Menu
Charging for Ingoing/PCR and Outgoing Inspections: Why You Should and How to Do It (4 minutes)
Charging for ingoing/PCR (move-in) and outgoing )move-out) inspections is a smart way to boost your fee revenue without resistance from property owners.
This article explores why these inspections shouldn’t be included in the management fee and how to confidently justify them.
Property managers in markets like Western Australia have been charging for these services for years, and you can too!
With the right mindset and effective scripts, you can easily introduce these fees without pushback.
Learn how to break free from restrictive industry mindsets and start charging for more services you provide.
Get the scripts you need to confidently implement these fees today!
If I told you that you could successfully charge for ingoing or property condition report (PCR) inspections or even outgoing inspections, you might think, "Darren, you can't do that! What’s the management fee for?"
Well, if you’re from Western Australia, you’d probably think I’ve got rocks in my head because you’ve been charging for these inspections for many years now.
But for everyone else, I often hear the same response: “Darren, the management fee should cover those inspections!”
But my question to you is: Why NOT charge for them when owners WILL pay?
Why You Can Charge for Ingoing and Outgoing Inspections
A PCR (property condition report) or ingoing inspection doesn’t have to be ‘lumped’ under the leasing fee—you can charge it separately.
And here’s the Golden Rule: if you know you should be charging for something, believe in it, and are ready to justify it when questioned, you can practically charge for anything.
There are plenty of agents outside of Western Australia who successfully charge for ingoing inspections, outgoing inspections, or both.
- Standard Marketing Fee This fee covers the costs of listing properties on portals. In Australia, you’re likely familiar with the two major portals that charge fees. New Zealand has its own marketing portal costs as well. Make sure you’re covering those costs, and if you haven’t updated your fee recently, ensure you’re adjusting it, as portal charges tend to increase on a regular basis.
Don’t forget to factor in any additional marketing efforts, such as Facebook or LinkedIn campaigns. Always check your local legislation to ensure you can on-charge these costs. - Professional Photos If you’re taking professional photos for listings, you should be charging a fee to cover those costs. It’s a straightforward service, but make sure it’s reflected in your fee structure.
- Video Walkthrough Fee Offering video walkthroughs is becoming increasingly common. If you’re walking through the property with a camera or phone, narrating as you go, that takes time—editing and uploading included. You should be charging for this service, and the suggested fees are detailed in the book.
- Virtual Tour Fee Using high-tech tools like Matterport or 360-degree cameras to create virtual tours can be time-consuming and require expensive equipment. This is another service where you should be charging a fee for the value you provide.
A Real-World Example
Let me share a story with you.
I was running fee training in Adelaide around 15 years ago.
During the session, I suggested agents could start charging for ingoing inspections. In the room, there was a young lady who had only been in the industry for four weeks.
She didn’t know that people generally didn’t charge for ingoing inspections, so she went out and started asking for this same fee—and she got it immediately!
She called me and said, “Darren, this new fee is going great!” I asked which fee she had implemented, and she said it was the ingoing inspection fee.
I was impressed and told her, “You just haven’t been in the industry long enough to know you’re not ‘supposed’ to charge for that!”
As you can see, it’s all about your mindset. Owners will pay!
Agents Charging Successfully
I know of agents in Sydney who charge an outgoing inspection fee, and none of their rivals charge for it.
They never get questioned on it because they believe it’s justified, and so do their clients.
Over 20 years ago, I started charging for outgoing inspections myself because I believed it was worth charging for. Final inspections can be tough, full of conflict and hassle, so why do them for free?
Over the course of three years, no one ever questioned the fee, and none of my competitors ever charged it.
More recently, I worked with an agent who renamed the outgoing inspection fee to a ‘Tenant Exit’ Fee, which was one week’s rent (plus GST).
They added it to their fee structure, started asking for it, and—you guessed it—they were getting it right away.
Owners didn’t question it and paid; just make sure your mindset lines up with the truth!
Owners Focus on the Management Fee, Not the Extras ‘Added On’
Remember the Law of the Main Game—owners are primarily fixated on the management fee.
They’re not overly concerned about additional fees like ingoing or outgoing inspections. Once you understand that, charging for these inspections becomes easy.
If you’re still unsure or want help justifying these fees, we’ve got the perfect resource for you.
Our book, the PM Fee Scripts Secrets, gives you scripts on how to effectively justify any additional fees, including ingoing inspections, property condition reports (PCR), outgoing inspections, and the new ‘Tenant Exit’ Fee.
Get the Scripts and Justify Your Fees
We’ve covered all the scripts you need in book, the PM Fee Scripts Secrets.
Whether you’re looking to charge for ingoing inspections, outgoing inspections, or any other additional fees, the book has you covered. Best of all, the book is free—you just pay for shipping.
We’ve already paid for the printing, so it’s easy to get your hands on it.
Simply go to StopDiscountingFees.com or head over to IGTCentral.com, where you’ll find all our books and podcasts.
Take care, and start charging what you’re worth!
WIN YOUR WORTH SECRETS
The complete PM HANDBOOK on how to WIN THE BEST FEES with new clients and INCREASE YOUR FEES with your current clients without losing them to cheaper agents
PM FEE SCRIPTS SECRETS
Access 50 (plus) fee objection responses.
[UNLOCKED] How to WIN the deal and your FULL FEES with CONFIDENCE...no matter how low your rivals discount or reduce their fees.
Every PM fee objection you'll ever face has an effective response! You'll find it...in this book!
MASTER YOUR
TIME SECRETS
The kick-butt time management handbook for crazy busy property managers who want to beat burn-out, reduce stress, take control and get their life back!
PM LEAD SECRETS
[UNLOCKED] PROVEN Strategies, Hacks and Techniques.
Revealed...secrets to 40+ effective ways to generate hot leads to grow your rent roll without relying on salespeople.
Win Your Worth Podcast Show
How to win the best property management fees in the marketing with confidence, no matter how cheap your rivals discount or reduce their fees.
Top Growth Podcast Show
Rent Roll Growth Strategies...ready to go!
BDM Coach Podcast Show
BDM skills and techniques that will take you to 20-30 properties a month.
