What does a property manager in Georgia charge?
In Georgia, the country, managers who run short stays on Airbnb and Booking.com usually take 15% to 30% of rental income, and those who look after a long let take about 8% to 15% of the rent or a flat monthly fee, plus a one-off fee for finding each tenant. The headline percentage tells you less than it seems. Two offers of "20%" can leave the owner with very different sums once you ask what the percentage is calculated on, who pays for cleaning after each guest, and whose account the listing sits on.
No licence is needed to manage property or act as an agent here, so anyone can offer the service. This guide compares the terms that Georgian managers publish, shows what the owner still pays, and lists the contract points and questions that separate a sound arrangement from a costly one. Searches for this topic mostly return pages about the US state; everything below concerns Tbilisi, Batumi and the ski resorts.
Published fees, company by company
| Company | Where | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wehost | Tbilisi, Batumi, Gudauri, Bakuriani | Short stays 20% to 25%; stays of 3 to 6 months 15%; long lets 10% | 25% for one flat, 20% from 2 flats; another page of the same site says 20% all-inclusive; monthly payout |
| Property Host | Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi and others | 25% of income, or a fixed fee set per property | Lists cleaning, maintenance and "tax handling" |
| Batumi Apartment Management | Batumi | Daily letting 30%; short-term 20%; long-term 15% | On daily letting the owner also pays utilities and half of the platform fees |
| Best Host Batumi | Batumi | 30%, 20% and 15% on the same three models | Owner stays allowed with notice, paying only cleaning and laundry |
| Gruziaexpert | Batumi | 20% of rental income plus about GEL 50 cleaning per check-in | Monthly payout in US dollars by bank transfer, with a report |
| Gudauri Travel | Gudauri | 15% for full administration, or 15% for bookings only | Inventory before and after the season |
| PB Services | Tbilisi | 10% to 25%, depending on the services | No commission in a month without income |
| Tbilisi Home | Tbilisi | 8% of the monthly rent | Finding a tenant: 1 month's rent for a 12-month lease, half for 6 months; 30 days' notice to cancel |
| STRATOS | Tbilisi | GEL 260 a month, paid a year ahead | Plus 1 month's rent for each new tenant; unused balance refunded |
| Gingerbread Haus | Tbilisi | Not published | "No lock-in" contract; monthly statement |
Most firms in the published rankings, among them several of the larger Tbilisi names, quote fees only after a consultation. Use the table as a reference point when an offer arrives, not as a price list.
How large the managed market is
Professional managers already run most short-stay flats. BnbCalc counts 52% of active Tbilisi listings and 63% of Batumi listings as professionally managed in the 12 months to September 2026. Airbtics, in June 2026, tracked 281 management businesses in Tbilisi handling 2,317 listings and 201 in Batumi handling 1,997, with the biggest single operators running about 50 listings each. Most managers are therefore small, which makes the questions later in this guide more important than the brand.
Independent guides give similar ranges. TbilisiExperts puts long-let management at about 7% to 12% of collected rent and short lets at 15% to 25% of revenue; a Batumi agency gives 8% to 12% and 15% to 25%. Airbtics notes that premium Tbilisi managers can charge up to 40% to 45% of the booking total, and a Batumi agency argues that quality short-stay service costs 30% to 40%, calling a 10% to 15% quote for full service a warning sign. Treat that last view as one agency's opinion, but it is a fair reminder that a very low fee usually means less work done.
What the fee covers, and what you still pay
A full short-stay package normally includes photographs and the listing, guest messages and check-ins, cleaning with hotel-style linen, restocking of supplies, daily price changes and a monthly report. That is how Wehost describes its package, and the other published offers are close to it. What sits outside the percentage varies, and it decides the real cost:
- Platform fees. Airbnb's host-only fee of 15.5% comes off the booking before anyone is paid; one Batumi manager asks the owner to cover half of the platform fees on daily lets.
- Cleaning per stay. Some managers include it, others charge it per check-in, around GEL 50 in Batumi.
- Utilities. On daily lets the owner usually pays electricity, water and gas; on long lets the tenant does.
- Building fees. The service charge of a residential complex, about USD 1.50 to 2.50 per m² a month in Batumi towers by one agency's estimate, is due even when the flat is empty.
- Repairs and wear. Parts and labour are extra; one agency suggests setting aside 5% to 7% of yearly income for linen, touch-ups and small repairs.
- Tax. It stays the owner's cost, whoever files it.
The same flat under four fee deals
To show why the fee base matters, take a flat whose guests pay GEL 20,000 in a year through Airbnb, over 60 stays. The platform keeps 15.5%, so GEL 16,900 reaches the host account. The table compares what the owner keeps under four kinds of terms, before utilities, building fees and tax.
| Terms | Manager's fee | Owner keeps | Share of bookings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20% of income after the platform fee | GEL 3,380 | GEL 13,520 | 67.6% |
| 20% of the full booking value | GEL 4,000 | GEL 12,900 | 64.5% |
| 25% of the full booking value | GEL 5,000 | GEL 11,900 | 59.5% |
| 20% plus GEL 50 cleaning per stay | GEL 7,000 | GEL 9,900 | 49.5% |
Between the first and the last line the owner's income falls by more than a quarter, although every offer could be advertised as "20%". Ask for a sample monthly statement, and check how a real booking moves from the guest's payment to your transfer. Our short-stay income calculator lets you add the costs that follow.
Long lets: tenant-finding fees and flat fees
For a long let, two fees apply. The first is for finding the tenant. There is no rule or cap on it, and the norms quoted differ: one expat guide says 50% of a month's rent from each side, another says about one month's rent, and the first guide adds that the landlord traditionally pays. Tbilisi Home charges the owner 1 month's rent for a 12-month lease and half a month for a 6-month one; STRATOS charges 1 month per tenant. Agents who search for tenants charge separately; one charges 85% of a month's rent with a minimum of USD 850 plus VAT and takes nothing from landlords.
The second fee is ongoing management: rent collection, small repairs, inspections and lease renewals. Here the choice is between a percentage and a flat fee. A flat GEL 260 a month costs less than 10% of the rent once rent passes GEL 2,600, and less than 8% once it passes GEL 3,250; below those levels the percentage is cheaper. Also ask whether the finding fee repeats each time a tenant changes, which, with one-year leases, can cost more over time than the monthly fee. The long-let process itself, from the lease to handover, is in our guide to renting out an apartment as a non-resident.
What the management agreement should say
Very few managers publish their contract; most ask you to request it. Read it for these points:
- The fee, its base (full booking value, income after platform fees, or profit) and whether 18% VAT is included or added.
- A full list of what the fee includes, and a price list for everything else.
- A spending limit for repairs without your approval.
- Owner stays: how much notice, and what you pay for them.
- Payout date, currency and the account it comes from.
- Reports: monthly income and costs, plus regular photos or video of the flat's condition.
- Term, notice period and any charge on leaving.
- What happens to future bookings, deposits and keys when the agreement ends.
Under the Civil Code, an agreement in which someone acts on your behalf and at your expense is a contract of mandate (Article 709). The manager must keep you informed and account for their work (Article 713), and hand over everything received while acting for you (Article 715); money held for you is presumed yours in relation to the manager's creditors (Article 716). Article 720 lets either party end a mandate at any time and makes a waiver of that right void, with the owner paying for work already done and necessary expenses. Whether a particular agreement with lock-in or penalty clauses counts as a pure mandate is a question for a lawyer, so ask before signing anything long.
Whose account holds the listing
This point is often missed until the end of a relationship. Airbnb states that an account cannot be transferred to another host and that reservations cannot move between accounts. If the manager lists your flat on their own account, the reviews and booking history stay with them when you part, and you start again from zero.
The alternative is to keep the listing on your own account and add the manager as a co-host. Airbnb allows up to 10 co-hosts per listing, and only the listing owner sets up co-host payouts, as a cleaning fee, a percentage, a fixed amount or a mix. A co-host with full access can run the calendar, prices, messages and damage requests, but cannot see or change your payout method. Damage claims must be filed within 14 days of the guest's checkout. Airbnb's paid Co-Host Network does not operate in Georgia, so you pick a co-host yourself.
Booking.com works differently: the property is tied to the contract of the legal entity that listed it, and Booking.com pays that contract holder. If the manager listed it, leaving means re-contracting the property in your name, and it is offline until the change of ownership form is completed. Ask which model the manager uses before you agree.
Power of attorney: how much to grant
A manager who handles only short stays on your account rarely needs a power of attorney. One who signs long leases in your name, registers a lease, or deals with utility companies and the homeowners' association usually does. The Civil Code does not require a special form for an authority to sign an ordinary written lease (Article 107), but notaries and the Public Registry work with notarised documents, so a notarised power is the practical choice. One Tbilisi firm puts the cost at about GEL 400 for a power drawn up locally and GEL 600 for one prepared abroad; a document signed abroad needs an apostille and a notarised Georgian translation.
Limit the power to the tasks you hand over and give it an end date. If you revoke it, tell tenants and service providers, because revocation is not valid against third parties who were not informed (Article 108), and ask for the original back (Article 110). Our guide to the power of attorney covers the notary steps.
Tax: the owner stays the taxpayer
Hiring a manager does not move the tax to them. Rent is income from a source in Georgia, and the owner declares it through their own account on the Revenue Service portal. Residential long lets to individuals are usually taxed at 5%. For short stays, an owner can choose the fixed monthly tax of GEL 10 per m², available until 1 January 2028, or declare under the general rules; the details are in our page on rental income tax. Rental income also counts towards the GEL 100,000 VAT threshold over any 12 months.
Some managers list "tax handling" or paying taxes among their services. That is an administrative task done for you, and the agreement should say exactly what it covers. On the fee itself, we found no published rule or price list that adds VAT to a Georgian manager's commission. A VAT-registered company would normally charge it on a service linked to property in Georgia, so ask whether the quoted percentage includes 18% VAT.
Aparthotel rental pools and fixed returns
In a Batumi aparthotel the building's operator usually manages every unit and splits the income with owners. Sales listings show owners receiving 60% to 70%: 60/40 at Strada, 65/35 at Boulevard Point and 70/30 at Subtropic City. In a pool, income from similar units is combined and shared by size and category, so your unit earns the average rather than its own bookings.
Some projects add a promised fixed return. The Wyndham Grand Batumi Gonio developer says it undertakes to pay investors 10% a year regardless of occupancy. Such promises are contractual obligations of the developer or operator, not insurance, so they are only as good as the company behind them. An analysis by a Russian property agency notes that they usually run for the first 2 to 3 years, that owners rarely keep the same return afterwards and that the cost is often built into a higher purchase price. Read the term, the payment schedule and the owner-use rules before you buy; our guide to aparthotel units in Batumi explains the model.
Questions to ask a manager
- How many properties do you manage, and in which buildings?
- Is your company a Georgian legal entity, and who signs for it?
- What is the fee calculated on, and does it include VAT?
- Is the tenant-finding fee charged again for each new tenant?
- Whose Airbnb and Booking.com accounts will hold the listing?
- On which day, in which currency and from which account do you pay?
- Can I see a sample owner report and a sample lease?
- Does the building allow short stays?
- How much can you spend on repairs without asking me?
- How do I end the agreement, and what happens to bookings already made?
Warning signs
- No written agreement, or one with no notice period.
- A minimum term of more than 12 months with a penalty for leaving.
- Open-ended authority to spend on repairs.
- A broad power of attorney that covers selling or mortgaging the flat.
- High promised returns used as the main selling point.
- No monthly statement, or statements without booking details.
- A manager who also sold you the flat and does not disclose both fees.
Hiring a manager step by step
Choose the model
Short stays, stays of a few months or a long let; the fees differ.
Ask three managers for quotes
In writing, with the fee base and extras.
Compare the net result
Run one year of bookings through each offer.
Check the company
Legal entity, references from current owners, sample reports.
Settle the listing account
Your account with the manager as co-host where possible.
Sign the agreement
With term, notice, repair limit and payout date.
Grant a limited power
Only if leases or utilities need it, with an end date.
Review the first statements
Match them to the booking calendar.
Risks and exceptions
- Fee base. A percentage of full booking value costs more than the same percentage of net income.
- Lost listing history. Reviews on the manager's account stay with the manager.
- Payout delays. Guest money reaches the account holder first.
- Unchecked repairs. Costs grow without a spending limit.
- Fixed-return promises. They depend on the company that makes them.
- No regulation. Anyone can call themselves a manager.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Airbnb management cost in Tbilisi?
Usually 20% to 25% of income, with premium firms charging more.
How much does a manager take in Batumi?
Published offers range from 15% for long lets to 30% for daily letting.
Who pays the agent for finding a tenant?
Usually the landlord; there is no fixed rule.
Do property managers need a licence in Georgia?
No, there is no licensing system.
Can I end a management agreement early?
Read the notice clause; the Civil Code allows ending a mandate at any time, and a lawyer can say whether that covers your contract.
Will I keep my Airbnb reviews if I change manager?
Only if the listing is on your own account.
Does the manager pay my rental tax?
Some file for you, but you remain the taxpayer.
Do I need a power of attorney?
Only for leases signed in your name, registrations or utilities.
Sources
- What we do and Property management, Wehost (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Property Host (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Financial conditions, Batumi Apartment Management (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Best Host Batumi (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Rental management, Gruziaexpert (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Apartment management in Gudauri, Gudauri Travel (accessed 20 October 2026)
- What is property management, PB Services Georgia, 15 September 2026 (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Property management, Tbilisi Home (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Pricing, STRATOS (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Gingerbread Haus (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Tbilisi and Batumi short-term rental markets, BnbCalc, October 2026 (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Top Airbnb management companies in Tbilisi and Batumi, Airbtics, June 2026 (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Best property management in Tbilisi, TbilisiExperts, July 2026 (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Batumi real estate investments: returns and risks, Batumi.estate, 26 November 2025 (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Calculating the return on a Batumi apartment, Cappuccino Estate (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Renting an apartment, GeorgiaExpats, 16 February 2026 (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Rental services pricing and taxes and other costs, ExpatHub.GE (accessed 20 October 2026)
- What co-hosts can do, co-host payouts and transferring account ownership, Airbnb (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Host damage protection and Co-Host Network, Airbnb (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Managing properties in your primary account, Booking.com (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Civil Code of Georgia, Legislative Herald of Georgia (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Taxes on renting out apartments, JUST Advisors, 15 March 2024 (accessed 20 October 2026)
- VAT in Georgia, IBCCS, September 2026 (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Strada, Boulevard Point and Subtropic City sales listings, Homesoverseas (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Investing, Wyndham Grand Batumi Gonio (accessed 20 October 2026)
- Branded hotel residences in Georgia, Palmera, 20 June 2026 (accessed 20 October 2026)
Change log
- - Guide published from managers' published price lists, BnbCalc, Airbtics, Airbnb and Booking.com help pages, the Civil Code, tax sources and Batumi sales listings.