Property Management
Customized Agreements
Property Management Agreement
Appoint a manager for a rental property — authority, fees, repair limits, trust accounting, and how the appointment ends.
Also called: property manager contract, management fee rental property, terminate property management agreement.
What you walk away with
A clean multi-page PDF and DOCX after you finish — not a web-form dump. Preview the document before you pay.
- PDF export
- DOCX export
- E-sign included
- No subscription
Licensing, trust account rules, notice periods, entry rights, deposit handling, and eviction procedure are set by state and often local law. This agreement states no fee limit, notice period, or jurisdiction-specific requirement.
Jurisdiction details
See how this document starts in your state
Choose the state where the document will be used. The state page shows the maintained coverage level, local-rule limits, and a builder link with the canonical state code already selected.
When this fits
Use this document when…
- Appointing a manager for one rental property
- Moving from self-management to professional management
- Replacing an existing manager
- Setting spending limits and reporting expectations
Before you start
Information you will need
- Owner, manager, and the property
- The term, and notice required to end it
- Management fee, leasing fee, and any other charges
- The repair threshold and emergency authority
- Where tenant funds are held
- Leasing authority and tenant screening criteria
- Reporting frequency and the governing state
What you receive
- A Property Management Agreement
- Signature blocks for owner and manager
- Completion instructions
- PDF and editable DOCX export
Document questions
Questions about this document
What is a Property Management Agreement?
Appoint a manager for a rental property — authority, fees, repair limits, trust accounting, and how the appointment ends.
How do I create a Property Management Agreement?
Appointing a manager for one rental property; Moving from self-management to professional management; Replacing an existing manager
What should a Property Management Agreement include?
Owner, manager, and the property; The term, and notice required to end it; Management fee, leasing fee, and any other charges; The repair threshold and emergency authority; Where tenant funds are held
Special situations
- Property management is licensed activity in most states. This agreement records what licensing is held; it does not create or substitute for a licence.
- Tenant funds, including deposits, must be held separately from the manager's operating money. Most states regulate how those accounts are titled and used.
- Liability insurance frequently excludes theft or dishonesty by employees. Fidelity coverage is the separate protection for people who hold keys and control money.
- Tenant selection is where fair housing exposure sits. Written, consistent criteria applied to every applicant matter more than who makes the decision.
- Ask what the management fee covers. Leasing and maintenance fees are often charged separately, and a low headline percentage can cost more overall.
Frequently asked questions
Does my manager need a licence?
In most states, yes — managing rental property for someone else is licensed activity. This agreement records what licensing is held but does not grant any, and a manager operating without one can make the arrangement unenforceable.
Where does my rent money sit?
In a trust or escrow account separate from the manager's own funds, and it must not be used for another owner or property. Most states regulate how such accounts are titled and used, and commingling is prohibited outright.
What is a repair threshold?
The amount the manager may spend on a repair without asking you first. Set it too high and you lose control of spending; too low and the manager cannot do the job you hired them for. Emergencies are handled separately.
What does the management fee actually cover?
Ask specifically, because it varies. A percentage of collected rent is standard, but leasing or placement fees, maintenance markups, and renewal fees are frequently charged on top, and they can exceed the headline fee over a year.
Who decides which tenant gets the property?
Whoever the agreement says. Delegating it is efficient, but tenant selection is where fair housing claims arise, so written criteria applied consistently matter regardless of who applies them.
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Not legal advice
Locke Direct helps structure documents and workflows. It does not replace a qualified lawyer for complex, unusual, or high-risk situations.
Last reviewed July 29, 2026.