Most Adelaide landlords pay between 9% and 11% of their weekly rent in management fees, plus a letting fee of one to two weeks' rent each time a new tenant is found. On a typical Adelaide rental of $600 per week, the management fee alone is about $2,800 to $3,400 a year, or about $3,400 to $4,600 in a year when a new tenant is placed.
What does Wemark charge?
Wemark Real Estate charges 6.6% of the rent collected, including GST. Every other charge is fixed, and there are no statement, maintenance handling or exit fees:
| Fee | Wemark |
|---|---|
| Management fee | 6.6% of rent collected, inc GST |
| Letting fee (new tenant) | 1.5 weeks’ rent plus GST |
| Routine inspection | $33 inc GST per inspection |
| Entry and exit inspection | $55 inc GST each |
| Lease renewal | $299 inc GST |
| Monthly admin fee | $12 inc GST |
| Statement fees | Nil |
| Maintenance handling fees | Nil |
| Exit or handover fees | Nil |
| Any other charges | None |
On a $600-a-week property that is $2,059 in management fees, $144 in admin and $132 for four routine inspections: $2,335 a year, about $45 a week, and tax deductible. At 9%, the management fee alone would be $2,808. The full schedule, and what it covers, is on our Adelaide property management page.
If you're renting out a property in Adelaide, or thinking about it, the percentage alone doesn't tell the full story. What sits underneath it varies enormously between agencies — statement fees, a percentage added to every maintenance invoice, an exit fee when you leave — so compare the total cost over a year, not the headline rate.
This guide breaks down every fee you're likely to encounter, what you should expect for your money, and how to compare agencies properly so you don't get caught out.
The main fees: what you'll actually pay
Management fee (ongoing)
The management fee is a percentage of your weekly rent, usually 9% to 11% in Adelaide, charged every time rent is collected. Some agencies quote as low as 7%, and premium or prestige properties can reach 15%.
To put that in dollar terms:
| Weekly Rent | 9% fee (weekly) | 10% fee (weekly) | Annual difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $450/week | $40.50 | $45.00 | ~$234 |
| $550/week | $49.50 | $55.00 | ~$286 |
| $600/week | $54.00 | $60.00 | ~$312 |
| $750/week | $67.50 | $75.00 | ~$390 |
One important point: the management fee is only charged on rent actually collected. During a vacancy, you don't pay it.
All fees are subject to GST, so always confirm whether a quoted rate is GST-inclusive or exclusive.
What is a letting fee?
A letting fee is a one-off charge, usually one to two weeks' rent in South Australia, paid each time your property manager finds and places a new tenant. Most full-service agencies charge 1.5 to 2 weeks. A free rental appraisal will tell you what that tenant should be paying before you commit to anything.
This fee covers:
- Creating and publishing the property listing
- Conducting open inspections (Wemark conducts a minimum of two per week)
- Processing applications and completing reference checks
- Preparing the lease and conducting the tenant induction
On a $600/week property, a two-week letting fee equals $1,200. This is a fixed cost you pay at the start of each tenancy — so long-term, quality tenants reduce how often you're paying it.
Routine inspection fee
Many agencies charge separately for routine inspections, typically $50–$100 per inspection. Others include them in the management fee.
At Wemark, a routine inspection is $33 including GST, and we conduct three to four a year, each filmed on a 360° camera. South Australian law allows up to four, each with 7 to 28 days' written notice to the tenant, so this is as close a watch as the law permits — which means more proactive maintenance, fewer end-of-tenancy surprises, and stronger protection for your investment.
Lease renewal fee
When a fixed-term lease rolls over and a new lease is prepared, some agencies charge a lease renewal fee of $50–$150. Others include this as part of their standard service. Always ask upfront. Wemark charges $299 including GST, which covers the rent review, the new lease and the paperwork.
Maintenance coordination fee
If your agency arranges a repair or maintenance job, some charge an administration or coordination fee — either a flat rate or a percentage of the invoice. At Wemark, we do not charge any margin or administration fee on maintenance invoices. You pay the tradesperson's bill, nothing more.
Other fees to ask about
Before signing with any real estate agency in adelaide, ask for a complete fee schedule in writing and look out for:
- Annual statement fee – a charge for producing your end-of-financial-year statement
- Tribunal representation fee – if a tenancy dispute reaches SACAT, some agencies charge separately for this
- Photography and marketing fees – most are included, but some agencies charge for professional photography as an add-on
- Vacating inspection fee – charged for the final inspection at end of tenancy
- Key cutting and lock-change fees – can catch landlords off guard during tenant changeovers
The management agreement must list every fee before you sign. If a charge appears on your statement that isn't in the agreement, you are within your rights to query it.
What's the annual cost of property management in Adelaide?
On a $600-a-week Adelaide rental, the management fee alone is about $2,800 to $3,400 a year at 9–11%, or about $3,400 to $4,600 with a letting fee for one new tenant. An agency that also charges for inspections, renewals and statements can take it to $4,800 or more. Here's how that adds up:
| Cost item | Low estimate | High estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Management fee (10%, 52 weeks) | - | $3,120 |
| Management fee (9%, 52 weeks) | $2,808 | - |
| Letting fee (one new tenancy at 2 weeks) | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| Routine inspections (if charged separately, 4 × $75) | - | $300 |
| Lease renewal | $0 | $150 |
| Annual statement | $0 | $50 |
| Total (indicative) | ~$4,000 | ~$4,800 |
This range assumes one tenancy change per year. If you have a stable long-term tenant, you can subtract the letting fee in subsequent years, bringing total costs down to roughly $2,800–$3,600 per year.
At Wemark, the same $600-a-week property costs $2,335 a year in ongoing fees, plus a letting fee of $990 (1.5 weeks’ rent plus GST) in a year when a new tenant is placed: about $3,325 in total.
Wemark vs a typical Adelaide agency, side by side
The same $600-a-week property, using the typical charges above: the 9% column is an agency with no extras, the 11% column one that charges for everything on the list. Two years are shown, because the cost depends on whether a new tenant moves in.
| Cost item | Typical agency at 9% | Typical agency at 11% | Wemark at 6.6% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management fee | $2,808 | $3,432 | $2,059 |
| Letting fee | $1,200 (2 weeks) | $1,200 (2 weeks) | $990 (1.5 weeks + GST) |
| Routine inspections (4) | $0 | $300 | $132 |
| Admin and statement fees | $0 | $50 | $144 |
| Total for the year | $4,008 | $4,982 | $3,325 |
| Cost item | Typical agency at 9% | Typical agency at 11% | Wemark at 6.6% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Management fee | $2,808 | $3,432 | $2,059 |
| Lease renewal | $0 | $150 | $299 |
| Routine inspections (4) | $0 | $300 | $132 |
| Admin and statement fees | $0 | $50 | $144 |
| Total for the year | $2,808 | $3,932 | $2,634 |
Wemark’s lease renewal fee is higher than many agencies’, and we say so: it is $299 including GST. Across a full year the lower management fee more than covers it, and there are no statement fees, no maintenance mark-ups and no exit fee. Not counted in any column: the entry and exit inspections when a tenant changes, which Wemark charges at $55 each and many agencies charge for too. Put your own rent into the calculator below, or see Wemark’s full fee schedule.
What are your management fees actually costing you?
Move the two sliders to match your own statement. Everything below is pre-filled with typical Adelaide figures, so change anything that does not match yours.
It is on your monthly statement. Most Adelaide agencies charge a fixed 8–11%.
Add the fees underneath the percentage
This is where the difference usually hides. A lower percentage with a charge attached to every action often costs more across a year than a higher one with nothing underneath it.
Wemark's management fee is 6.6% of the rent we collect, with $12 a month admin, $33 a routine inspection, $299 a lease renewal and no statement fee, all including GST. The letting fee is 1.5 weeks' rent plus GST. The estimate assumes 52 weeks of rent, three routine inspections and one lease renewal a year, and compares that against the figures you enter above. A letting fee is only charged when a tenant actually turns over, so it is quoted separately rather than counted as an annual cost. This is a guide, not a quotation and not financial advice. Your own fees are set out line by line in writing before you sign anything.
Why are Adelaide fees higher than Sydney or Melbourne?
Because Adelaide's rental market is smaller, with fewer agencies competing for the same landlords. That keeps fees here at 9–11%, above the national metropolitan average of 7–8% and the 5–8% common in Sydney.
The flip side is that Adelaide's record-low vacancy rates — which have been below 1% in recent years — mean well-managed properties typically find quality tenants quickly, reducing the frequency of letting fees.
What should your management fee actually include?
A full-service management fee should cover the whole job — finding and screening tenants, collecting rent, routine inspections, organising repairs at no markup, lease renewals, compliance and tribunal work — with every charge listed before you sign. Judge a fee on what it costs over a year, not on the headline rate: a low percentage with statement fees, maintenance mark-ups and an exit fee can cost more than it looks. Here's what the service should cover:
- Tenant screening and placement
- Lease preparation and tenant induction
- Rent collection and daily arrears monitoring
- Routine inspections (three to four a year; the law allows up to four)
- Maintenance coordination using vetted trades at no markup
- Lease renewals and rent reviews
- Smoke alarm compliance
- Access to an online landlord portal for real-time statements and inspection reports
- Tribunal representation if required
Our own fee schedule sets all of the above out line by line before you sign — see what Adelaide property managers should cover for the fee, and what we cover for ours.
At Wemark, all of the above are covered by the 6.6% management fee and the fixed charges in our fee schedule: $33 a routine inspection, $299 a lease renewal and $12 a month admin. Maintenance coordination, statements, tribunal work and leaving cost nothing extra.
What South Australian law requires of a property manager, from bond lodgement to notice periods, is set out in our guide to property management in South Australia.
Is self-managing worth it?
It depends on your time and your appetite for risk. Self-managing a $600-a-week rental saves roughly $2,800–$4,600 a year in fees, but every legal obligation a property manager carries becomes yours.
Those obligations sit under the Residential Tenancies Act 1995 (SA) — including the updated Residential Tenancies Regulations 2025, which introduced a prescribed Form A1 for rental applications (mandatory from 1 January 2026). You're also responsible for lodging bonds with Consumer and Business Services, issuing notices in the correct form, meeting minimum housing standards, and handling any SACAT proceedings yourself.
Most Adelaide landlords who have tried both find that the time cost, legal exposure, and stress of self-management outweigh the fee saving — particularly once a difficult tenancy or maintenance issue arises. A good property manager pays for themselves through better tenant selection, lower vacancy periods, and proactive maintenance that prevents expensive repairs.
More questions about property management costs
Are property management fees tax deductible?
Yes, for an investment property that is rented or genuinely available for rent. The ATO lists property agent fees and commissions among the rental expenses you can claim in the year you pay them. Our monthly statements and end-of-financial-year summary set every fee out for your accountant, and our guide to investment property tax deductions covers the rest.
Are property management fees quoted with GST?
Not always, so check before you compare. Residential rent carries no GST, but an agency’s fees do if it is registered for GST, which adds 10% to the quoted rate. Wemark quotes 6.6% including GST (6% plus GST). A quote of “8% plus GST” is 8.8% of your rent.
Can I switch property managers to lower my fees?
Yes, at any point in a tenancy. Your tenant’s lease stays in place and the bond stays lodged with Consumer and Business Services; only your management agreement changes, after its notice period. Switching to Wemark is one signed form: we contact your current agent and handle the handover.
Five questions to ask before signing with an Adelaide property manager
1. What exactly is included in the management fee? Get a full fee schedule in writing. Any agency that hesitates to provide one is a red flag.
2. How many properties does each manager look after? Around 100 is a load one manager can look after properly, and it is what each Wemark manager holds — a deliberate choice to maintain response times and service quality. An overloaded manager with 200 or more can't give your investment the attention it needs.
3. How often do you conduct routine inspections? South Australian law allows up to four routine inspections a year, each with 7 to 28 days' written notice. Three to four a year — Wemark's standard — gives you far better visibility of property condition and catches issues before they become expensive.
4. Do you mark up maintenance invoices? Some agencies add a percentage to every tradesperson invoice. Always ask.
5. What's the process for rent increases? Rent reviews should be conducted at every lease renewal, with market-based advice that balances maximising your return with retaining a good tenant. Ask how the agency approaches this.
Ready to find out what your Adelaide property should be earning?
A management fee is only worth paying if it's generating a return. The best way to understand the real value of professional management is to get a free rental appraisal from a local Wemark property manager — you'll receive a detailed report on your property's current market rent, how it compares to similar rentals in your area, and where there's room to improve your return.
Book your free rental appraisal →
Already using another agency? Switch to Wemark and we run the handover for you. Switching is simpler than most landlords expect. Our Guide to Switching Managing Agencies walks you through the process step by step — your tenancy agreement stays in place, and the changeover is managed entirely by us.