Pricing: management for 16% commission
One commission on the income your property earns. No retainer, no monthly fee, no charge while it sits empty. Here is what it covers and what costs extra.
- Highest rated in Bournemouth on Google
- Booking.com Traveller Review Award 2024
- 100+ properties managed
- Airbnb Superhost
- 16% commission
On this page
Sea Breeze works on commission only. We earn a percentage of what your property earns, so when it sits empty we earn nothing either. There is no retainer, no monthly management fee and no charge for taking you on beyond a one-off onboarding fee that comes out of your first month's income.
What the commission covers
The 16% covers the management of your bookings, guests and listings:
- creating and optimising the listings on Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and more than 20 other channels
- dynamic pricing, reviewed daily
- answering every guest message, with guest support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- check-ins and inventory checks
- regular inspections
- arranging and coordinating cleaning, linen and maintenance through trusted local companies we recommend
- monthly payouts and the owner portal
The professional photography, the listing set-up and a set-up visit are covered by the one-off onboarding fee.
What costs extra
Services carried out at the property are not part of the commission. We recommend trusted local companies for each of them and you pay those companies directly. If you want, we arrange and coordinate them on your behalf. If you already have your own cleaner, linen supplier or contractors, you can keep using them.
- cleaning, including the changeover clean between guests
- linen, towels and laundry
- maintenance and repairs, and replacement items
The costs of owning the property also stay with the owner:
- consumables
- utilities
- insurance
- safety certificates
- any council tax or business rates
When you stay in the property yourself, you pay for the clean after you leave so it is ready for the next guests.
Flexiestays: 8% on the bookings it brings
Every property we manage is also listed on Flexiestays, the Flexiestays group's own platform and Bournemouth's number one for winter and long stays. Flexiestays charges only 8% on the bookings it brings. Those are mostly stays of weeks or months from November to March, booked by contractors, relocations, NHS and university staff and insurance guests, so the property keeps earning when holiday demand drops. How we plan the colder months is on the winter let management page.
How the numbers work
A worked example, for illustration only: if a property takes £30,000 of bookings in a year, a 16% commission is £4,800 before any VAT. The owner keeps the rest, before cleaning, linen, maintenance and their other property costs. The rate is confirmed in writing before you sign. To see what your property could earn, run the income calculator.
Compared with the alternatives
A booking agency that only markets the property usually leaves the guests, the changeovers and the maintenance for you to organise, and the agency rates published in agency commission explained start at 18% plus VAT. With Sea Breeze you still pay for cleaning, linen and repairs separately, but we arrange them and look after the guests. Self-managing saves the commission but costs you the time. That guide sets out what each model really costs, and self-managing vs full service compares the week-to-week work.
Full in summer. Earning in winter too.
Most holiday lets go quiet from November. Ours do not have to. Alongside Airbnb, Booking.com and Vrbo, every property we manage goes out on Flexiestays, Bournemouth's number one platform for winter and long stays, where contractors, relocations, visiting families and remote workers book for weeks and months at a time.
- Flexiestays charges only 8% on the bookings it brings
- Winter stays of a week to several months
- Long stays fill the gaps between summer seasons
8% What 16% covers, at a glance
Holiday let management 16% commission on booking revenue - No retainer, no monthly fee
- We only earn when you do
- 45 days' notice to leave
What the 16% covers
- Listings on 20+ channelsAirbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and Flexiestays, written and optimised.
- Daily dynamic pricingRates reviewed every day for season, events and demand.
- 24/7 guest supportEvery message answered, day and night.
- Check-ins and inventoryArrivals handled and inventory checked.
- Regular inspectionsThe property checked between stays.
- Monthly payoutsPaid monthly, with an owner portal.
Paid separately
- Cleaning
- Linen and laundry
- Maintenance and repairs
We recommend trusted local companies and can arrange them for you; you pay them directly. Already have your own cleaner or contractor? Keep them.
A one-off onboarding fee covers the photography, the listings and the set-up visit. It comes out of your first month's income, never up front.
Frequently asked questions
What is the commission charged on?
Commission is a flat 16% of booking revenue, collected on each guest's stay. It is not a starting rate: there is no retainer and no monthly fee on top, and we confirm it, with any VAT, in writing before you sign.
Is there an onboarding fee?
Yes, a one-off fee that covers the professional photo shoot, creating the listings on the booking platforms and a set-up visit to check the property has everything guests need. It depends on the size and location of the property and is deducted from your first month's income, not paid up front.
Who pays for cleaning and linen?
You do, directly. Cleaning, linen and laundry are not part of the 16%. We recommend trusted local companies for each, you pay them directly, and if you want we arrange and coordinate them for you. If you already have a cleaner or a linen supplier, you can keep them.
Are maintenance and repairs included?
No. Repairs are paid for by the owner, directly to the contractor who does the work. We recommend trusted local tradespeople and can arrange and coordinate the job on your behalf, including when a guest reports a fault. If you have contractors you already use, they can carry on.
Is there a minimum contract?
You can leave with 45 days' notice. Bookings already taken are honoured, or you pay the cancellation cost if you choose to cancel them.
Do you offer a guaranteed rent instead of commission?
In some cases we can offer a fixed rent arrangement instead of commission. It depends on the property and where it is, so ask us about it for yours.
How do I get paid?
Either the platform pays you directly and we invoice our fee each month, or we collect the income and pay you by bank transfer at the start of each month for the previous month, less our fee. The owner portal shows every booking and payout.
Ready to hand over the keys?
Tell us about the property and we will come back with a realistic income estimate, what it needs before the first guest and the terms. 16% commission, no retainer.