What a Property Manager Does and Charges
Updated 3 November 2026 · Land & Property editorial team
A property manager finds tenants, collects rent, arranges repairs and keeps records for a landlord. In Kampala fees are usually a percentage of rent, and one investor guide puts them at 8% to 12% of rent, as of November 2026. That figure is an estimate, not a published schedule. Agree the fee base, the rent account and the exit terms in writing before you hand over keys.
- Fee range quoted by one guide
- 8% to 12% of rent, observed in Kampala agencies (not an official figure)
- Agent's powers in law
- Marketing, drafting agreements, collecting rent, repairs, common areas (section 49)
- Appointment
- Scope must be in writing and shared with the tenant (section 49(2))
- Receipts
- Written receipt for rent, record kept by landlord (section 25)
What does a property manager actually do?
A property manager acts for the landlord in the day-to-day running of a rented home or block. The Landlord and Tenant Act, 2022 lists what an agent may do for a landlord in section 49(3): marketing the premises, drawing up tenancy agreements, collecting rent, arranging repairs and maintenance, and managing and maintaining common areas. Section 2 of the Act also says that the word "landlord" includes the landlord's duly authorised agent, so a manager's acts bind the owner and the manager can be dealt with as the landlord by the tenant.
In practice that means a manager usually does five jobs:
- Find and screen tenants, show the property and take the tenant's identification. Section 3(5) of the Act says a landlord must not sign with an individual who has not shown a national ID, alien's identification card or other identification document.
- Prepare the tenancy agreement in the prescribed form and give the tenant a copy straight after signing (sections 3 and 5).
- Collect rent and the security deposit and give written receipts (sections 25 and 30).
- Arrange repairs, which are the landlord's duty under section 7, and inspect the property. See landlord repairs.
- Report to you, in money and in writing, on a regular date.
A manager does not replace the owner's legal duties. Taxes on the rent, for example, stay with you. Read Tax on Rental Income in Uganda for the rates as of November 2026.
How much do property managers charge in Kampala?
We found no published Kampala rate card from a regulator or an industry body, so we do not state a market price as fact. One Kampala investment guide, last updated on 21 September 2026, puts management fees at 8% to 12% of rent if you use an agent, and says the range comes from fee structures it observed across Kampala agencies. It is a guide, not an official survey. Treat it as a starting point for your own quotes, and ask for at least three written offers.
Fees are normally built from a few parts. Ask the manager to price each part separately.
| Fee base | How it works | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of rent collected | The manager earns only when rent is paid | Best match of interests; confirm it is "collected", not "due" |
| Percentage of rent due | The manager is paid even if the tenant has not paid | Costs you more when tenants are late |
| Flat monthly fee | A fixed UGX amount per unit or per block | Fixed whatever the rent; check what is included |
| Letting fee | A one-off charge when a new tenant is found | Ask whether it is a share of one month's rent or a flat sum |
| Repairs and call-outs | Cost of work, sometimes plus a handling charge | Set a spending limit above which the manager must ask you |
The same guide advises budgeting one to two empty months a year, which is a cost the manager's fee does not remove. Section 46 of the Act also lets a landlord charge tenants a service fee that can cover the landlord's costs of management, so ask whether any of the manager's work will be charged to tenants. That is explained at Service Fees Under the 2022 Act.
What should a management contract include?
Section 49(2) of the Act says that when a landlord appoints an agent, the particulars and the scope of the appointment must be in writing and made available to the tenant. Use that as the base of your contract. A sound contract names the property by plot and block, states the manager's powers, and sets limits on money. Check these terms before signing:
- Scope. List which duties are included and which cost extra.
- Fee and base. State the percentage or amount, and whether it applies to rent collected or rent due.
- Spending limit. Name the amount, in UGX, above which the manager needs your written approval for repairs, except in emergencies.
- Deposit. Say who holds it and where. The Act allows only one deposit of no more than one month's rent (section 30) and requires a written receipt for it.
- Reporting. Monthly statements showing rent due, received, costs and balance.
- Term and exit. The length of the contract, the notice either side must give, and what the manager must hand back, including keys, files and tenant details.
- Authority to sign or end tenancies. Decide whether the manager may sign new tenancies or give notices. Section 38 and section 45 of the Act set notice rules and forbid unlawful eviction, and the landlord, not only the manager, carries the risk. See Landlord and Tenant Act 2022.
Section 51(2) lets the Minister make regulations on the use and licensing of agents in landlord and tenant matters. We did not find regulations in force on that point as of November 2026, so check the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development before relying on any licence.
How do I control rent collection?
The biggest risk with a manager, especially if you live abroad, is cash that does not reach you. Put controls in the contract and check them every month:
- Have rent paid into a bank account or mobile-money account that is named for the owner or for a separate client account, not into the manager's personal or business account. Section 21(4) of the Act already requires a landlord of business premises in a city or municipality to give the tenant a bank account number for rent, which shows the direction of the law.
- Require a written receipt for every payment. Section 25 sets the rule: immediately for payments made in person, and within five working days where the tenant asks for one after paying another way. The receipt must show the amount and the period paid, and the landlord must keep a record of receipts.
- Ask for a monthly statement that matches your bank or mobile-money record line by line.
- Ask the manager to send you copies of receipts, and ask to speak to a tenant now and then.
- Keep the original tenancy agreements yourself, or hold scanned copies.
If you manage from another country, read manage property Uganda from abroad as well. A manager of a block of small units can also read Building Muzigo Rentals for Income.
How do I check a property manager before hiring?
Do these checks before you pay anything or hand over keys:
- Ask for the manager's registration documents. URA's landlord guidance says companies register with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau, and an individual in business needs a certificate of registration.
- Confirm that the person or company is registered with URA for tax.
- Visit the office. A manager with no fixed place of work is a warning sign.
- Ask for the names and the phone numbers, to be called by you, of two or three owners they manage for, and call them.
- Read the draft contract slowly. Anything you are told on the phone but that is missing from the paper does not exist.
- Start small. Give the manager one unit for a trial period with a short exit notice before you give a whole block.
Land & Property checks the identity of every agent who lists with us, as described on our how it works page. That check does not replace your own due diligence on someone who will hold your rent. Compare it with the wider Property Management in Uganda: Services, Fees, Choosing guide, and when you are ready to find tenants, list your rental or look at homes to rent now to see how similar units are advertised on Rentals Uganda.
Frequently asked questions
How much do property managers charge in Kampala?
There is no official rate card. One Kampala investment guide, updated September 2026, quotes 8% to 12% of rent where an agent is used, based on fee structures it observed. Get three written quotes and confirm whether the percentage is on rent collected or rent due.
What should a management contract include?
The scope of work, the fee and its base, a repair spending limit, who holds the deposit, monthly statements, the contract term and exit notice, and the manager's powers over tenancies. The Landlord and Tenant Act, 2022 (section 49) requires the agent's scope to be in writing.
Is the landlord still responsible if the manager makes a mistake?
Largely yes. The Act defines a landlord to include the landlord's authorised agent, and duties such as repairs, receipts and lawful eviction stay with the landlord side. Put limits on the manager's powers in the contract and keep records of instructions.
Where should the rent be paid?
Into an account named for the owner or a separate client account, never a personal number of the manager. Insist on written receipts under section 25 of the Act and a monthly statement that matches your own bank or mobile-money record.
Do I need a manager if I live abroad?
Not by law, but distance makes control hard. A trusted family member can do it, or a company with registered premises and a written contract. Check the person, start with one unit, and use monthly statements to confirm what the tenants really pay.
Sources
- Landlord and Tenant Act, 2022 (Act 9 of 2022), Acts Supplement No. 6, 17 June 2022, Uganda Gazette, as published on ULII (accessed 2026-11)
- Landlords: registration and tax responsibilities, Uganda Revenue Authority (accessed 2026-11)
- Buying real estate in Kampala? Costs of renting out, including management fees (updated 21 September 2026), The Africa Investor (accessed 2026-11)
- Kampala landlords, tenants meet Prime Minister over hiked rental charges (12 February 2026), Office of the Prime Minister (accessed 2026-11)