Updated on 13 September 2026.
Choosing a property manager in the Algarve means deciding who can spend money on your behalf, accept reservations and look after the house when you are away. We recommend comparing the evidence behind those responsibilities before comparing commission rates. A lower percentage is only useful when you understand what it includes.
Ask each company for the same three documents: a draft management agreement, an anonymised owner statement and a written proposal for your property. These give you something concrete to compare, without relying on promises about occupancy or income.
Compare the full cost of management
Request a worked example of one completed booking, showing the guest payment, platform charges, management fee, cleaning, laundry and the amount transferred to the owner. Ask whether VAT is included in the quoted fees and which costs sit outside the agreement.
Check the calculation base as carefully as the percentage. A fee applied before platform commission produces a different result from the same percentage applied afterwards. Ask how refunds, cancellations, owner stays and cleaning charges are treated, rather than assuming that every manager defines rental revenue in the same way.
A useful proposal should also explain maintenance call-out charges, purchasing mark-ups, photography costs and any minimum monthly fee. Put the answers side by side before deciding which offer costs less.
Test the operating arrangements
Ask who checks the property between stays, who covers an evening arrival and who responds when a guest cannot get in. Request the escalation procedure and the spending limit above which the manager needs your approval. An emergency should have a clear exception, followed by an explanation and supporting invoice.
Cleaning deserves its own questions. Who checks the work, how are missing items recorded and what happens when a guest reports a problem after arrival? A checklist is useful, but you also need to know who is responsible for acting on it.
For a villa, include pool and garden care in the discussion. For an apartment, ask about shared entrances, parking instructions and contact with the condominium. The proposal should reflect the property you own.
Ask how revenue decisions will be explained
We would be cautious about an income forecast that shows only a single annual total. Ask for monthly assumptions, owner-use dates, expected closures and the comparable properties used. Compare like with like: a villa with a private pool is not evidence for an apartment with a shared pool.
Ask how the company sets minimum stays, handles gaps between bookings and reviews discounts. For distribution costs, our Airbnb and Booking.com comparison explains why the guest price and the owner’s payout need separate attention.
Performance reporting should let you distinguish a rate change from a change in availability. Occupancy without the number of available nights can be misleading, particularly when you use the home yourself.
Put ownership and responsibilities in writing
Confirm who owns each listing account, who controls payouts and what access you retain. Ask what can be transferred if you leave, including photographs, descriptions and booking records. Do not assume that a platform will transfer reviews or an account simply because the management contract ends.
The agreement should allocate responsibility for registration, insurance evidence, guest reporting and invoicing. The official Alojamento Local guide is a starting point for checking the operating framework; the manager’s proposal should explain who handles each task for your address.
Check the exit before signing
Read the notice period, renewal terms and treatment of existing reservations. Ask what happens to keys, deposits, future guest payments and unpaid supplier invoices. A clear handover process matters as much at the end as at the beginning.
We recommend choosing the company whose answers you can verify and whose working arrangements fit your property. If you have already appointed someone and want to organise the relationship from abroad, our guide for overseas owners covers the records, approvals and monthly checks to put in place. You can also send us your property details to discuss a management proposal.
Planning a stay in the Algarve?
Book direct with Monte Rentals and skip the booking fees: see all our Algarve holiday rentals. Or browse holiday apartments in Albufeira · villas with private pool.
Frequently asked questions
Which documents should I request from a property management company?
Ask for a draft management agreement, a complete schedule of charges and a sample owner statement. Together they make the responsibilities, costs and reporting easier to compare.
What should I check before signing a management agreement?
Check spending authority, maintenance approvals, ownership of listings and records, and exit arrangements. Confirm how existing bookings and access to the property would be handled if the agreement ends.
