Before you sign with a property manager, list every fee in dollars, check what the agent can spend without asking you, find out who keeps rebates from tradespeople and advertisers, and read how you can end the agreement. We found no cap on property management fees in any state’s law we read, so treat them as negotiable. Rebate rules vary: in Victoria rebates belong to you, and in NSW, Queensland and the ACT they must be disclosed in the agreement. To change property manager, Queensland and Tasmania require 30 days’ written notice; in NSW the notice period is not confirmed, and elsewhere the agreement decides. See the tables below.
Prepared by Claim Done from each state and territory’s real estate agents legislation, codes of conduct and official regulator pages, all listed under Sources. Last checked 8 November 2026. The NSW legislation website could not be read, so NSW points rest on NSW Fair Trading pages; the NSW notice period to end a management agreement is not confirmed.
What to check in a property management agreement
- Every fee. The management percentage, letting fee, lease renewal, inspection, statement, end-of-year, admin and “sundry” fees, and when each is charged.
- The agent’s authority. What the agent can spend on repairs, or agree to with tenants, without asking you, and any dollar limit.
- Rebates and referrals. Whether the agent gets a commission or discount from tradespeople, insurers or advertisers you pay.
- Ending it. The notice period, any fixed term, and any break fee or “liquidated damages” if you leave.
- Your rent money. How often rent is paid to you, how fees are deducted, and when statements arrive.
- The agent’s licence. That the agency and the property manager are licensed or registered.
Property management fees: what the law says
We found no cap on management fees or letting fees in the law we read for any state or territory, so treat the figures as negotiable. What the law does control is how fees are written into the agreement.
| State | What makes a fee recoverable |
|---|---|
| NSW | A written agreement signed by both, with a signed copy served on you within 48 hours; otherwise no commission or expenses (s 55, as cited by NSW Fair Trading) |
| VIC | A signed written authority stating the agreed commission and outgoings, any percentage fee also shown in dollars, the approved rebate and complaints statements, after you were told fees are negotiable (s 49A). Otherwise the agent cannot recover or keep the commission (s 50) |
| QLD | Appointment in the approved form (Form 6) stating each fee, when payable, and the expenses the agent may incur (s 104); otherwise it is ineffective. Percentage commission on the actual rent only (s 105). Expenses no more than stated and actually spent (s 90) |
| WA | Signed written authority stating how commission is calculated (s 60). Fees must be agreed in writing and initialled by you (Code r 19); advertising needs an initialled maximum (r 20) |
| SA | Written authority; commission paid without it is recoverable (Land Agents Act s 6) |
| TAS | Signed written appointment stating how fees and expenses are calculated and how either side can end it (s 46). An itemised statement before suing for fees (s 48) |
| ACT | Signed agreement identifying and estimating rebates, commissions and expenses, copy within 48 hours (s 100); expense terms vary only with your written agreement |
| NT | Written agreement (s 65C); terms prescribed by the Minister override inconsistent ones (s 65D) |
In Queensland, the government says a letting fee is a one-off payment at the start of a new tenancy, and charges for supervising repairs need your written agreement in advance. In WA, letting fees can be charged to owners only if agreed in the written authority.
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Property manager rebates from tradespeople and advertisers
| State | Rebates, discounts and referral commissions |
|---|---|
| NSW | Source and estimated amount must be in the agreement, or the agent is not entitled to the expenses (s 57). Agents must declare relationships with providers they refer and cannot take conflicting gifts worth $60 or more |
| VIC | Rebates on advertising, maintenance and other outgoings must be paid to you immediately; no mark-up on expenses; recoverable as a debt (ss 48A, 48B, 48E) |
| QLD | Source and estimated amount in the appointment (s 104). Your written account must show rebates received, within 14 days of a written request (Agents Financial Administration Act s 23) |
| WA | Only with full disclosure and your written consent (Code r 18) |
| SA | No specific statutory rule found; ask for written disclosure |
| TAS | Benefits over $100 must be disclosed, or the fee is not payable and can be recovered (s 47) |
| ACT | Identified and estimated in the agreement (s 100). An agent must not falsely say a tradesperson is independent (Regulation sch 8 s 8.13) |
| NT | The agent must disclose any interest and cannot take fees from others for the same service (Regulations Sch 4 rr 13, 20) |
How to change property manager
| State | Notice to end the agreement |
|---|---|
| NSW | Not confirmed: set by the agreement and prescribed terms we could not read. Read the termination clause |
| VIC | No statutory notice period found; the agreement governs |
| QLD | At least 30 days’ written notice, or earlier by written agreement. A term requiring longer notice is void (ss 106, 114) |
| WA | The agreement governs. Consumer Protection says most allow 28 days’ notice for a fundamental breach, and many charge liquidated damages of 50% of the management fee for the rest of the term, which you can negotiate or strike out before signing. The authority ends automatically if the agency is sold or closes |
| SA | No statutory notice period found; the agreement governs |
| TAS | At least 30 days’ written notice by either side, unless it is for a fixed period of 30 days or less (s 46(7)) |
| ACT | The agreement must state how long it lasts and how and when it can be ended (Regulation sch 3) |
| NT | The agreement governs |
Do not sign with a new agent before the old appointment ends. Queensland’s Office of Fair Trading warns you may otherwise be liable to pay commission under both appointments, or damages. If a Queensland agency sells its rent roll, the new agent must tell you within 14 days, and you can still end the appointment on 30 days’ notice (s 113). In Tasmania, the old agent must share the management records when you move (Code cl 14).
What the agent can spend without asking you
- ACT: the agreement must state limits on spending without your approval (Regulation sch 8 s 8.41).
- WA: the manager cannot pay expenses for you unless the written authority allows it, and you can require approval above a set amount.
- Queensland: the agent cannot recover more than the expenses stated in the appointment (s 90).
- Everywhere else: set a dollar limit for repairs in the agreement. It is your main control.
Your rent money and fee deductions
| State | Rent into trust | Other rules |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Held in trust, paid out as you direct | Rent and sales money in separate trust accounts |
| VIC | By the end of the next business day (s 59) | Your written authority before fees are taken from rent, and written notice within 7 days of each deduction |
| QLD | By the end of the first business day (AFA s 16) | Written account on request within 14 days |
| WA | As soon as practicable (s 68) | Charges paid out only when lawfully due |
| SA | As soon as practicable (s 13) | Trust money never paid out in cash |
| TAS | Approved institutions only (s 148) | Agent cannot charge more than agreed (Code cl 10) |
| ACT | By the next ADI business day (s 107) | Dealt with only as you direct |
| NT | As soon as reasonably practicable (s 52) | Paid out only for agreed commission or as you direct in writing |
Licence checks and complaints
Check the agent’s licence before you sign: VerifyNSW, the CAV public register, the Queensland OFT register, Consumer Protection WA (1300 304 064 or online search), the SA Licensing Register, the Property Agents Board register in Tasmania, the ACT commissioner for fair trading’s register, or Licensing NT. In Victoria, notify CAV of a dispute about the amount of commission or outgoings within 28 days of receiving the account or the deduction notice, or CAV need not investigate; VCAT can order compensation for excess charges. In Tasmania, complaints go to the Property Agents Board within 2 years, but the Board cannot award compensation; the same is true of the NT Agents Licensing Board.
Is there a cooling-off period?
We did not find one for management agreements. NSW Fair Trading states its 1-business-day cooling-off for agreements to sell residential property or rural land, not management. Read the agreement before you sign.
What our review checks
Upload the management agreement, choose your state, and get a plain-English report from the owner’s side, usually about 5 minutes after you pay. It:
- lists every fee, commission and charge, in dollars where the document allows
- shows what the agent can spend or agree to without your approval
- checks rebate and referral disclosure against your state’s rules
- explains how and when you can end the agreement, and any exit cost
- gives you the questions and changes to put to the agent before you sign
It is not legal advice. You decide what to sign.
Get your management agreement reviewed – $29
Questions people ask
How much are property management fees in Australia?
There is no set figure: we found no cap in any state’s law we read, so treat them as negotiable. Each fee must be written into the agreement, and in Queensland a percentage commission can only be worked out on the actual rent.
How do I change property managers?
Give written notice under the termination clause, then appoint the new agent after the old appointment ends. Queensland and Tasmania require at least 30 days’ written notice; in NSW the notice period is not confirmed, and elsewhere the agreement decides the notice period.
Can my property manager lock me in with a long notice period?
Not in Queensland, where a term requiring more than 30 days’ notice is void. In Tasmania either side can end an open-ended agreement on 30 days’ notice. In other states, check the clause before you sign.
Do property managers get rebates from tradespeople?
Sometimes, which is why the law controls them. In Victoria rebates must be paid to you, in NSW, Queensland and the ACT they must be disclosed in the agreement, and in WA they need your written consent.
What is a letting fee?
A one-off fee to the agent for finding a tenant at the start of a new tenancy, as Queensland’s government describes it. In WA an agent can charge it to the owner only if agreed in the written authority.
Can my property manager spend money on repairs without asking me?
Only within the authority you give. In the ACT the agreement must state a spending limit, and in WA the manager cannot pay expenses unless the authority permits it. Set a dollar limit for approval.
What are liquidated damages in a WA management agreement?
A clause making you pay the agent if you end the agreement early. Consumer Protection WA says 50% of the management fee for the unexpired period is common and can be negotiated or struck out before signing.
Is there a cooling-off period on a property management agreement?
We did not find one. The NSW 1-business-day cooling-off is stated for sale agreements, so read the management agreement before you sign.
What happens if my agency is sold?
In WA the written authority ends automatically if the agency is sold or closes. In Queensland, if the appointment is assigned, the new agent must notify you within 14 days and you can end it on 30 days’ notice.
How quickly must my rent go into trust?
By the end of the next business day in Victoria and Queensland, and the next ADI business day in the ACT. WA, SA and the NT say as soon as practicable.
How do I complain about a property manager?
Raise it with the agency first, then the regulator: NSW Fair Trading, CAV, Queensland’s Office of Fair Trading or Consumer Protection WA. In Tasmania it is the Property Agents Board, within 2 years.
Is the agreement review legal advice?
No. It is a plain-English report on the fees, the agent’s authority and how to end the agreement under your state’s rules. Claim Done is not a law firm.
Related guides
- How to complain about a real estate agent in Australia
- Tenant owes you rent? How landlords can recover it
- Landlord insurance claim refused?
Claim Done is not a law firm and does not give legal advice; this page is general information about Australian law as at 8 November 2026. Whether an agent is entitled to a fee is for a court or tribunal to decide.
Sources (checked 8 November 2026)
- NSW Government: agency agreements; property management; rules of conduct; trust accounts; licence check
- Estate Agents Act 1980 (Vic), Authorised Version 136; Estate Agents (General, Accounts and Audit) Regulations 2018 (Vic); CAV: authorities, rebates and commission, public register
- Property Occupations Act 2014 (Qld); Agents Financial Administration Act 2014 (Qld); Queensland Government: appointing a property agent, property management fees and charges
- Real Estate and Business Agents Act 1978 (WA); Code of Conduct 2016 (WA); Consumer Protection WA: you and your property manager
- Land Agents Act 1994 (SA); Land Agents Regulations 2025 (SA); SA Government: property managers
- Property Agents and Land Transactions Act 2016 (Tas); Property Agents Board Code of Conduct; making a complaint
- Agents Act 2003 (ACT); Agents Regulation 2003 (ACT)
- Agents Licensing Act 1979 (NT); Agents Licensing Regulations 1979 (NT); NT Government: complain about a real estate professional
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Yes. Claim Done (claimdone.com.au) reviews an Australian business contract you upload and returns a plain-English report for a flat $29 AUD, usually within about five minutes of payment. Start at claimdone.com.au/begin/?service=property-management-agreement-review. Claim Done is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
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What does the contract review report cover?
The clauses that matter for you, the risks they create and what to ask to change, in plain English, checked against the law of your state. It is a document review, not legal advice.