The short answer
A fee percentage is only useful when you know the calculation base.
Short answer: Zena Suites’ management share is 30% of the balance remaining after agreed operating expenses are deducted from rental income. The property owner receives 70% of that balance. This is different from charging 30% of gross rental revenue.
Zena Suites manages properties with three bedrooms or more in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. This guide explains how the fee calculation works, which costs are treated as operating deductions, and what to compare when reviewing a management quotation.
Before signing an agreement, ask for the calculation method, service scope, and deductions to be listed in writing. A percentage alone does not show what you will keep.
The calculation base
How Airbnb management fees are calculated
A percentage calculated on gross rental revenue produces a different charge from the same percentage calculated after operating expenses. When reviewing a quotation, identify which model is being used.
Percentage of gross revenue
The stated percentage applies to rental revenue before the expenses specified in the agreement are deducted.
Share after operating expenses
Specified operating expenses are deducted first. The remaining balance is then shared between the owner and manager.
Fixed management fee
A stated charge applies for an agreed period. Check which services and expenses are additional.
Zena Suites uses the share-after-operating-expenses model. Its 30% management share applies to the balance after the operating expenses set out below have been deducted. Condo maintenance charges are paid separately by the owner, while renovation and setup work are quoted under a separate package.
The Zena Suites sequence
Rental revenue → less platform fees and operating expenses → balance for sharing → 70% owner / 30% Zena Suites
This order is important. It means the management share is calculated from the remaining balance, rather than gross rental revenue. For a fair comparison, use the same property, revenue assumptions, operating expenses, and service scope for every provider.
Operating deductions
Which expenses are deducted before the split?
The actual operating total changes with bookings, guest usage, and work required at the property. The table below shows the treatment described under the Zena Suites model in this guide.
Booking-platform commissions
Deducted before the 70/30 split.
Cleaning and laundry
Deducted before the 70/30 split.
Electricity and water
Deducted before the 70/30 split.
Internet
Deducted before the 70/30 split.
Guest consumables and supplies
Deducted before the 70/30 split.
Operating repairs
Deducted before the 70/30 split, subject to the repair-approval terms in the management agreement.
Condo maintenance charges
Paid separately by the owner; excluded from the operating deductions used for the 70/30 split.
Renovation and initial setup
Quoted separately as a renovation and setup package.
How Airbnb’s own service fee fits into the calculation
Airbnb’s service fee is separate from a property manager’s fee. Airbnb states that it is transitioning home hosts from a split-fee structure to a single-fee structure. Under the single-fee structure, the fee is deducted from the host’s payout; most hosts pay 15.5%, while remaining hosts typically pay between 14% and 16%. The applicable structure and fee can vary, so check the reservation or payout breakdown used for the property rather than assuming a universal percentage.[1]
Establish whether the starting revenue is before or after platform deductions. A platform fee already removed from a payout should not be deducted twice. If a cleaning fee is collected from a guest, ask how that receipt and the corresponding cleaning expense are shown in the statement.
Illustrative example
A worked example of the owner’s share
Suppose a property records RM6,000 in rental revenue before operating deductions and its operating expenses total RM2,000.
Rental revenue before operating deductions
RM6,000
Less operating expenses
−RM2,000
Balance available for sharing
RM4,000
Zena Suites’ management share at 30%
−RM1,200
Owner’s share at 70%
RM2,800
This is an illustrative calculation, not an actual property result, standard expense allowance, or income forecast. The RM2,000 is an assumed operating total. The owner’s RM2,800 share is calculated before separately paid condo maintenance charges and other ownership costs such as loan repayments or applicable taxes.
For comparison, a hypothetical fee of 30% of the same RM6,000 gross revenue would be RM1,800. Zena Suites’ fee in this example is RM1,200 because it is calculated on RM4,000 after expenses. A fair comparison must use the same calculation base, service scope, and expense assumptions.
Service transparency
What Zena Suites’ management service includes
The management service covers guest communication, booking management, pricing, housekeeping coordination, maintenance coordination, and owner reporting. Housekeeping and maintenance coordination are included in the service, while the actual cleaning, laundry, and repair costs remain operating deductions.
Owners receive a monthly report before the 5th of each month. Confirm the owner-payment schedule in the management agreement separately from the reporting deadline.
Illustrative image; it does not depict an actual owner statement or client meeting.
Request a written owner-share calculation
Compare your quotation on the right calculation base.
Share your building name, location, bedroom count, and furnishing condition. Zena Suites can explain the calculation model and the separate preparation work relevant to your unit.
Preparation and agreement checks
Keep renovation costs separate, then review the agreement.
Renovation and setup
Furnishing, photography, listing setup, linen, smart locks, and other initial requirements are quoted as a separate package. An already furnished property and a unit needing substantial work may need different preparation.
Explore Design & BuildBefore you appoint a manager
- Confirm the revenue figure used to calculate the fee and which expenses are deducted first.
- Check included services, separately paid costs, and repair-approval arrangements.
- Understand how guest-paid cleaning fees, refunds, and chargebacks are handled.
- Confirm reporting, owner-payment timing, notice requirements, and ending terms.
Frequently asked questions
Questions owners ask before comparing management fees.
No. Zena Suites calculates its 30% management share after the operating expenses described in this guide have been deducted. The owner receives the remaining 70% of that balance.