Cornwall management fees by service tier
| Service tier | Typical Cornwall fee (2026) | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Full management | 18–25% of gross + VAT | Hands-off owners, up-country owners, premium coastal properties |
| Part-management / hybrid | 10–15% of gross | Owners who keep guest comms or cleaning in-house |
| Letting only | 5–10% or flat setup fee | Confident self-managers who want professional marketing |
| Changeover-only | £25–£45 per clean + laundry (small properties; larger cottages £60–£200 per turnover) | Local self-managing owners |
| Key holding | £15–£30/month + £30–£60 per call-out | Self-managers needing on-the-ground cover |
| Setup / onboarding | £100–£300 (more with photography & listing build) | One-off, new properties joining an agency |
Figures are indicative 2026 starting points across our Cornwall agency network. Every match comes with a written, itemised proposal before you sign anything — request a free proposal and you'll usually have numbers within 24–48 hours.
What full management actually includes
- Marketing and listings — Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, often a direct-booking site, plus pricing strategy through the season.
- All guest handling — enquiries, bookings, payments, pre-arrival info, mid-stay problems, review chasing.
- Changeover coordination — cleaners scheduled, standards checked, laundry cycled.
- Key holding and call-outs — lockouts, late arrivals, contractor access.
- Maintenance coordination — local trades arranged when something breaks.
- Statements — monthly or quarterly income reporting for your accountant.
What's usually extra (read the proposal carefully)
- Linen and towel hire. Usually charged per changeover or passed through at cost — rarely inside the commission.
- Consumables. Welcome packs, cleaning products, loo roll, dishwasher tablets — typically recharged.
- Maintenance markup. Many agencies add a 10–15% handling margin on trades bills. Ask; it's negotiable.
- Photography and listing refresh. Often bundled into setup, charged separately thereafter.
- Deep cleans and hot-tub servicing. Priced per job, outside the standard changeover.
- VAT. Most established agencies are VAT-registered, so add 20% to quoted commission unless stated inclusive. A "20% commission" is really 24% of gross.
A worked example
A 3-bed cottage grossing £28,000 a year on full management at 20% + VAT pays £6,720 in commission, plus roughly £1,500–£2,500 in changeover-related recharges (linen, consumables) across a 25–35-booking season, plus any maintenance handling. The same property on a part-management deal at 12% with the owner running guest comms pays £4,032 commission — the saving is real, but so is the inbox. Our DIY vs management guide works through when each tier wins.
How to pay less (honestly)
- Match the tier to the yield. 20% of a £14,000-gross moor cottage buys much less service than 20% of a £45,000 Rock house. Lower-yield properties often do better on letting-only plus a local changeover team.
- Ask about portfolio rates. Two or more properties with the same agency usually unlocks 2–5 points off headline commission.
- Negotiate the setup fee. Agencies onboarding in autumn or winter for the following season frequently reduce or waive it.
- Check the maintenance markup and exit terms. The commission headline is only half the contract — handling margins and notice periods are where fee pain hides. If you're already managed and unhappy, see our guide to switching agency mid-ownership.
Frequently asked questions
Do fees differ across Cornwall?
The headline percentages are similar county-wide, but the premium markets — Rock, Polzeath and Daymer near Wadebridge, plus St Ives — trend toward the top of the range with boutique extras, while Redruth, Camborne and Liskeard sit nearer the bottom. See your local page for market detail: Truro, Falmouth, Newquay, Penzance, St Austell, Bodmin, Launceston, Helston.
Is commission charged on gross or net bookings?
Almost always gross bookings — before OTA fees. So on an Airbnb booking, you pay Airbnb's 15.5% host fee and the agency's commission on the full amount. Some agencies commission net-of-OTA-fees; it's worth asking, because on a heavily-Airbnb calendar the difference is meaningful. Our Airbnb host-only fee guide covers the platform side.
Why do proposals vary so much between agencies?
Service depth, cleaning arrangements, whether linen is in-house, and how much marketing they genuinely do. This is exactly why we exist: tell us the property once via the quote form and we'll match you with one or two vetted local agencies suited to your property and target service level — with itemised fees you can compare like-for-like.