In British Columbia, standard base property management fees (typically ~8% to 10% of monthly rent, sometimes up to 12%) cover routine day-to-day operations such as collecting rent, tenant communication, minor maintenance coordination, and financial statements.

Event-based operational services, legal disputes, direct property upkeep expenses, mark-ups, vacancy charges, and various administrative or contract-exit costs fall outside the base monthly fee.

One-Time & Event-Based Management Services

  • Tenant Placement / Leasing Fees: Finding and screening a new tenant is front-loaded work usually charged separately (typically 50% to 100% of one month's rent).

  • Lease Renewal Fees: Billed when negotiating extensions or new fixed terms with existing tenants.

  • Vacant Unit Inspections: Scheduled safety or security walk-throughs while a unit sits un-rented.

  • Setup or Onboarding Fees: Initial administrative costs to establish property records and online landlord portals.

  • Vacancy / Holding Fees: Some managers continue charging the full (or a reduced) monthly management percentage even while the unit is empty and generating no rent. Others charge nothing during vacancy (only the eventual leasing fee).

  • Advertising, Photography or Marketing Costs: Professional photos, paid listings, or extra advertising are sometimes billed separately if not fully included in the tenant-placement fee.

  • Cancellation / Early-Termination / Exit Fees: Notice periods plus any fixed or percentage fee if the owner ends the management agreement early.

Legal & Dispute Resolution (Residential Tenancy Branch)

  • RTB Hearing Attendance & Filing: Direct representation, filing evidence, or attending formal arbitration hearings before the BC Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB).

  • Eviction Formalities: Bailiff services, serving formal legal notices, or coordinating sheriff enforcement.

Project Management & Major Maintenance

  • Capital Improvements: Overseeing major renovations, roof replacements, or insurance remediation work usually incurs a separate project management percentage fee (typically 5%--15% of project cost).

  • Trade Supervision On-Site: Hourly fees for having a manager personally wait on-site for specialized contractors, utility providers, or trades.

  • Maintenance / Contractor Mark-ups: Many firms add 10--20% (sometimes disclosed as 5--15%) on top of every third-party invoice for repairs, trades, or materials they coordinate. This is separate from both the base fee and the actual contractor bill paid by the owner.

Direct Property Operating Expenses (Paid by Owner)

  • Physical contractor labor, replacement parts, emergency repairs, and materials.

  • Strata fees, special levies, property taxes, and building insurance premiums.

  • Fines levied by a Strata Corporation for tenant bylaw infractions.

Specialized Operational & Compliance Outlays

  • Pet-Related Cleaning Surcharges: While landlords can collect a one-time pet damage deposit (up to 50% of one month's rent), property managers cannot charge recurring "pet rent" or separate pet-cleaning admin fees under the BC Residential Tenancy Act (RTA). Deep carpet steam cleaning or flea treatments post-tenancy are funded through the deposit or direct tenant billing, not the management fee.

  • Pest Control Remediation: Basic eradication costs for bedbugs, rodents, or structural pests (like carpenter ants or termite activity) are standard landlord maintenance obligations. Property managers coordinate the trade, but exterminator invoices and structural treatments are billed directly to the owner.

  • Utility Accounts & Municipal Service Fees: Managing municipal utility billing (water, sewer, garbage overages) or unpaid utility transfers to property tax rolls.

  • Property Inspection Mileage & Out-of-Scope Travel: Extra site visits outside standard move-in/move-out condition reports---such as verifying tenant noise complaints, checking insurance compliance during long vacancies, or municipal code enforcement walkthroughs---are billed as fixed hourly rates.

  • Insurance Claim Management: Filing claims, meeting adjusters on-site, and overseeing restoration contractors following flood or fire damage.

  • Administrative / Statement / Reporting Fees: Extra charges for year-end packages, additional financial statements, tax-related documents, NSF/late-payment processing, or other admin work beyond basic monthly statements.

  • After-Hours / Emergency Response Premiums: Some firms charge extra for true after-hours or emergency call-outs beyond routine coordination.

  • Non-Resident Tax Administration: Fees for NR4 or related CRA filings for owners living outside Canada.

  • GST: Almost always charged on management, placement, and most other service fees.

Practical note: Always request a complete written fee schedule and ask specifically about mark-ups, vacancy treatment, advertising inclusion, admin extras, and any charges that apply when no rent is being collected. Practices vary widely between "low base + many add-ons" and more inclusive packages.

Disclaimer: Fee structures and service scope vary by individual brokerage contract; property owners should review their management agreement and consult a licensed BC REALTOR® or legal professional regarding specific inclusions and obligations under the Real Estate Services Act and Residential Tenancy Act.