Cost of managing property from abroad

Every NRI landlord quotes the headline rent. Few know the number that matters: what lands in the account after the manager takes a cut, the flat sits empty between tenants, the plumber gets paid, the society sends its bill, the municipality sends its, and you fly home once to check on it.

This calculator does that subtraction. Put in the rent and your costs, and it shows the rent you actually keep, month by month, and the share of the headline that leaks away. It is the honest picture, before we ever talk about tax.

What it does

Net rent in pocket, monthly and yearly, after the full cost stack
Management fee, vacancy, repairs, society dues, property tax, insurance, travel
The retention rate: what share of the headline rent you actually keep
A downloadable report you can hold a manager to

Common questions

What does it cost to manage a rental property in India from abroad?

The main line is a management fee of 8 to 12 percent of collected rent. On top sit vacancy between tenants (2 to 6 weeks a year is normal), repairs and upkeep, society maintenance, property tax, insurance, and any travel. Together these commonly take 20 to 35 percent of the headline rent before income tax.

Should a management fee be on headline rent or collected rent?

On collected rent. A fee charged on the headline rent means you pay the manager even for the weeks the flat is empty, which rewards the wrong thing. A percentage of what is actually collected keeps the manager aligned with keeping the property tenanted.

Is the 31.2% TDS on my rent an extra cost?

No. A tenant paying rent to an NRI withholds 31.2 percent TDS under Section 195, but that is a prepayment of your tax, creditable when you file, not an additional cost. This calculator stops at operating costs; your actual tax is a separate calculation.

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NRI rental income tax & tenant-TDS calculator — Rent tax from both sides: what you owe, and who must deduct.