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 Cornwall, not quotes. Ask any agency for a written, itemised proposal before you sign anything.
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.
Common questions
How much do holiday let management companies charge in Cornwall?
Full management in Cornwall typically costs 18–25% of gross bookings plus VAT. Part-management (you keep guest comms or cleaning in-house) runs 10–15%. Changeover-only cleaning starts around £25–£45 per clean for small properties plus laundry, key holding is £15–£30 per month plus call-out fees, and setup or onboarding fees run £100–£300.
Is VAT charged on holiday let management fees?
Usually yes. Most established Cornwall agencies are VAT-registered, so commission and fees carry VAT at 20% — a quoted 20% commission is really 24% of gross once VAT is added. Some smaller owner-operator services are below the VAT threshold and charge no VAT. Always ask whether a quoted rate is inclusive or exclusive of VAT.
What is included in full holiday let management?
Typically: listing and marketing across Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo, pricing strategy, all guest communications, booking and payment handling, changeover coordination, key holding, maintenance call-out coordination, and owner statements. Linen hire, consumables, maintenance labour and materials, photography and deep cleans are usually charged separately.
How can I pay less for holiday let management in Cornwall?
Match the service tier to your yield — lower-grossing properties often do better on letting-only or changeover-plus-key-holding than full management. Ask about portfolio rates for multiple properties, negotiate the setup fee (often waived off-season), and check the maintenance markup — a 10–15% handling margin on trades bills is common and negotiable.
Do Cornwall agencies charge a setup or onboarding fee?
Most do. Basic onboarding and admin runs £100–£300; a full setup including professional photography and OTA listing build can run higher. Agencies keen to win the property will often reduce or waive it, particularly for winter onboarding ahead of the following season.
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. Give two or three agencies the same brief and ask each for itemised fees, so you can compare like-for-like. The Propertymark and PASC UK directories list member agencies, or you can ask for a quote through our form.