5 Hidden Fees Your Property Manager is Charging You Right Now

When you signed up with your current property manager, you probably focused on the headline management fee—maybe it was 7.5%, 8.5%, or even 10%. But have you actually sat down with a calculator and checked your monthly statement lately? Many agencies use "back-door" fees to boost their profit margins, meaning you're paying way more than that headline percentage suggests.

Imagine if an email or a phone call could save you over $1,000. Call or email Nick on 027 274 0607 or nick@firstdoor.co.nz

1. The "Monthly Admin" or "Sundry" Fee

Check your statement for a line item that says "Admin Fee," "Sundry," or "Statement Fee." It’s usually between $5 and $15 every single month. They’ll tell you it’s for "software costs" or "postage." In reality, it’s just a pure profit grab. At First Door, we think if you're paying us to manage your property, we should probably pay for our own software. Our admin fee is exactly $0.00.

2. The Maintenance Markup

This is the one that really bites. When a plumber sends an invoice for $200, agencies add an "invoice markup" of 10% or 15% on top before they pass the bill to you. You end up paying $230 for a $200 job. The property manager gets a paid for doing nothing more than sending an email. We don't do markups. You pay exactly what the tradesperson charges us. Period.

3. The "Routine Inspection" Fee

Most agencies charge you every time they walk through your house to check the smoke alarms. These fees are often $50 to $75 per visit. Since you need these inspections for your insurance and for your own peace of mind, they know you’ll pay it. We include two routine inspections per year in our 6% fee because we believe checking on your investment is part of our job, not an optional extra.

4. The One-Week Letting Fee

When your property becomes vacant, some managers charge a "Letting Fee" equivalent to one full week's rent plus GST. If your house rents for $700 a week, that's over $800 just to find a new tenant. It creates a weird incentive where the manager might not care if your tenant stays long-term because they get a big payday every time someone moves out. We charge a flat $499 fee to find a tenant—no matter how high your rent is.

5. Lease Renewal & Tribunal Fees

Believe it or not, some agencies charge you a fee just to "renew" a fixed-term lease with an existing tenant. That’s literally five minutes of paperwork. Others charge $100+ per hour to represent you at the Tenancy Tribunal if something goes wrong. While we hope you never need the Tribunal, we don't believe in nickel-and-diming you for the paperwork required to keep your property occupied and legal.

Why Transparency Matters

A "low" management fee isn't low if it’s surrounded by a dozen other charges. We built First Door to be different. We have one flat management fee (6% for modern homes), one flat letting fee ($499), and absolutely zero hidden markups or "sundry" nonsense. It’s honest property management for people who are tired of being treated like an ATM.

Do the Math

You might be shocked to find that your "8.5%" manager is actually costing you 11% or more. We can do a no-obligation personalised comparison between your existing manager and our flat 6% fee. No hard selling, no obligations. Imagine if an email or a phone call could save you over $1,000. Call or email Nick on 027 274 0607 or nick@firstdoor.co.nz Isn't it time you switched to a flat 6%?

Risk-free assessment

If you want to know your savings then give Nick a call on 027 274 0607 for a no obligation chat. No hard sells, no constant emails. No BS. Just honest property management.