To compare Airbnb management fees in London, start with three questions: what percentage is charged, what amount it applies to and what sits outside that fee. A lower headline rate can cost more if the calculation basis or extra charges differ.
This guide is written by Stay In London, a management provider. Our pricing page sets out our advertised plans; this article explains how to evaluate a quote and reconcile it with an owner statement.
What does Stay In London charge?
Our advertised plans are Annual at 12% plus VAT for qualifying properties with three or more bedrooms in Zone 1 on a 12-month contract; Standard at 15% plus VAT with full-time availability and a six-month contract; Flexible at 17% plus VAT with part-time availability and a six-month contract; and Portfolio at 12% plus VAT for owners with two or more properties. Confirm eligibility, availability requirements and the full terms in your written proposal.
These are our advertised rates, not a survey of the London market. Compare a dated written quote from each provider rather than assuming that an industry average describes the service you need.
How do you calculate the management fee?
Use the agreed commission basis multiplied by the fee percentage, then add applicable VAT. Ask whether the basis includes cleaning charges, discounts, refunds or platform deductions. Two quotes at 15% can produce different invoices.
Illustration: if the agreed fee basis is £3,000 and commission is 15%, management commission is £450. At 20% VAT on that commission, VAT is £90 and the total management charge is £540. The £2,460 remaining has not yet accounted for platform fees or other property costs.
This illustrates the arithmetic only. It does not establish the fee basis in your contract, forecast your revenue or calculate profit. The UK standard VAT rate is 20%; your own VAT recovery position needs separate assessment.
Management fees and platform fees are separate
The booking platform charges for its service. The management company charges for operating the property under the agreed scope. Both can affect the same booking. Use actual platform statements and the management agreement to identify each deduction.
Our Airbnb platform-fees guide covers that separate cost. Do not apply an old platform percentage to a new forecast without checking the listing's current fee structure.
What should the management scope cover?
- Listing and distribution: photography arrangements, listing preparation, channel access and account ownership.
- Pricing: who reviews rates, availability and minimum stays, and how performance is discussed.
- Guest support: enquiries, arrival instructions, support during the stay and emergency escalation.
- Housekeeping: turnover scheduling, linen arrangements and checks after cleaning.
- Maintenance: reporting, owner approvals, contractor coordination and invoice records.
- Owner reporting: booking details, charges, adjustments and payout timing.
Ask for an explicit schedule of inclusions. “Full service” does not by itself tell you whether photography, a contractor visit or replacement linen is included. Our full-service hosting guide explains the operational questions in more detail.
Which costs need a separate allowance?
Record cleaning and linen, platform charges, utilities, insurance, consumables, repairs, replacement items and any setup costs. Show financing and personal tax separately from operating performance. Some expenses continue when the home has no bookings.
For cleaning charged to guests, record the amount collected and the actual charge. Check whether any fee applies to the cleaning revenue and who funds a shortfall. A guest-paid charge should not simply disappear from both sides of the calculation.
For repairs, agree the spending approval limit, emergency process and whether contractor bills carry a separate administration charge. Keep routine maintenance allowances separate from one-off refurbishment.
Compare quotes on the same assumptions
- Give each provider the same property details and available dates.
- Ask for a cost calculation using the same illustrative booking revenue.
- List the commission basis, commission, VAT and every additional charge separately.
- Compare the remaining service differences: support, inspections, reporting and owner involvement.
- Review the minimum term, notice, personal-use arrangements and treatment of existing bookings on exit.
Separate the fee comparison from the revenue forecast. A more expensive manager needs evidence for any claimed performance advantage; a higher rate does not prove better results. Ask for relevant comparables, the reporting period and the assumptions behind the forecast.
Once you have a shortlist, see our step-by-step guide to hiring an Airbnb management company in London for what to check before handing over the property.
What should an owner statement explain?
You should be able to follow booking revenue through to the payout. Request an anonymised example showing platform deductions, management commission, VAT, cleaning, repairs and adjustments. Check whether figures relate to booking dates, stay dates or payment dates.
If a quote calls the remainder “net income”, ask exactly which costs have been deducted. After-commission revenue, operating surplus and cash remaining after finance and tax are different measures.
Questions to resolve before signing
- Does the quoted percentage include VAT?
- What revenue is included in the fee basis?
- Which expenses require a separate payment?
- How are refunds, cancellations and guest-paid cleaning treated?
- Who approves repairs and sees the invoices?
- What are the notice and handover arrangements?
Use our manager interview checklist to record the answers. To discuss your own property, compare our management plans, explore Airbnb management in London or request a property assessment.
Updated 28 September 2026. Confirm current prices and contractual terms in your proposal.
