Complete guide

Rental management without an agency: managing your property in 2026

10 June 2026 · 6 min read
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Entrusting your property to a letting agency typically costs between 6% and 10% of the annual rent. On a rent of €900, that's between €540 and €1,080 a year in management fees. For a landlord with several properties, the bill quickly adds up.

The good news: managing on your own is entirely possible, even without experience, provided you're well organised and equipped with the right tools.

The figures

Average agency commission8%
Average time per property with a good tool2h

1. Find and select the right tenant

This is the most important step. A good selection avoids 90% of future problems. Without an agency, you manage the listings and viewings yourself.

2. Draft and sign the lease

The lease must comply with your country's legislation. Official templates are freely available. The essentials: duration, rent, charges, deposit, inventory of fixtures.

The entry inventory is crucial — document each room with photos, have it signed by both parties.

3. Collect rent and manage receipts

This is where an online management tool makes all the difference. Rather than tracking transfers by hand, software like Domavix automatically generates the rent each month, notifies you of payments received and sends PDF receipts to your tenants.

In practice, this part is reduced to under 15 minutes a month.

4. Manage repairs and maintenance

Small routine repairs are the tenant's responsibility, major repairs the landlord's. For any intervention, document everything — quotes, invoices, communications.

5. Manage taxation

Rental income is taxable. An Excel export of all your annual payments greatly simplifies your tax return — a feature available in Domavix from the Starter plan.

What you really gain by managing without an agency

Beyond the saving on commissions, you keep direct contact with your tenant — which makes communication easier and often resolves small problems before they grow.

Manage your properties like a pro, without an agency

Rent, receipts, reminders, interventions — all in one place.

Start for free →