On paper, managing your own investment property sounds like a good way to save money. No management fees, full control, and no one telling you what to do.

But here’s the catch: most landlords who self-manage end up losing more than they save.

Whether it’s lost rent, legal risks, poor tenant selection, or just burnout — we’ve seen firsthand what self-management really costs. The savings look good at the start, until things go wrong… and they usually do.

If you’re managing your own property (or thinking about it), here’s what you need to be aware of.

Queensland tenancy law is strict — and it changes often. It’s your responsibility to stay up to date with every rule, form, notice period, and deadline. Miss one step, and you could find yourself in breach of legislation, facing QCAT, or being hit with a financial penalty.

A few common mistakes we see from self-managed landlords:

Tenants are getting more informed — and when something goes wrong, they’ll act on it.

Every week your property sits empty, you lose income. And without access to agency-level advertising, a tenant database, or proper leasing systems, private landlords usually take much longer to fill a vacancy.

We’ve taken over properties that were vacant for months under self-management. Once we stepped in, cleaned up the marketing and followed up enquiries properly, they were rented within a week or two — and usually at a higher rent.

Time off the market = money out of your pocket.

Tenants want issues fixed — fast. But if you’re working full-time or don’t have reliable tradies on call, delays can snowball into major problems.

A minor roof leak becomes internal damage. A loose tile turns into a trip hazard. Ignoring it too long? That’s a legal liability.

We’ve also seen landlords overpay because they don’t know what quotes are reasonable. A good agency has a network of trusted trades, fair pricing, and systems to track jobs from start to finish — saving you time, stress, and potentially thousands in the long run.

One of the biggest hidden losses we see is rent being under market. Not by a little — sometimes by $50 to $150 per week.

Many self-managing landlords are either unaware of current market value or reluctant to raise rent because they don’t want to “upset” the tenant.

Here’s the truth: rent should be reviewed at every lease renewal, and there are legal ways to do it properly. Ignoring it isn’t being “nice” — it’s just leaving money behind.

Over a year, even a $30/week shortfall is more than $1,500 gone. That’s your return, and it adds up quickly.

One bad tenant can destroy a year’s worth of income.

Without proper background checks, references, income verification, or a detailed application process, it’s easy to end up with the wrong person in your property.

We’ve had landlords come to us after tenants stopped paying rent, damaged the home, abandoned the lease, or took them straight to QCAT. These situations don’t just cost money — they drag on for months and cause major stress.

We screen thoroughly, follow legal processes, and act quickly if anything goes wrong.

Routine inspections, breach notices, lease renewals, rent arrears, maintenance follow-ups, water invoicing, end-of-lease cleaning, smoke alarm checks, bond refunds... and that’s just a normal month.

Self-managing means you take every tenant call. You chase every overdue payment. You respond to every complaint and emergency.

It’s not passive income. It’s a second job — and for most people, it’s not sustainable.

If you’re saving a few hundred dollars a year in management fees but losing thousands in missed rent, longer vacancies, bad tenants or legal risks — is it really a saving?

We manage properties across Dalby, Toowoomba, Blackbutt and Chinchilla with one goal: make our landlords more money with less stress.

You won’t be left wondering if you did something wrong or hoping a tenant does the right thing. We take care of it — properly, legally, and profitably.

Let us do a free health check on your investment. We’ll show you where your return is now — and where it should be.

Reach out to #1 Property Centre today. No pressure, no jargon — just a proper conversation about your investment and what we can do to improve it.