Handing your flat to a short-let manager means handing them your income for years. These are the questions we would ask anyone, ourselves included: for each one you will find what a serious manager should tell you and how we work.
Updated 20 October 2026 · by Federico Mandalà, founder of Do.Ma Property Management
What they should tell you. A precise, written answer. Gross means what guests pay, before Booking.com and Airbnb take their commission; net means after. With the same percentage the result changes by thousands of euros.
How we work. On the net received. On 40,000 euros of bookings at 28%, the fee on the net is 9,184 euros instead of 11,200: 2,016 euros a year stay with you.
What they should tell you. A clear list of what you pay separately: cleaning, linen, photos, maintenance, supplies. Above all, ask whether there is a mark-up on cleaning.
How we work. Cleaning and linen are invoiced to the owner directly by the company that does them, with no mark-up and outside our fee.
What they should tell you. The type of contract (mandate, sublet, advice only) and what it means for your flat-rate tax (cedolare secca). It affects your net every year.
How we work. A mandate with representation: we manage the property in our own name with guests and platforms and, with the cedolare secca, tax is calculated on the net you receive.
What they should tell you. Names and clear responsibility for each obligation. They are the owner’s duties: if the manager skips them, the fines come to you.
How we work. We do: CIN and regional code, police and ISTAT reporting at every check-in, tourist tax collected and paid to the city.
What they should tell you. Who checks them and how often. Software left alone knows nothing about Bologna’s trade fairs, conferences and real demand.
How we work. Prices are checked and updated by hand every day, looking at events, trade fairs and real demand in the city.
What they should tell you. Which platforms, and how calendars are synced to sell more nights without double bookings.
How we work. Booking.com and Airbnb on one calendar, occasionally VRBO too.
What they should tell you. A monthly statement with every booking, every commission and the net due to you. If it is not clear on paper, it will not be clear in your account.
How we work. A monthly statement line by line: gross, platform commissions, our fee, net to the owner.
What they should tell you. Verifiable numbers, not promises: occupancy, reviews, Superhost status, data from real properties. Be wary of guaranteed returns with nothing behind them.
How we work. Airbnb Superhost since 2023, 4.93 average rating. We have published real data from 14 managed properties: 87% average occupancy on the flats with a full year.
What they should tell you. A check before starting: cadastral status, tax set-up, building rules. A serious manager can also tell you no.
How we work. Before any proposal we have the property assessed by a trusted surveyor and accountant, and we tell you honestly if this is not the right route.
What they should tell you. Term, notice and any penalties in writing, and what happens to bookings already confirmed. Read them before signing, not when you want to change.
How we work. Term and exit conditions are written in the proposal you receive after the site visit, before anything is signed.
The industry average is between 25 and 35 per cent. The calculation base and what is left out matter more than the percentage. To see what your flat could earn, real data is the best starting point.
| Model | How it works | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of the net | The manager takes a share of what you receive after platform commissions. | Owners who want a manager who only earns if the property does. |
| Percentage of the gross | The share is calculated on what guests pay, platform commissions included. | Always compare it with the net: at the same percentage it costs more. |
| Fixed rent (sublet) | The manager rents the property and pays you a fixed rent. | Owners who prefer zero risk and zero hassle to a higher return. |
| Revenue management only | The manager handles only pricing, calendar and channels; you run the rest. | Owners who already have cleaning, check-in and guest contact organised. |
The industry average is between 25 and 35 per cent. What matters is the base: a percentage of the net, after Booking.com and Airbnb commissions, costs less than the same percentage of the gross. Also check whether cleaning and linen are included or invoiced separately.
On the net, at the same percentage. On 40,000 euros of bookings at 28%, the fee on the gross is 11,200 euros, on the net 9,184 euros.
The manager signs contracts with guests and deals with the platforms in their own name, on the owner’s behalf. With the cedolare secca, tax is calculated on the net the owner receives.
The CIN shown in listings, the regional code, guest reporting to the police through Alloggiati Web, ISTAT statistics, and collecting and paying the tourist tax to the city.
A fixed rent removes risk and management, but it is usually lower than what good percentage-based management would earn. It depends on how much risk you want to keep.
Yes. We work in English with both guests and owners who live abroad.
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