Policy: Owner Policy – Short Term – Owners Switching Between Management Models (i.e. Full Management to Booking Agent and Vice Versa)

Company Position:

Property Providers’ vision is to “Help People Live Better” by being Sydney’s most flexible residential rental company. This vision is driven by three core values: Passion, Performance and Partnership. This policy has been created based on our belief in our guiding principle that all great long-term partnerships have a solid foundation of mutual respect, mutual reward, mutual investment, and mutual risk.

Document Purpose:

The purpose of this document is to clearly communicate the company’s policy as it relates to owners wanting to switch management from Full Management to Booking Agent or vice versa during their contract period.

Background:

Property Providers prides itself on being Sydney’s most flexible residential rental agency. To demonstrate our mutual respect and investment, we provide owner partners the opportunity, where appropriate, to change management models from full management to booking agent or vice versa during their contract term.

We offer two different management types in the short-term rental sphere: Full Management or Booking Agent.

Full Management:

Our Full Management agreement is for owners who want to be “hands off” when it comes to managing their property. Under the Full Management agreement, Property Providers handles everything associated with renting and running the property including, but not limited to, booking, marketing, guest relations, housekeeping, linen, repairs, maintenance etc. Owners have no communication with guests and their direct contact is with us as their property manager.

Booking Agent:

Our Booking Agent agreement is for owners who want to be “hands-on” in managing their property.  They want to be non-exclusive and care for their property and guests directly. In these cases, the function of the booking agent (Property Providers) is in a sales, marketing, and finance capacity only.  In simple terms, owners benefit from our large portfolio, channel management coverage, and our strength in leading to high sales conversion rate.  We source leads, qualify guest suitability, and convert/commercialize them into bookings for the owner.  The owner takes responsibility for the property management and operational components of executing the booking, including, but NOT limited to: 

Post Payment Experience: The entirety of the guest experience post-payment confirmation.
Operations: All coordination, operations and property management including repairs, maintenance, cleaning, linen, and housekeeping.
Welcoming & Access: Arranging pre-arrival communication including welcoming the guests and/or access to the property.
Service: Managing any questions, concerns, and all guest services from the onset of payment until after the guest’s security deposit return is finalized.
Security Deposit: Report on the return of security deposit with the guest and manage any communication in relation to deductions (Property Providers to execute the return of payment upon instruction from the owner). If there is a dispute, Property Providers will hold the funds in trust until it is resolved/agreed but is not our role to mediate/arbitrate.
Notice: Owners who wish to switch management models must advise Property Providers in writing no less than 30 days before intending to switch.
30 Days: Should an in-house booking be present and the end date of the booking is over 30 days away, the owner must advise that the switch will be effective from the end of the in-house booking (i.e. a switch cannot take place halfway through an occupancy). Should a forward booking be present and taking place within the 30 days, this will be executed under the original management terms. Should a forward booking be present with a start date after the 30-day notice period, this will take place under the new management terms. An owner cannot provide 30 days’ notice when a booking offer is already being negotiated to change the terms during the negotiation.
Under no circumstances can a management model be changed during an in-house booking.
For the management model to be switched, the owner must commit to the chosen model for a minimum period of six months to make it worthwhile to conduct the changeover (i.e. a property cannot flip back and forth constantly between bookings. With so many moving parts, this can lead to confusion and conflict, especially around housekeeping and linen obligations).
Marketing: The annual marketing fee will still apply – it is standard across both management options. Upon renewal of the contract anniversary date, the annual marketing fee will re-apply.
New Agreement: Should a switch be agreed upon within the outlined notice period, a new management agreement will be required to be signed to reflect the new terms. Should an owner request a switch to a booking agent agreement and require Property Providers to execute services on their behalf which they are no longer obliged to do under the new agreement, labour rates will apply to any services provided (i.e. should an owner elect a booking agent arrangement and then require Property Providers to organise an upholstery clean after their guest’s stay, labour rates will apply for the labour taken by Property Providers to organize and schedule the clean with their trade as well as the hard costs of the clean itself).
Linen: If the management of a property pivots from Full Management to Booking Agent, Property Providers will by default remove the linen that the agency has supplied at our nominated labour rates (minimum call – two hours). Should the linen remain on the property after tenants, guests or owners occupy it, the linen will be considered purchased by the owner and the most current linen purchase charge will apply. Associated charges will be calculated and charged to the owner’s ledger or nominated credit card. Should the card on file be cancelled/expired or if there are insufficient funds, the agency will raise an invoice for immediate payment.
Booking Extensions: Should a guest who has been confirmed by the agency extend their stay, the owner partner is to advise Property Providers immediately so we can facilitate this extension in the property management software to accurately reflect the booking dates (to avoid double booking) and the revised/updated commercial terms/agreement. The booking commission will apply to the total gross value of the extension. Should an owner/partner not disclose an extension, Property Providers will be entitled to double the normal booking commission. Commissions for extensions will be deducted from the owners’ remittance. Should there not be adequate funds to cover the Booking Commission on the extended rate (i.e. disbursement has taken place before the agency charges the fee), the agency will automatically charge the owners’ credit card.
Repeat Guests: Property Providers will be entitled to Booking commissions on repeat customers for a total of 2 years from last night the guest stayed.

In short, we require the customer transact and then pass the customer to the owner for the stay fulfillment.  The owner then advises us of any deductions to the security deposit if required (after agreeing to them with the guest) and we transfer it back to the customer.  Please Note: For properties/owners where we are a booking agent, negotiating or mediating security deposit disputes is not in the scope. We are to be notified of any deductions within seven working days or the full security deposit will be returned to the guest.

In both cases, it is important to highlight that Property Providers is just an agency.  This means the stay or contract is between the owner and the guest.  The agency’s role is to facilitate the agreement (a license) between both parties.

Policy Objectives:

To be clear, concise, consistent, and upfront regarding the company’s position in relation to owners changing their management agreement from Full Management (FM) to Booking Agent (BA) or BA to FM prior to the contract renewal date.
To support the company’s guiding principle that all long-term relationships have a foundation of mutual respect, mutual reward, mutual investment, and mutual risk.
To effectively manage the facilitation/implementation of fair and balanced solutions for all parties involved.
To implement a consistent and fair framework that balances the tenant/guest experience and the fiduciary duty that we have to you, the property owner, in managing the transaction between all parties while minimizing inconvenience, cost and risk.

Agency Policy:

Operational Mechanics:

Fees: A switching fee of $500 + GST will be charged to cover the administrative work required to transition between management models. This includes updating systems, revising contracts, coordinating internal and external communications, and ensuring all operational elements align with the new agreement. The fee reflects the time and resources necessary to facilitate a smooth and professional transition.
Owner Responsibility for Guest Communication and Liability During Management Model Changes:
- Owners who change the management model (e.g., from Full Management to Booking Agent) during active or before confirmed upcoming bookings must inform all affected guests about the change and outline the new guest-host relationship.
- The owner assumes full operational responsibility for all confirmed bookings during or after the management switch. This includes managing guest communications, fulfilling original booking terms, and resolving disputes.
- If a guest cancels due to the management switch, the owner is responsible for all communications, costs, and compensations related to the cancellation. Property Providers will not mediate cancellations in such cases.
Vacant: When transferring a property’s management model, Property Providers requires the property to be vacant for a minimum of one week from the end of the existing in-house rental to ensure a smooth and professional transition (i.e. linen pickup/transfer, maintenance, keys return etc).
At the time of contract change, the owner/agency will be accountable for the responsibilities below:
- If switching from FM to BA: The owner is required to conduct a guest experience review of their property upon changeover to ensure that they are aware of the standards required to maintain the property’s quality and meet guest expectations in adherence with the advertised star rating. The owner is expected to conduct a guest experience review once every quarter to maintain property quality and customer expectations. Further information regarding conducting the guest experience as a booking agent can be found.
- If switching from BA to FM: If Property Providers are taking over the full management of a property, we will conduct a guest experience review and onsite inspection and provide feedback to the owner if maintenance or touch-ups are required to prepare for and ensure the best guest experience under full management.
Owner Login In: Owners understand that their short-term rental log-in, account, and the listing will remain the same. It is not possible to provide a new ledger or separate account for the different models once switched. i.e. your EOFY statement will be a merge of both management models.
Bills and Invoices: Please advise at the time of switching if you require Property Providers to manage your bills, rates, etc. if we don’t already.
Understanding: Before requesting a management switch, it is the owner’s full responsibility to understand the idiosyncratic requirements for the new model they wish to choose.
Guest Cancellations: Should a guest cancel a reservation as a result of being informed that the management model has changed, Property Providers Owner Cancellation Policy will apply including all hard costs and reasonable labour.

Rationale:

Switching between management models is a valuable flexibility we offer, but it requires careful planning and execution to ensure a smooth transition for all parties involved. This policy ensures clear responsibilities, minimises disruptions, and upholds the quality of the guest experience while maintaining fairness for owners and the agency. By providing structure and clarity, we aim to foster long-term partnerships built on mutual respect, transparency, and collaboration.

Effective Date: This policy is effective March 1, 2022