TAS, ACT and NT have no renewal, inspection or admin ranges in the sources we use, so those lines start at zero and the starting total may understate the cost for those states. Enter the amounts in your agency’s fee schedule.

The 8 fee types you need to know

A residential property manager finds tenants, collects rent, coordinates repairs, inspects the property, holds the bond and handles disputes. The headline fee covers rent collection and day-to-day management; the rest is charged separately or bundled, depending on the agency.

1. Management fee

The headline percentage, calculated on rent collected, not rent owed, so a vacancy costs no fee. Published ranges run from 5% to 8% in Sydney, 5% to 10% in Victoria, 7% to 12% in Queensland, 8.5% to 11% in Perth and 9% to 15% in South Australia; the table above has each state, including the regional figures.

2. Letting fee

Charged when a new tenant is signed. Covers advertising, screening, the tenancy agreement and the ingoing condition report. Usually 1 to 2 weeks’ rent, 2 to 3 weeks in Perth and up to 4 weeks at some Melbourne and Hobart agencies (WhichRealEstateAgent, 2026). On $600 a week that is $600 to $1,800 each time tenants change.

3. Lease renewal fee

Charged when the existing tenant signs a new fixed term. Perth agencies quote $150 to $250 and Adelaide agencies often one week’s rent (WhichRealEstateAgent, 2026); no other state has a published range. Often waived on request.

4. Routine inspection fee

$50 to $100 an inspection where a figure is published (Perth and Adelaide, WhichRealEstateAgent, 2026). Some agencies include two or four a year in the management fee. New South Wales and Western Australia cap routine inspections at four in 12 months; Victoria allows one every six months.

5. Ingoing and outgoing condition reports

The detailed reports at the start and end of each tenancy, which the bond claim rests on. Some agencies fold them into the letting fee, others charge for each; no state range is published, so ask for the figure before you sign.

6. Statement and admin fees

Monthly or annual statement fees, the end-of-financial-year summary and postage. Perth agencies quote $20 to $40 a year for statements and Adelaide agencies $30 to $100 for the annual statement (WhichRealEstateAgent, 2026). Almost always negotiable.

7. Tribunal and arrears

Charged when the agent attends NCAT, VCAT, QCAT, SACAT or the Magistrates Court for you, usually at an hourly rate; Adelaide agencies quote from $300 (WhichRealEstateAgent, March 2026). Arrears follow-up is normally part of the management fee.

8. End-of-management fee

Some agreements charge a fee to leave before the term ends. No range is published; read the termination clause and have it removed before you sign.

How much are property management fees in New South Wales?

In New South Wales, the published management fee is 5% to 8% of rent collected (Sydney; up to 12% in regional NSW; REIQ, December 2023; WhichRealEstateAgent Sydney, March 2026), and LocalAgentFinder's March 2026 state average is 5.8%. Letting fees run 1 to 2 weeks' rent when a new tenant is signed, averaging 1.1 weeks. No NSW law sets the fee, but under the Property and Stock Agents Act 2002 the management agency agreement must be in writing, state the fees and expenses, and reach you signed within 48 hours or the agent cannot recover commission or expenses (section 55). The Residential Tenancies Act 2010 caps routine inspections at four in any 12 months, so an inspection charge can apply at most four times a year.

How much are property management fees in Victoria?

In Victoria, the published management fee is 5% to 10% of rent collected (about 6% in metropolitan Melbourne, 8% to 10% in regional Victoria; REIQ, December 2023; WhichRealEstateAgent Melbourne, 2026), and LocalAgentFinder's March 2026 state average is 5.9%. Letting fees run 1 to 4 weeks' rent when a new tenant is signed, averaging 1.5 weeks. Consumer Affairs Victoria says you sign an exclusive leasing and/or managing authority, every fee and expense including GST must be written on it, a percentage management fee must also be shown as a dollar amount, and all fees are negotiable except those fixed by law. The Residential Tenancies Act 1997 allows a general inspection only once every six months and not in the first three months, so inspection charges are limited to about two a year.

How much are property management fees in Queensland?

In Queensland, the published management fee is 7% to 12% of rent collected (Brisbane average about 9%; REIQ, December 2023; WhichRealEstateAgent Brisbane, 2026), and LocalAgentFinder's March 2026 state average is 7.5%. Letting fees run 1 to 2 weeks' rent when a new tenant is signed, averaging 1 week. Queensland does not regulate the amount: the Queensland Government says fees are negotiable and should be agreed and put in writing before the agent starts. Under the Property Occupations Act 2014 the appointment is made on Form 6, which must state each service, the fee or commission inclusive of GST, when it is payable and any expenses, and an agent cannot charge for a service the form does not cover.

How much are property management fees in Western Australia?

In Western Australia, the published management fee is 8.5% to 11% of rent collected (Perth; 11% or more in regional WA; REIQ, December 2023; WhichRealEstateAgent Perth, 2026), and LocalAgentFinder's March 2026 state average is 8.7%. Letting fees run 2 to 3 weeks' rent when a new tenant is signed, averaging 1.7 weeks. No regulation fixes the fee: Consumer Protection WA says fees are fully negotiable and every charge, including advertising up to an amount you initial, must be written into the authority, and REIWA publishes no guideline and does not monitor what its members charge. The Residential Tenancies Act 1987 limits routine inspections to four a year.

How much are property management fees in South Australia?

In South Australia, the published management fee is 9% to 15% of rent collected (Adelaide agencies mostly 9% to 11%; REIQ, December 2023; WhichRealEstateAgent Adelaide, March 2026), and LocalAgentFinder's March 2026 state average is 7.5%, a separate statewide measure that sits below the Adelaide range. Letting fees run 2 weeks' rent when a new tenant is signed, averaging 1.9 weeks. South Australian law sets no fee, but the Residential Tenancies Act 1995 bars anyone from taking a payment from a tenant other than rent and bond and makes the landlord pay for preparing the agreement (section 53), so letting, agreement and statement costs sit with the owner. Consumer and Business Services enforces the Act and licenses agents under the Land Agents Act 1994.

How much are property management fees in Tasmania?

In Tasmania, the published management fee is 5% to 10% of rent collected (5% to 7% in central Hobart, 9% to 10% regional; Hobart average 8.4%; REIQ, December 2023; WhichRealEstateAgent Hobart, 2026), and LocalAgentFinder's March 2026 state average is 8.7%. Letting fees run 1 to 4 weeks' rent when a new tenant is signed, averaging 2 weeks. No Tasmanian law sets the fee: agents are licensed by the Property Agents Board under the Property Agents and Land Transactions Act 2016, and the Residential Tenancy Act 1997 governs the tenancy rather than your contract with the agent. Consumer, Building and Occupational Services, which administers the Act, treats an agent's re-letting fee as the owner's cost, not one that can be recovered from a departing tenant.

How much are property management fees in the ACT?

In the ACT, the published management fee is 6% to 8% of rent collected (Canberra; higher outside it; REIQ, December 2023; WhichRealEstateAgent Canberra, 2026), and LocalAgentFinder's March 2026 state average is 7.1%. Letting fees run 1 to 2 weeks' rent when a new tenant is signed, averaging 1.2 weeks. The ACT sets no fee: agents are licensed by Access Canberra under the Agents Act 2003, which also takes complaints about a managing agent, and the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 governs the tenancy itself. Put every charge in the management agreement before you sign.

How much are property management fees in the Northern Territory?

In the Northern Territory, the published management fee is 5% to 10% of rent collected (REIQ, December 2023), and LocalAgentFinder's March 2026 state average is 8.5%. The letting fee averages 1 week's rent (LocalAgentFinder, March 2026). The Territory sets no fee. Agents are licensed under the Agents Licensing Act 1979 and the Residential Tenancies Act 1999 governs the tenancy; NT Consumer Affairs' renting guide says a landlord is responsible for the actions of the agent they appoint, so read the agreement before you sign it.

A worked annual example

Western Australia and South Australia are the two states where every line has a published range, so here is Perth at $600 a week on the table’s figures: a management fee of 8.7%, a letting fee of 1.7 weeks spread over a two-year tenancy with one renewal, four inspections and the statement fee, all quoted inclusive of GST.

  • Annual rent: $31,200
  • Management fee: $2,714
  • Letting fee, spread over the tenancy ($1,020 once, halved): $510
  • Lease renewal fee (one renewal in two years): $100
  • Routine inspections: $300
  • Statements and admin: $30
  • Total: $3,654 = 11.7% of annual rent

If the tenant leaves after a year instead, the full $1,020 letting fee lands in that year and the total rises to about 13% of rent. Turnover, not the headline rate, is what moves the annual cost most; the calculator lets you test it.

What’s actually negotiable

  • Headline management fee: negotiable in every state; agencies move most on higher rents and multi-property portfolios.
  • Lease renewal fee: the easiest line to have removed.
  • Statement and admin fees: almost always dropped on request.
  • Routine inspection fee: ask for the year’s inspections to be included in the management fee.
  • Letting fee: the hardest to move, but worth asking on a longer management term.
  • End-of-management fee: push to remove it; it locks you in.

Get the full fee schedule in writing

Every state’s regulator says the same thing: the fee is not set by law, so it must be in the agreement you sign. Ask for the full schedule before signing. If a manager is reluctant to put every charge on paper, take it as a signal about how transparent the rest of the relationship will be.

Cheap isn’t the same as good

A 5% manager who lets rent slip into 14-day arrears, or whose vacancies stretch from one week to four, easily costs more than an 8% manager who keeps the property tenanted and chases late rent on day one. One extra week empty on a $600-a-week property is $600, close to two percentage points of management fee for a year (1% of $31,200 in annual rent is $312).

Ask each candidate for their average vacancy period in days and their arrears rate (share of rent more than 7 days late). The good ones will tell you. The ones who can’t are the ones to skip.

Should you self-manage?

Self-management saves the management fee but requires you to learn your state’s tenancy law, run the application screening, deal with maintenance calls at all hours and represent yourself at the tenancy tribunal if it comes to that. It works for owners with one property nearby, time on their hands and the stomach for difficult conversations.

For most investors, the time and risk reduction is worth the fee, which averages between 5.8% and 8.7% by state.

Next steps

  1. Get three written fee schedules from local managers. Compare the annual total from the calculator, not the headline percentage.
  2. Ask each candidate for their average vacancy days and arrears rate.
  3. Put the total annual cost, not just the management percentage, into the rental yield calculator to see your true net yield.
  4. Read the agreement’s termination clause and remove any fee for switching managers before signing.

Common questions

What percentage do most property management companies charge?

The national average is about 7.5% of the rent collected (LocalAgentFinder, March 2026). The state averages run from 5.8% in New South Wales and 5.9% in Victoria to 7.1% in the ACT, 7.5% in Queensland and South Australia, 8.5% in the Northern Territory and 8.7% in Western Australia and Tasmania. The published ranges are wider than the averages, from 5% at the low end in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and the Northern Territory to 15% at the top of South Australia's range (REIQ, December 2023; WhichRealEstateAgent, 2026). South Australia's 7.5% average is a separate statewide measure from its Adelaide range of 9% to 15%.

What is the typical property management fee in Western Australia?

Western Australia is the dearest state for management: 8.5% to 11% of rent in Perth and 11% or more in regional WA (REIQ, December 2023; WhichRealEstateAgent, Perth, 2026), with a state average of 8.7% (LocalAgentFinder, March 2026). The letting fee is also higher than the east coast at 2 to 3 weeks' rent, and Perth agencies quote $50 to $100 a routine inspection, $150 to $250 for a lease renewal and $20 to $40 for statements. No regulation fixes any of these: Consumer Protection WA says every fee is negotiable and must be written into the authority you sign.

What is a reasonable management fee?

A reasonable fee sits inside your state's published range, and the headline rate is only part of the cost. Sydney agencies publish 5% to 8%, Perth agencies 8.5% to 11% and Adelaide agencies mostly 9% to 11% (WhichRealEstateAgent city guides, 2026). Letting, renewal, inspection and statement charges are added on top wherever an agency charges them, so compare the annual total from the calculator on this page rather than the percentage. As an illustration only, a 6% manager who charges separately for every inspection, statement and renewal can cost more over a year than an 8% manager who includes them.

What is the average property management fee in Australia?

About 7.5% of weekly rent, with a letting fee averaging 1.4 weeks' rent (LocalAgentFinder, March 2026). New South Wales (5.8%) and Victoria (5.9%) are the cheapest states; Western Australia and Tasmania (8.7%) the dearest. The published range goes up to about 12% in regional New South Wales (REIQ, December 2023). Letting, renewal, inspection and statement charges come on top where an agency charges them. Western Australia and South Australia are the two states where all of the renewal, inspection and statement ranges are published, and the calculator on this page adds the lines up for each state.

Is the property management fee tax deductible?

Yes. A property agent's fees and commission on a rental property are an immediate deduction (ATO, Common property expenses). The management fee is charged as a percentage of the rent collected, and the national average is 7.5% (LocalAgentFinder, March 2026), so the deduction moves with the rent. Keep the agency's end-of-financial-year statement for your tax return.

Can I negotiate the property management fee?

Yes. No state fixes the fee: Consumer Affairs Victoria (April 2025) and Consumer Protection WA (February 2025) both say every fee is negotiable, and REIWA publishes no guideline. Agencies move most on the headline rate for higher rents and multi-property portfolios, and most often drop the small charges (statement, admin and routine inspection fees) on request. Get three written fee schedules and compare the annual total, not the percentage.

What is a letting fee?

A one-off charge when the agency signs a new tenant. It runs from 1 to 2 weeks' rent in Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra to 2 to 3 weeks in Perth and up to 4 weeks in Melbourne and Hobart (WhichRealEstateAgent, 2026); the national average is 1.4 weeks (LocalAgentFinder, March 2026). You pay it each time the tenant changes, so a property that turns over every year pays twice what one on a two-year tenancy does.

How often should I get routine inspections?

Quarterly is the usual rhythm and the legal ceiling in two states: New South Wales and Western Australia cap routine inspections at four in any 12 months (NSW Government; Consumer Protection WA), while Victoria allows one general inspection every six months and none in the first three months (Consumer Affairs Victoria). Where agencies publish a charge it is $50 to $100 an inspection (WhichRealEstateAgent, Perth and Adelaide, 2026); many include two or four a year in the management fee, so ask.

Can I switch property managers mid-tenancy?

Yes. The management agreement sets the notice period, usually 30 to 60 days, and in Queensland the Form 6 appointment states its term and how it ends (Property Occupations Act 2014). You give written notice, the outgoing agency hands over keys, files, the bond record and any rent in trust, and the tenancy continues unchanged. Check the agreement for an exit fee before you sign it; that is the clause to strike out.

Keep reading

Sources and methodology