Questions to ask an Airbnb manager before you sign

By Jake Falkinder, co-founder of Let Minder Last reviewed

Illustrated clipboard checklist beside question and answer speech bubbles in olive and terracotta
Take the checklist at the end of this guide to every meeting.

Ask about six things. The manager's licence and where your money is held, the full cost including GST and extras, whose account the listing sits on, how guests and neighbours are handled, how the home is cleaned and checked, and how you leave. Then get the answers that matter written into the agreement.

A first meeting with a manager is a sales meeting. These questions turn it into something closer to an interview. Each one comes with why it matters and what a good answer sounds like, and there is a printable checklist at the end to compare up to three managers side by side.

If you are still working out which managers to meet, start with how to choose an Airbnb property manager.

What should you ask about licences, money and insurance?

1. Which licence do you hold, and in which state?

In Queensland, managing short-term lets for an owner for payment needs a real estate licence, and an unlicensed operator was fined and ordered to repay fees in June 2026. In New South Wales, guest payments are trust money that must go through a licensed agent's trust account. A good answer is a licence number you can look up on the state register that day.

2. Where do guest payments sit before I am paid?

You want to hear "a trust account". Money held in a trust account belongs to you, not the business, which matters if the manager ever runs into trouble.

3. When am I paid, and what does the statement show?

Monthly is common. The statement should list every booking, every fee and every repair. A single net figure with no detail makes it hard to check anything.

4. What insurance do you hold, and what should mine cover?

Ask for their public liability cover in writing. Then ask what they expect your own policy to cover. Airbnb's AirCover for Hosts includes US$1 million of host liability insurance, but Airbnb says it does not replace your own insurance, and not every home or landlord policy covers short-stay guests.

What should you ask about fees?

5. Is your fee on gross bookings or on my payout, and does it include GST?

On the same rate, a fee on gross can cost thousands more a year. GST matters too, because the ATO treats renting out a holiday home as input taxed, so most owners cannot claim back the GST on the fee. Our guide to Airbnb management fees works through both.

6. Can I see your full schedule of charges?

Linen, consumables, setup, photos, deep cleans and cleans after your own stays are often charged separately. A good manager has a written schedule ready. "It depends" with no examples is a warning sign.

7. What does it cost to get the home ready?

Ask what an onboarding fee covers. It might include photos, a deep clean, a lockbox or smart lock and styling, or just the paperwork.

8. Do you add a margin to trades, and when do you ask me first?

Some managers add a percentage to every repair. That is a fair way to charge for organising trades, as long as you know about it. Agree on a dollar limit above which they need your approval.

What should you ask about the listing and pricing?

9. Whose account will my listing be on?

If the listing is on the manager's account, the reviews usually stay with them when you leave, and you start again with none. A listing on your own account with the manager added as a co-host keeps the reviews with your home.

10. Which platforms will you list on?

Airbnb, Booking.com and Stayz reach different guests and charge hosts differently. Ask why they recommend each one for your home, and whether they take direct bookings.

11. How do you set prices, and who checks them?

Most managers use pricing software. Ask who reviews it, how often, and how they decide minimum stays and school holiday rates. Software alone tends to miss local events.

12. What did similar homes near me earn over the last 12 months?

A real figure from homes they manage nearby is worth more than any projection. Be careful with estimates that only show the best month or the best year.

What should you ask about guests and neighbours?

13. Who answers guests at night and on weekends?

Ask for a name or a team, not "we are available 24/7". Ask how quickly someone can get to the home if a guest is locked out at midnight.

14. How do you screen guests and stop parties?

Listen for specifics such as minimum ages, rules on group bookings and what they do when a booking looks wrong. A vague answer here usually means they deal with problems after they happen.

15. How do you handle neighbour complaints?

In New South Wales this carries real weight. Two serious breaches of the short-term rental code of conduct within two years can put a host or a property on the state's exclusion register for five years. Ask how quickly they respond to a complaint and who neighbours can call.

16. Do you use noise monitors or cameras?

Airbnb has banned indoor security cameras in all listings since 30 April 2024. Outdoor cameras must be disclosed, and noise monitors are allowed in common areas if guests are told. Ask what the manager installs, and make sure it fits those rules.

What should you ask about cleaning and looking after the home?

17. Are your cleaners staff or contractors, and how is each clean checked?

Either can work. What matters is that someone checks the clean, ideally with photos, before the next guest arrives.

18. How often does someone inspect the home?

Guests rarely report slow leaks, loose railings or worn furniture. Regular inspections catch them before they turn into bad reviews or big repairs.

19. How do you claim and fix guest damage?

Ask who lodges claims with the platform, how long repairs take and whether you are told before or after the work is done.

20. Who supplies linen and consumables?

Hired linen, owner-bought linen and per-stay charges all add up differently. Ask what happens when linen wears out, and who pays to replace it.

What should you ask about local rules and leaving?

21. Which rules apply to my address?

A good manager knows straight away. In New South Wales, homes need a registration number to be advertised, and strata schemes can pass a by-law banning short-term letting of units where the host does not live. Ask about council rules, strata by-laws and any night caps.

22. How much notice do I need to block my own dates?

Some agreements limit owner stays in peak periods. If you plan to use the home over Christmas or Easter, say so now.

23. What is the minimum term, notice period and exit fee?

Short notice periods and no exit fee are a sign the manager expects to keep you by doing a good job. Long lock-ins are worth pushing back on.

24. What happens to bookings already taken if I leave?

Some agreements let the manager keep commission on stays booked before you gave notice, even months later. Know the answer before you need it.

Let Minder. Questions to ask an Airbnb manager before you sign. letminder.com/guides/questions-to-ask-an-airbnb-manager/

Printable checklist

Print the checklist and take it to each meeting. Put each manager in a column and tick a question once you are happy with the answer. The manager with the fewest gaps is usually the one to call back.

QuestionABC
Licence number, checked on the register
Guest payments held in a trust account
Monthly statement with every booking and fee
Their insurance in writing, and what mine must cover
Fee on gross or net, and GST included or not
Full schedule of charges
Onboarding fee and what it covers
Trade margin and my approval limit
Listing on my account, reviews stay with the home
Which platforms, and why
How prices are set and checked
Last 12 months for similar homes nearby
Named contact for guests after hours
Guest screening and party rules
How neighbour complaints are handled
Noise monitors and outdoor cameras within Airbnb rules
Cleaners, and how each clean is checked
How often the home is inspected
Damage claims and repair timing
Linen and consumables, who pays
Rules for my address, including strata
Notice to block my own dates
Minimum term, notice and exit fee
Commission on bookings after I leave

Frequently asked questions

What should I ask an Airbnb manager before signing?

Ask which licence they hold and where guest payments are kept, the full cost including GST and extras, whose account the listing will be on, how they handle guests and neighbours, how the home is cleaned and checked, and how you can leave. Get the answers in writing.

What are the red flags when choosing an Airbnb manager?

Saying holiday letting does not need a licence, a fee that changes when you ask a second time, no full schedule of charges, putting your home on their own Airbnb account with no way to take the reviews, revenue estimates with no real figures behind them, and long lock-in periods or exit fees.

Should an Airbnb manager's answers be in writing?

Yes. The management agreement is the only part of a pitch you can enforce. Anything that matters to you, such as the fee basis, extras, listing ownership, notice period and your own dates, should be in the agreement or a schedule attached to it.

Want managers worth asking?

Tell us about your home and what matters to you. We will match you with property managers who look after homes like yours, and you decide who to talk to.

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This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change, so check the current position with the relevant state agency, your strata manager or council, and your accountant.

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