Tenant Placement Fee Calculator
Calculate per-placement fees and annual leasing revenue across the industry's 50 to 100 percent of one month's rent band. Free, no signup.
Leasing fees should flow through clean owner statements.
Shuk tracks leasing revenue per door and per owner so reconciliation is automatic.
Book a DemoHow tenant placement fees are typically structured
Tenant placement fees in property management run 50 to 100 percent of one month's rent. Around 70 percent is the most common figure when placement is bundled with ongoing management. Standalone placement (no monthly management contract) tends to sit at the 80 to 100 percent end. Flat-fee placements average $500 to $1,500 depending on market and unit type. Hybrid models combine a smaller percentage with a fixed admin fee, typically landing at the same all-in total as the standalone band.
What a placement fee should cover
A typical placement service includes marketing the listing, pre-qualifying inquiries, conducting showings, running screening (credit, criminal, eviction, income), lease drafting and signing, and move-in documentation. Service scope drives defensibility of the fee. Premium placement that adds professional photography, drone or 3D tours, and custom listing copy can justify the upper end of the band; bare-bones placement should sit closer to the floor.
How leasing fees fit into total PM revenue
For a PM company with healthy turnover (around 30 percent annually), leasing fees commonly add 15 to 30 percent on top of base management fee revenue. A 100-door portfolio at $1,800 average rent with 30 percent turnover and a 70 percent placement fee generates roughly $37,800 of annual leasing revenue. That puts leasing in the same range of importance as ancillary fees and renewal fees combined.
How to use this calculator
Enter the average rent, your fee model, the rate or flat amount, and the number of placements per year across the portfolio. The calculator returns the per-placement fee, the percent of one month's rent it represents, and your annual leasing revenue.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a tenant placement fee?
Tenant placement fees commonly run 50 to 100 percent of one month's rent, with about 70 percent being typical when bundled with ongoing management. Flat fees average $500 to $1,500 depending on market and unit type. Standalone placement tends toward the upper end (80 to 100 percent).
What is a typical leasing fee for property management?
The typical leasing or placement fee is 70 percent of one month's rent when the property manager is also providing ongoing management. Standalone leasing (no ongoing management) runs 80 to 100 percent. Hybrid models combine a smaller percentage with a flat admin fee.
What does a tenant placement fee cover?
A typical placement service includes listing marketing, pre-qualification, showings, screening (credit, criminal, eviction, income), lease drafting and signing, and move-in documentation. Premium placement may add professional photography, video tours, and custom listing copy.
Are leasing fees paid by the tenant or the owner?
Almost always by the owner. The placement fee is part of the property management contract and is paid by the property owner out of the first month's rent. Some jurisdictions allow part of the fee to be charged to the tenant as an application or processing fee, but the bulk is owner-paid.
Can leasing fees be negotiated?
Yes, especially for portfolios above 5 to 10 doors where the property manager has incentive to lock in a recurring management relationship. Owners often negotiate the leasing fee down to 50 to 60 percent of one month's rent in exchange for a longer ongoing management commitment.
Shuk helps landlords and property managers get ahead of vacancies, improve renewal visibility, and bring more predictability to every lease cycle.
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