Management fees in Thailand are quoted in several different ways, which makes comparing companies harder than it should be.
The common structures
- A fixed monthly retainer, regardless of whether the property is rented
- A percentage of rental income, usually charged only when the property earns
- A hybrid: a smaller retainer plus a percentage of rent
None of these is automatically better. What matters is what is included.
Questions worth asking
- How many inspection visits are included each month?
- Who pays for the pool and garden staff, and are those invoices shown to me?
- Does the company take a commission from contractors?
- What happens in an emergency when I cannot be reached?
Why the contractor question matters most
If a management company earns a margin on every repair, it has a quiet incentive to find repairs. Ask directly, and ask to see the original quotations.