What property management costs on the island
Property management on the island is priced in three distinct ways: a fixed monthly retainer for caretaking an empty home, a percentage of rent for a long term let, and a higher percentage of turnover for a holiday let with guest handling.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- Caretaking a closed property runs 60 € to 250 € a month.
- Long term rental management runs 5 % to 10 % of the rent.
- Holiday let management runs 18 % to 30 % of turnover.
- Cleaning, linen and consumables are usually charged separately.
The three services share a name and almost nothing else. Comparing a 7 per cent quote with a 25 per cent quote is comparing a postbox with a hotel operation.
Caretaking an absent owner's home
A fixed monthly fee for periodic visits, key holding, mail collection, meter readings, supervising trades, opening the house before an arrival and closing it afterwards. On the island this is the service most second home owners actually need, and the frequency of visits, typically fortnightly or monthly, is what drives the price rather than the size of the house.
| Service | Pricing | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Caretaking, monthly visits | fixed fee | 60 to 150 € a month |
| Caretaking, fortnightly visits | fixed fee | 120 to 250 € a month |
| Long term rental management | % of rent | 5 to 10 % |
| Holiday let management | % of turnover | 18 to 30 % |
| Check in and check out | per stay | 25 to 60 € |
| Cleaning between stays | per clean | 45 to 120 € |
| Linen hire | per changeover | 20 to 60 € |
| Emergency call out | per incident | 40 to 90 € plus trade |
Long term letting
Five to ten per cent of the monthly rent covers tenant sourcing, references, the contract, deposit handling, rent collection, and coordinating repairs. A separate letting fee equal to 1 month's rent is common for finding the tenant. On a property let at 1,400 € a month, an 8 per cent management fee is 112 € a month, or 1,344 € a year, plus the initial letting fee.
Holiday letting
Eighteen to thirty per cent of turnover, because the work is continuous: listing and pricing, enquiry handling, check in and check out, cleaning coordination, linen, consumables, maintenance response within hours, and guest problems at any hour. On a property turning over 40,000 € in a season, a 22 per cent fee is 8,800 €, and cleaning and linen typically add another 4,000 to 7,000 € on top.
A licence is required for holiday letting, and no reputable manager will take on a property without one.
What to put in the contract
The exact scope with visit frequency and a written checklist. What is included in the fee and what is charged extra. The spending limit above which your authorisation is needed, commonly 200 to 500 €. How trade invoices are passed on, at cost or with a margin, and what that margin is. The reporting cycle. The notice period. And who holds the keys and how access is logged.
Frequently asked
+What does caretaking cost?
Between 60 € and 250 € a month depending on whether visits are monthly or fortnightly.
+What is charged for a long term let?
Five to ten per cent of the rent, usually plus a letting fee of about one month's rent to find the tenant.
+And for a holiday let?
Eighteen to thirty per cent of turnover, with cleaning, linen and consumables normally charged separately.
+What should the contract specify?
Scope and visit frequency, what is extra, the spending limit, how invoices are passed on and the notice period.
+Is a licence needed for holiday letting?
Yes, and a reputable manager will not take on a property without one.
Sources
- 1Govern de les Illes Balears, Govern de les Illes Balears (August 2026)
- 2Instituto Nacional de Estadística, INE (August 2026)