Property managers should increase your revenue and reduce your workload. When they fail at either task, they become a liability rather than an asset.

Many short-term rental owners notice declining returns but struggle to identify whether their property manager is the problem. Poor performance often develops gradually through missed opportunities, inadequate systems, or misaligned priorities.

These ten red flags indicate your current Airbnb property manager may be costing you money. Recognising them helps you evaluate whether it’s time to switch property managers to a more effective alternative.

1. Lack of Transparent Financial Reporting

You should know exactly where your money goes each month. Property managers who provide vague summaries, delayed statements, or unclear expense breakdowns make it impossible to track performance or identify problems.

Transparent reporting includes itemised invoices, clear booking breakdowns, and accessible financial dashboards. 

2. Poor Communication or Responsiveness

Waiting days for updates or chasing your property manager for basic information signals disorganisation. Delayed responses to owner questions often correlate with delayed responses to guest enquiries, which directly impacts your bookings and reviews.

Effective property managers respond promptly to both owners and guests. Communication delays suggest you’re not a priority.

3. No Dynamic Pricing or Market Adjustments

Static nightly rates ignore market demand fluctuations. Properties priced identically during low and high seasons leave significant revenue on the table.

Dynamic pricing adjusts rates based on local events, seasonal patterns, competitor pricing, and booking lead times. Having a property manager with a set-and-forget pricing strategy means you will be charging under market rates during peak times and are under-booked during quiet periods.

4. Low Occupancy Despite Market Demand

Other properties in your area are fully booked while yours has empty nights. This suggests problems with listing optimisation, pricing strategy, or platform visibility.

Low occupancy when competitors are thriving indicates your property manager isn’t positioning your listing competitively. Poor photos, weak descriptions, or limited platform presence all contribute to lost bookings.

5. Inconsistent Guest Reviews or Frequent Turnover Issues

Fluctuating review quality points to inconsistent cleaning standards, poor maintenance follow-through, or inadequate guest communication. Guests notice when properties aren’t properly prepared between stays.

Negative reviews mentioning cleanliness, broken items, or unresponsive hosts damage your listing’s ranking and conversion rate. Each poor review costs you future bookings.

6. Hidden Fees or Unexpected Charges

Monthly statements include surprise charges for admin fees, maintenance markups, or linen costs that weren’t discussed upfront. Property managers who profit from undisclosed fees prioritise their margins over your returns.

Transparent fee structures should be established before signing. Unexpected charges that appear months into the arrangement indicate poor business practices.

7. Failure to Capitalise on Events or Peak Seasons

Your property is priced at standard rates during festivals, conferences, or holiday periods when demand surges. Property managers who ignore local calendars miss the highest revenue opportunities of the year.

Premium pricing during peak demand periods significantly impacts annual returns. Missing these windows means leaving thousands of dollars uncollected.

8. Little to No Multi-Platform Exposure

Your listing appears on Airbnb only, while competitors capture bookings from Booking.com, Vrbo, and other platforms. Limiting distribution to a single channel restricts your potential guest pool.

Multi-platform presence increases visibility and fills calendar gaps. Property managers who don’t manage listings across multiple channels cost you bookings that go to better-distributed competitors.

9. No Proactive Maintenance Strategy

Issues are only addressed after guests complain. Broken appliances, faulty locks, or worn furniture should be identified and fixed during routine inspections, not discovered by paying guests.

Reactive maintenance damages your reputation and results in negative reviews. Property managers who wait for problems to emerge rather than preventing them cost you both repair expenses and future bookings.

10. One-Size-Fits-All Management

Your property receives identical treatment to every other property in their portfolio. Generic welcome books, standard amenities, and cookie-cutter listings ignore what makes your property unique or appealing to specific guest segments.

Effective management tailors strategies to individual properties, locations, and target markets. Standardised approaches that don’t account for your property’s specific advantages result in lower occupancy and reduced nightly rates.

How AirKeeper Does It Differently

AirKeeper addresses these short term rental manager problems through comprehensive, performance-focused property management.

Real-time financial dashboards provide complete transparency into revenue, expenses, and occupancy. Owners access current data without waiting for monthly statements.

Dynamic pricing algorithms adjust rates based on local events, seasonal demand, and competitor analysis. Properties are positioned competitively during both peak and off-peak periods.

Professional photography and multi-platform distribution maximise listing visibility. Properties appear on Airbnb, Booking.com, and other high-converting channels simultaneously.

24/7 guest support and vetted cleaning teams ensure consistent experiences. Regular property inspections identify maintenance needs before guests encounter problems.

Each property receives a customised management strategy based on location, target market, and owner goals. AirKeeper develops tailored welcome packages, amenity selections, and pricing approaches for individual properties rather than applying standard templates.

Transparent fee structures are established upfront with no hidden charges. Owners know exactly what they pay and what services they receive.

Ready to switch property managers? Contact AirKeeper today for a free property appraisal.

At AirKeeper, we’re constantly striving to improve our services and provide the best possible tools for our property owners. That’s why we’re excited to announce a significant upgrade to our property management system as we transition to HomHero, a powerful platform designed specifically for the Australian short-term rental market. This change will enhance our clients’ property management experience and assist in streamlining operations.

Why We’re Moving to HomHero

Our decision to move to HomHero is rooted in our commitment to delivering state-of-the-art solutions that make managing short-term rental properties more efficient and less time-consuming. HomHero, an Australian-based and owned business, provides a suite of features tailored to meet the needs of property owners in this space. With its user-friendly interface and robust functionalities, HomHero allows for better management of guest bookings, financial tracking, and property maintenance.

Key Features of HomHero

Some of the enhanced features you can expect include:

• Owner Stays Booking: Easily book your own stays through the new portal, making it more convenient than ever to manage your personal visits.
• Guest Stays Booking: You’ll also have the ability to book stays on behalf of your guests, adding flexibility to your management capabilities.
• Automated Financial Statements: Access detailed financial statements directly within your dashboard, offering complete transparency and control over your income and expenses.
• Communication and Maintenance Log: Keep track of all communication and maintenance requests in one place, ensuring that nothing slips through the cracks.

Additionally, HomHero integrates seamlessly with major booking platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Stayz, helping you maximise your property’s visibility and boost direct bookings.

What This Means for our Clients

AirKeeper’s transition to HomHero marks a major step forward in enhancing property management for our clients. With its advanced tools and streamlined processes, HomHero ensures that property owners can manage their rentals with ease, increase efficiency, and maximize returns. Stay tuned for more updates, and we look forward to helping you navigate this exciting new chapter in short-term rental management!

If you’re not an existing client and you’d like to talk to our team about how this change can benefit you, book a call today!

Short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb have become increasingly popular among property owners aiming to boost their rental income. With the global reach and growing demand for flexible accommodations, many are exploring the potential benefits of this investment. However, understanding the costs of managing an Airbnb property is crucial before entering this market. From cleaning fees to maintenance expenses, managing these expenses effectively is key to ensuring your short-term rental venture remains viable. 

How Does Airbnb Work for Owners?

Short-term rental platforms offer property owners a way to reach a global audience and maximise their occupancy. From an owner’s perspective, these platforms provide a streamlined process for listing properties, managing bookings, and handling payments. However, the responsibilities that come with managing a short-term rental are substantial. Owners are required to maintain high standards for guest satisfaction, which includes timely communication, coordinating check-ins and check-outs, and addressing any issues that arise during a guest’s stay.

Additionally, managing the day-to-day operations of a rental property demands significant time and effort. Tasks like cleaning, maintenance, and restocking supplies can become overwhelming, particularly during peak seasons. This can impact the owner’s time and resources, making it crucial to consider whether to manage the property independently or enlist the help of a professional management service.

Costs Involved in Managing a Short-Term Rental Property

Managing a short-term rental property involves several costs that can quickly add up. One of the primary expenses can be cleaning. Ensuring your property is spotless for each guest is essential, and this often requires professional cleaning services, which can be a recurring and significant expense. Maintenance costs are another critical factor, as regular upkeep is necessary to keep the property in top condition. This includes everything from routine repairs to replacing worn-out furnishings.

Listing and marketing expenses are also crucial. To attract guests, your property needs to be visible on multiple platforms, which may involve paying for premium listings or investing in professional photography and advertising. Additionally, the platforms themselves typically charge fees or commissions on each booking, which can range from 3% to 20% of the total booking amount.

Finally, the time investment required for guest communication and management should not be overlooked. Handling inquiries, coordinating check-ins, and addressing guest concerns can become a time-consuming aspect of managing a short-term rental. For many owners, this cumulative impact is a significant factor in deciding whether to manage the property themselves or seek professional management services that can help optimise operations and reduce the workload.

How Property Managers Can Help Manage Costs and Improve Yields

Short-term rental property managers can play a crucial role in optimising both the management process and the profitability of your rental. These professionals bring expertise in handling the many operational aspects of a rental property, from regular cleaning and maintenance to guest communication and dispute resolution. By using their services, property owners can significantly reduce the time and effort required to manage their properties while ensuring a high standard of service that keeps guests satisfied.

In addition to saving time, property managers can help minimise costs through established vendor relationships and bulk pricing for services like cleaning and maintenance. They also utilise dynamic pricing strategies, adjusting rates based on market demand, seasonality, and local events to maximise occupancy and revenue. This approach ensures that the property is competitively priced, attracting more bookings and maximising yields. By managing the intricacies of short-term rentals, professional managers can turn a potentially overwhelming venture into a profitable, hands-off investment.

What Do Short-Term Rental Property Managers Charge?

When considering professional management for your short-term rental, understanding the fee structures commonly used by property managers is crucial. Typically, short-term rental property managers charge either percentage-based fees or flat-rate fees for their services.

Percentage-Based Fees: This is the most common structure, where managers charge a percentage of the rental income, typically ranging from 15% to 30%. This fee usually covers a comprehensive range of services, including guest communication, cleaning coordination, maintenance, and sometimes even marketing and dynamic pricing. The advantage of this model is that the manager’s income is directly tied to the performance of your property, incentivizing them to maximise bookings and revenue.

Flat-Rate Fees: Some managers offer a flat-rate fee structure, where you pay a fixed monthly amount regardless of how much income the property generates. This model can be beneficial for properties with consistent bookings, as it provides predictable costs. However, it might not be as advantageous during off-peak seasons when the property might not generate enough income to justify the flat fee.

AirKeeper, for instance, offers a competitive pricing structure that is transparent and tailored to the needs of property owners. By choosing AirKeeper, you gain access to a full suite of management services designed to maximise your rental income while reducing the time and effort required to manage the property. This makes it easier for owners to enjoy the benefits of short-term rentals without the associated stress.

Understanding the costs associated with managing a short-term rental is key to making informed investment decisions. With the right management, your property can be a profitable venture with minimal stress. Consider partnering with AirKeeper to optimise your rental income and reduce your workload. Contact us today for a free appraisal.