Management agency

Inquly vs a management agency

Run your let yourself with software or hand it to an agency: what each option covers, how you pay and when each one makes sense.

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Inquly

Software to run rent collection, contracts, invoices, expenses and repairs yourself in one place, for a fixed fee from €0.

Fixed fee, free plan available
Payments and expenses always in view
Automatic reminders and invoices
A portal where the tenant reports repairs

Management agency

A professional runs the let for you, in-person tasks included, usually for a percentage of the rent.

Viewings and key handover
Finding and screening tenants
Coordinates repairs
Takes the day-to-day contact with the tenant off you

What each option does

What each option does
Task	Inquly	Management agency
Rent collection and payment reminders	Automatic; you see every payment	Handled by the agency
Lease agreement (Spanish LAU)	Templates you adapt	Prepared by the agency
Invoices, expenses and tax-return reports	Included	Depends on the agency
Finding a tenant	Application link and candidate records; you choose	Handled by the agency
Viewings and key handover	You do them	Handled by the agency
Repairs and incidents	The tenant reports them in their portal and you decide	The agency coordinates the tradesperson
Access to your data	At any time, exportable	Whatever reports they send you
How you pay	Fixed monthly fee, from €0	Usually a percentage of the rent

When each option makes sense

Managing it yourself makes sense if…

You live near the property or have someone you trust for viewings.
You would rather pay a fixed fee than give up a share of every rent.
You want to see payments, expenses and documents without waiting for a report.
Your tenant is stable and repairs are rare.

An agency makes sense if…

You live far away or have no time for viewings and repairs.
Tenants change often and you don't want to do the screening.
You would rather not deal with the tenant directly.
The time it saves you is worth more than it costs.

Do you work at an agency or manage lets for other owners? Inquly works for that too. Inquly for agencies

Managing your let yourself or through an agency: how to decide

There is no single answer: an agency and management software solve different problems. An agency saves you time and physical presence; software saves you the commission and gives you direct control, but the work is still yours. This guide helps you see which one suits you.

What each option saves you

An agency takes on the tasks that need someone on site: showing the home, handing over keys, meeting the tradesperson or checking the flat when the tenant leaves. It also screens candidates and acts as a go-between if a dispute comes up.

Software like Inquly does none of that. What it does is take the paperwork off you: it records every payment, flags the missing ones, issues invoices, keeps each home's contracts and documents and leaves income and expenses ready for your tax return.

How you pay for each

Agencies usually charge for management as a percentage of the monthly rent, sometimes with a separate fee for finding a tenant. The cost grows with the rent, even when the work does not.

Software charges a fixed fee. In Inquly, the Free plan covers one property and the Landlord plan costs €4.99 a month for up to 10 properties.

To compare, run the numbers with your own rent: on a €900 monthly rent, each percentage point of commission is €108 a year. Multiply by the percentage you are offered and weigh it against what your time is worth.

Questions worth asking an agency

What the fee includes and what is billed separately (tenant search, rent-default handling, renewals).
How and when they transfer the rent, and which reports you get.
Who decides on repairs and above what amount they consult you.
How the management agreement ends and how much notice it needs.

If you decide to manage it yourself

Start with what takes the most time: tracking payments and expenses. With Inquly you can add the home and the lease in a few minutes, switch on payment reminders and give the tenant access to their portal to report repairs. See every feature on the finances and contracts pages, or first work out what the home yields with the rental yield calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What does a letting management agency do?

It depends on the agreement you sign, but it usually finds and screens tenants, prepares the lease, collects the rent, handles incidents and coordinates repairs. Some also cover rent-default management or insurance. Before signing, ask for a written list of which tasks the fee covers and which are charged separately.

Who pays the agency fees when letting a home in Spain?

For residential lets, the landlord. Since Ley 12/2023, article 20.1 of the Spanish Urban Leases Act (LAU) puts the property-management and lease-formalisation costs on the landlord, so they cannot be passed on to the tenant.

Can I manage my rental without an agency?

Yes. Nothing requires you to hire an agency: you can advertise, choose the tenant, sign the lease and collect the rent yourself. What no software does is the in-person work (showing the home, handing over keys, letting the tradesperson in), so you need to do it yourself or have someone who can.

Are agency fees tax-deductible?

As a rule, rental management and administration costs are a deductible expense against rental income in Spanish personal income tax (IRPF), just like a management software subscription. Check your specific case with a tax adviser.

Can I combine an agency with Inquly?

Yes. Some landlords hire an agency only to find the tenant and then run the day-to-day themselves. In that case, Inquly records the lease, payments, expenses and repairs from the signing onwards.

Keep exploring

Inquly vs Spreadsheets

Rental yield calculator

Pricing

Switching from another solution?

Switch to Inquly and discover simpler management adapted to the Spanish market.

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