How does a short-term rental operator work? From the keys to the payout, step by step

A short-term rental operator takes over the entire management of an apartment rented by the night. The operator sets prices, publishes the listing on booking portals and on its own website, looks after guests, cleaning and repairs, and once a month settles the income and transfers the amount due to you. All that remains on your side is signing the agreement and handing over the keys. Below we describe the process step by step, from the first conversation to the payout, using the example of working with Apartmore in the centre of Gdańsk. Where other companies do things differently, we point it out.

What the operator’s commission covers

A short-term rental operator does not charge a fixed fee, but a commission on what the apartment earns. On the Polish market it usually ranges from 15 to 30%. Just as important as the rate itself is the base it is calculated on: the full amount paid by the guest, or the amount left after deducting VAT and the portal commission. With the same percentage rate, the difference in your payout can be significant. You will find a worked example in step 6.

The commission usually covers managing listings and prices, handling bookings and guests, minor repairs and the monthly settlement. The running costs of the apartment itself remain outside it: the service charge for the building, utilities, insurance and taxes. Before you sign an agreement, ask the operator for a full list of services included in the commission and those charged separately. At Apartmore the commission is 20% of net income and also includes the photo session, the listing description, bed linen and cleaning supplies. Calculating the commission on net income is the most favourable basis for the owner: we charge it on the amount that actually remains after VAT and the portal commission, not on the guest’s total payment.

Step 1. Conversation and valuation based on photos

Cooperation starts with a short conversation about the apartment: where it is, what condition it is in, whether it has been rented before and what you expect. The operator then estimates its income potential. For the valuation we need photos, a floor plan or design, the address and the floor area. We compare the apartment with similar units we already manage in the same area and within 3 days send you a report with an income forecast for each month. The forecast is based on the actual results of those apartments, not on optimistic assumptions, so we do not promise amounts the data does not support. Not every company prepares a valuation this way: forecasts are sometimes built on the best months of the season or on general market averages. If we conclude that your apartment will not pay for itself, we will tell you directly. The report is yours to keep whether or not you decide to work with us.

It is worth knowing from the start that not every operator will accept every apartment. Some companies take on every property they are offered and focus on volume. We only select apartments that meet our standards and manage as many as we can serve at the level we care about. The first condition is location: we accept apartments in the very centre of Gdańsk and its immediate surroundings, because that is where our team works and where we have comparable data for the valuation. If your apartment is outside this area, we will tell you before the first conversation.

Step 2. Agreement, photo session and publishing the listing

If the terms meet your expectations, we sign the agreement. In any agreement with an operator, check three clauses: the term, the notice period and whether there are penalties for early termination. Our agreement is concluded for an indefinite period, with 30 days’ notice, no penalties and no minimum term.

After signing, the operator prepares the apartment for rental: a technical inspection, completing the furnishings, a photo session, the description and publication of the listing. At Apartmore the listing goes live on eight sales channels at once (Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, Vrbo, Hotels.com, Trivago, Agoda and Google Hotels) and on our own website with direct booking. All channels share one calendar, which rules out double bookings of the same dates. The whole process, from the first conversation to publication, usually takes 5 to 7 days. Most of the time goes into preparing the apartment, the photo session and publishing the listings.

Step 3. Prices that follow demand

The biggest difference between renting out on your own and working with an operator is how prices are set. An owner who manages the rental alone usually has one rate for the high season and another for the rest of the year. An operator changes prices every day, taking into account the number of available stays nearby, the day of the week, events in the city and the time left until arrival. At Apartmore prices are updated up to three times a day.

This works in both directions. When demand falls, the price falls too, so that the apartment does not stand empty. When comparing operators, look at occupancy and income over the whole year, not at the highest August rate. The average occupancy of apartments managed by Apartmore in 2025 was 74%.

Step 4. Guest service from booking to check-out

After booking, the guest receives directions and instructions for entering the apartment. At Apartmore check-in is possible from 3 pm with no upper time limit: every apartment has a self check-in system, so guests can also arrive late in the evening or at night. We communicate with guests in Polish and English throughout their stay. A call from a guest at night comes to us, not to you.

After the guest leaves, the apartment is cleaned and prepared for the next stay by the operator’s team or by an external company. When choosing an operator, ask who does this work. At Apartmore cleaning and laundry are handled by our own team in Gdańsk.

Step 5. Repairs, inspections and contact with the building

Minor faults are our concern, not yours. Our team takes the report from the guest and our own maintenance service carries out the repair. Minor repairs up to PLN 200 are done straight away, without having to ask for your approval. Larger expenses are agreed with you in advance, with the cost stated up front. On your behalf we also handle warranty repairs, from reporting the fault to accepting the completed work.

We know how much work a rental apartment can take, so our job is to take as many responsibilities off your hands as possible. We carry out regular inspections of the apartment and stay in touch with the owners’ association and the building management, so correspondence from the building does not wait for your visit. A guest’s report reaches us at any time of day or night, and repairs are carried out during hours when they can be done properly.

Step 6. Settlement and payout

Once a month you receive a statement broken down by individual stays: income, costs, commission and the amount to be paid out. At Apartmore the statement comes as a PDF, and in the owner panel you can follow every booking as it happens. You receive the statement by the 10th day of the month. Based on it, you issue an invoice and upload it to the panel, and we make the transfer.

This is where the question of the commission base comes back. Take a booking for which the guest paid PLN 10,000 gross. First, 8% VAT is deducted, which is PLN 741, then the portal commission, for example 15%, which is PLN 1,500. That leaves PLN 7,759, and this is the apartment’s net income. Our commission is 20% of that amount, i.e. PLN 1,552, which corresponds to 15.5% of the guest’s payment. An operator charging 20% of revenue would take PLN 2,000 from the same booking. You will find the full calculation and a list of fees charged outside the commission on the market in our short-term rental management price list.

What remains on your side

With full management, your list of responsibilities is short. You decide on larger expenses for the apartment, such as replacing the sofa or repainting. You settle the tax on rental income; it is worth agreeing the form of taxation with an accountant before you start. We describe the other obligations related to renting in Gdańsk in our article on taxes and regulations in short-term rental. You can use the apartment whenever you want: at Apartmore owner stays are not limited, you just need to book the dates in advance. Once a month you upload an invoice to the panel.

What to watch out for when choosing an operator

Operators’ offers differ more than their commission rates suggest. Be careful with companies that have no team on site and subcontract cleaning and repairs, because then you are mainly paying for coordination. Check whether the operator accepts every apartment regardless of location and condition, and what the commission is calculated on. Ask about fees charged outside the commission and make sure the agreement does not tie you in for years with penalties for early termination. How to verify this during the first conversation is described in our guide how to choose a rental management company. Guest ratings of individual companies are compared in our ranking of rental management companies in the Tri-City.

If your apartment is in the centre of Gdańsk, send us photos, a floor plan, the address and the floor area. Within 3 days you will receive an income forecast for each month, based on the results of apartments we manage in the same area. The valuation is free and without obligation: free apartment valuation.

Frequently asked questions