What to Check Before Signing a Property Management Agreement in Albania

Treat the agreement as an operating manual

A property management agreement should do more than name a fee. It should describe how the property will be run when something ordinary happens, such as a guest asks a question, a tenant pays late, a cleaner misses a visit, a utility bill arrives, or a repair becomes urgent.

The document is not a substitute for local legal advice. It is the place to make the everyday responsibilities visible before money, keys, or access are handed over.

Define the service scope in plain language

Start with the exact service: short-term rental management, long-term rental management, vacant-home care, tenant sourcing, maintenance coordination, or a combination. Then write what is included in practical terms. For example, does short-term rental management include listing creation, guest messages, check-in, cleaning coordination, pricing review, and monthly reporting? Does vacant-home care include inspections, utility checks, and arrival preparation?

Be equally clear about what is excluded. Renovation work, legal services, tax filing, furnishing purchases, emergency repairs above a threshold, and photography may need separate approval or pricing. A clear boundary helps owners compare proposals fairly.

Set approval rules before an urgent repair

Decide how the manager should handle routine maintenance and genuine emergencies. Many owners use an approval threshold: the manager can authorize small urgent work up to an agreed amount, while higher costs require written approval unless there is an immediate risk to people or the property.

The agreement should say how approvals are requested, what evidence is provided, and how invoices are shared. This reduces delays without giving either side a blank cheque.

Make the money trail understandable

Ask how booking income or rent is collected, when owners are paid, what fees are deducted, and how invoices are handled. The reporting should distinguish gross income, platform or collection costs, management fees, cleaning, repairs, utilities, building charges, and any funds held for future work.

If a platform account is used, agree who owns the primary account and payout destination. For many owners, an owner-controlled listing and payout setup is the clearest way to keep visibility while still delegating operations. Read our guide to account ownership for Airbnb and Booking.com before accepting a setup you may need to unwind later.

Ask for a reporting sample

Do not wait for the first month to find out what a report looks like. Ask for a sample that removes other clients' private information. A useful report is not necessarily long. It should let an owner see the activity during the period, the money in and out, open tasks, and decisions that need approval.

For owners abroad, also agree the communication channel and response expectation. A clear point of contact and an agreed monthly update can make remote ownership far less stressful.

Confirm records, keys, and access

The agreement should cover who holds keys, smart-lock access, photos, inventory records, utility account details, building contacts, tenant or guest communication history, and maintenance records. It should also say how these are returned at the end of the agreement.

This is often overlooked because it feels administrative. In reality, a clean records clause is what allows a property to continue operating smoothly if you change manager, sell, or take the property back into self-management.

Read the exit terms before you need them

Look for the notice period, fees that may apply at exit, treatment of bookings or tenants already in place, return of deposits or balances, data handover, and deadlines for returning keys and documents. A fair agreement should make the offboarding process as clear as the onboarding process.

The best time to agree a handover is before either side needs one.

Use professional advice for legal and tax decisions

Property, tenancy, tax, and consumer rules can depend on the property, municipality, owner status, and the service being provided. Use a qualified Albanian lawyer, accountant, or other appropriate professional for advice on legal obligations. A management company can explain its process, but it should not make decisions that require independent legal or tax advice on your behalf.

You can compare the practical service areas on our property management page before requesting a proposal.