Should You Self Manage or Use a Property Manager?

For many landlords, managing a property on their own seems like the natural choice. After all, who knows the property better than the person who owns it?

But once the tenancy begins, the day to day reality often looks very different from the simple checklist many start with. From legal obligations to maintenance issues, tenant communication, paperwork, and problem solving, property management can quickly become a job in itself.

So should you self-manage? Or is it time to bring in a professional?

Let’s take a closer look.

The Appeal of Self Managing

Self-managing has obvious appeal. It feels more hands on, gives full control over decisions, and avoids paying management fees. Some landlords enjoy the personal involvement and feel confident handling day to day tasks.

But there’s a big difference between owning a property and managing one.

What Often Gets Overlooked

Many landlords underestimate the time, legal knowledge, and organisational systems required to manage well. Some of the areas that catch people out include:

• Keeping up with the latest Healthy Homes requirements

• Lodging and returning bonds correctly

• Handling rent arrears and difficult conversations

• Coordinating and following up on maintenance

• Documenting inspections and tenant communications

• Knowing what to do when things go wrong

These are not occasional tasks. They are ongoing responsibilities that demand attention, accuracy, and time.

The Time Factor

One of the most common things landlords say after switching to professional management is how much time they get back. That includes time spent:

• Chasing quotes and trades

• Answering tenant queries

• Writing notices and emails

• Reviewing rent levels

• Researching legal obligations

But it is not just about the hours. It is about opportunity cost. Every minute spent managing a property is time not spent doing something else. For some, that is growing a business. For others, it is family, rest, or personal time.

The only real benefit to self-managing is saving money. For landlords who have the time and are prepared to educate themselves, self-management can work. But for those who value their time more than a small monthly saving, professional management is often the better investment.

Risk Versus Reward

Some landlords manage their properties well. But many underestimate the risk. From rent disputes to maintenance delays, compliance failures to tenant turnover, things can unravel quickly. Fixing problems usually takes far more time and money than preventing them.

It is also worth noting that not all tenants want to deal directly with owners. Many prefer working with a property manager, knowing they are more likely to receive prompt responses, proper documentation, and someone who understands the law. Some tenants say private landlords can push boundaries or ignore basic standards.

A property manager provides structure, consistency, and a layer of protection for both landlords and tenants.

Making the Right Call

There is no one size fits all answer. But if managing your property is starting to feel like another full time job, or you are unsure about what is legally required, bringing in a professional can remove a lot of pressure and protect your investment at the same time. It also turns your property into what it was meant to be, a source of true passive income, not another job to manage.

Self-Management Checklist

If you are deciding whether to manage your rental property yourself, here are a few questions to consider:

• Do you know the current Healthy Homes requirements and are you confident your property is fully compliant?

• Do you have a system for tracking rent, following up on arrears, and documenting communication?

• Can you coordinate reliable trades quickly when maintenance is needed?

• Do you have time to conduct regular inspections and follow up with detailed reports?

• Are you familiar with bond lodgement rules, notice periods, and the Residential Tenancies Act?

• Do you feel comfortable handling disputes or difficult conversations with tenants?

• Do you have time every week to stay on top of all of the above?

If you answered no to more than one or two, it might be worth thinking about whether your time and peace of mind are better spent elsewhere. So ask yourself, should you self manage or use a property manager?

Should you manage your rental yourself or bring in a professional? It’s a decision every landlord has to weigh up.