All the benefits of the Property Care Contract are provided under one simple service fee.
This service fee is calculated as a percentage of the gross rent and is deducted from your monthly payments. Depending on the property type, we charge a flat fee of:
- 16.5% (inc GST) for most free-standing houses
- 13.0% (inc GST) for properties where a body corporate is responsible for most of the common areas, including external paint.
What’s included under the service fee
With DHA’s service fee, you’ll receive more benefits than you would through a traditional property management fee.
DHA’s service fee includes:
- All vacancy management saving you on re-letting and advertising fees and any loss of rent while your property is vacant. As part of our rental guarantee*, if the property is unoccupied, we still pay you rent and manage the grounds to ensure they are neat and tidy.
- Most non-structural repairs including the replacement of fixed appliances as needed. We also organise tradespeople to complete most repairs and will act quickly on your behalf if an emergency repair is required.
You’ll also receive many other benefits under the Property Care Contract including periodic rental reviews, scheduling and facilitating inspections/contractors, and lease end repair and cleaning.
Comparing DHA's service fee to a traditional property management fee
The inclusions and benefits provided under DHA’s service fee and Property Care Contract may provide savings when compared to the total cost of leasing through a traditional real estate agent management agreement.
According to a study conducted by Oxford Economics Australia, after considering all the comparable costs of managing an investment property to the same standard, in most scenarios, investors leasing a property to DHA will save money compared to those leasing through a property manager1. Download the Property Management Fee Comparison Report to read the full comparison, including data related to the typical costs expected for your investment property.
Learn more about how DHA's service fee compares to a traditional property management fee in the video below.
Costs not included in the service fee
As a landlord, you will retain responsibility for some outgoing costs, including:
- council rates
- water rates (usage reimbursed by DHA)
- strata rates (if applicable)
- land tax (dependent on the state of purchase and your personal circumstances)
- insurance (please refer to the DHA Lease Agreement)
- termite inspections (at your discretion)
- repairs and maintenance not covered under the service fee (please refer to the DHA Lease Agreement and Property Care Contract).
As with any property investment, it is your responsibility as an investor to determine the scope of these fees and your responsibilities with other government agencies.
Next steps and more information