LCD Concierge Service Agreement: Terms, Commission, and Responsibilities

The property management contract for short-term rentals is more than just a handshake between neighbors. It clearly defines who does what, how much it costs, who is liable for damage, and how to end the agreement if the relationship no longer works out.

In 2026, with the rise of multi-property portfolios and quality pressure from platforms, concierge services that wing it will lose clients. Owners who sign a vague document discover too late that the “all-inclusive” commission didn’t cover either express cleaning or dealing with a dissatisfied neighbor.

This article details the essential clauses, the commission ranges observed in the French market, and the distribution of operational responsibilities. It complements our guide on industrializing your concierge service by focusing on the legal framework of the mandate—which should be reviewed by a lawyer or legal professional suited to your business structure (sole proprietorship, SAS, franchise).

At a Glance

An LCD concierge service contract specifies the scope of services, the commission (often 15–25%), the scope of housekeeping services, and the required insurance. The operational clauses cover the schedule, pricing, check-in, guest communication, and the termination procedure. An accounting appendix with a sample breakdown prevents 80% of disputes regarding commission calculations. Finally, align the contract with your technical stack (channel manager, ledger, payments) to ensure the contract matches real-world operations.

Type of Contract: Mandate, Service Agreement, or Delegated Management

In principle, the LCD concierge service provides services on behalf of the owner. It creates and optimizes listings, manages reservations and coordinates housekeeping, handles guest reception or self-check-in, and performs basic maintenance tasks depending on the mandate.

The standard contract is a mandate agreement or a service agreement (depending on the wording), not a lease.

The owner remains the landlord in the eyes of guests and the tax authorities. Only specific arrangements (commercial lease, sublease) radically change this situation.

Points to clarify on the first page: the identity of the parties (owner as an individual or real estate investment company [SCI], property management company with a SIRET number), the purpose (list of properties covered: address, type, capacity), the term (often 12 months, renewable, with notice of termination), whether or not there is exclusivity on booking channels, and the geographic scope if the concierge service expands.

Without these elements, every disagreement becomes a verbal negotiation—one that is costly in terms of time and reputation.

Commission and Pricing Structure

The commission is the economic core of the contract. In the French LCD market in 2026, standard practices often range between 15% and 25% of gross rental revenue (excluding the tourist tax, which is remitted), with variations depending on the city and the property’s luxury level (Paris, coastal areas, ski resorts), the level of service (in-person check-in vs. 100% self-service), whether housekeeping is included in the commission or billed separately, and the volume of properties entrusted to the management company (discounts apply for 5 to 10 properties).

Common pricing structures:

The contract must specify the basis for calculation: is it the net amount paid by Airbnb after the platform commission, or the gross amount before OTA fees? Do the cleaning fees charged to the guest go to the owner or the property management company? Are paid services (breakfast, late check-out) included in the commission?

Ambiguity on just three commission points is enough to turn a profitable year into a dispute.

Take action — Book a one-hour video call to align your contract and tools, or create your account.

Essential Operational Clauses

Reservation and Calendar Management

Who is in control of the calendar? The concierge service must be able to block out nights for maintenance, enforce a minimum number of nights, and synchronize OTAs—specify how the channel manager will be used. See our article on calendar synchronization for best practices to prevent overbooking.

Pricing

The fixed contract that determines the price per night: owner with veto power, property management operating autonomously within a range, or an external algorithm. Specify the low season/high season policy and the promotions allowed without prior approval.

Cleaning and Turnover

Define the cleanliness standards (signed checklist), the time between stays, who pays for linens and supplies, and the procedure if the cleaning fails the platform’s inspection. If necessary, link to the stay incident protocol.

Check-in and Access

In-person check-in, key box, smart lock, digital guest booklet: the contract lists the means of access and who manages the codes or keys. Are travel expenses for late check-ins re-billed?

Guest Communication

Set target response times (e.g., less than 2 hours during the day), the languages supported, and the criteria for escalating issues to the owner (e.g., structural repairs, recurring disturbances).

Insurance, Security Deposit, and Liability

The contract must specify the mandatory insurance policies: PNO (non-occupant owner) insurance, which is generally the owner’s responsibility; professional liability insurance (RC Pro) for the property management company, which covers management errors; and comprehensive property insurance if the furnishings are of value.

Clarify liability in the event of damage caused by a guest (security deposit, filing a claim, deductible), theft or burglary during the stay, an accident to a guest in the property, or failure to comply with the house rules by the tenant.

Specify who contacts the insurance company, within what timeframe, and how deductibles are allocated if the fault lies with the property management service (sloppy cleaning, failure to report repairs).

Intellectual Property and Content

Photos, listing descriptions, and reviews build value. The contract specifies who owns the rights to professional photos, what happens in the event of termination (transfer of listings, deletion of OTA accounts, prohibition on reusing visuals), and how platform access is managed (owner account with concierge access, or concierge account with power of attorney).

A property owner who takes over management directly without these clauses may sometimes find themselves without access to their review history.

Transparency, Reporting, and Legal Obligations

The concierge service must provide regular reports via a monthly statement (revenue, overnight stays, commissions, re-billed expenses), access to the dashboard or CSV exports, compliance with the guest registry, visitor tax, Declaloc if applicable, and the submission of supporting documents in the event of a tax audit of the property owner.

The contract may require the maintenance of the register and specify retention periods, the submission of data for the owner’s tax return, and the use of shared tools (Majordia for guest logs and guest tracking; AI Butler available only on the Private and Pro plans, not on the Lite plan).

For growing portfolios, combine with multi-property management: a single contract with an appendix per property scales better than a separate document for each apartment.

Termination, Notice Period, and Smooth Exit

Provide for a notice period (1 to 3 months depending on standard practice), grounds for termination due to breach (unpaid commissions, lack of insurance, damage to reputation), a transition schedule (honoring final reservations, transferring access, keys, codes), handling of future reservations (who fulfills them, how the traveler is notified), and a non-compete clause—limited and reasonable, otherwise it may be challenged.

A poorly managed exit leads to negative reviews and complaints. The contract requires a handover plan signed by both parties.

Elements to include in this plan: the date of transfer for OTA accounts and channel manager access, an inventory of keys, badges, and codes returned, a list of pending reservations and the person responsible for fulfilling them, and a mutual non-disparagement clause during the transition.

Concierge Contract Mistakes to Avoid in 2026

1. Verbal agreement or generic PDF without property-specific appendices.
2. “All-inclusive” commission without defining housekeeping services.
3. Lack of a double booking clause and master channel.
4. No professional liability insurance certified annually.
5. OTA accounts in the concierge service’s name without a return clause.
6. Failure to address the reversibility of guest data (GDPR).

Aligning the Contract with the Technical Stack

A good contract reflects your actual tools: channel manager via /integrations/ota, direct payments /integrations/stripe, and the /features. During a video call, we often help concierge services map out “clause → process → tool” before scaling from 5 to 20 properties—refer to the concierge service industrialization method.

Majordia Individual plan: up to 4 properties; Pro plan: 5 or more properties. The AI Butler is not available on the Lite plan.

FAQ

Concierge contract: Is a written agreement necessary between friends or family?

Yes. A personal relationship does not replace the need to clarify responsibilities; the most serious conflicts often arise among loved ones.

LCD concierge commission: What is the rate in the provinces for a one-bedroom apartment?

Often 18–22% excluding cleaning in 2026, but the local market and occupancy rate matter more than a national average.

Can the concierge service deposit rent into its own account?

This is contractually possible, with a documented obligation to remit funds and associated accounting risks—which should be structured with an expert; many landlords prefer to have rent deposited directly into their own account, with the concierge service taking a commission.

Who is responsible if the traveler does not pay the tourist tax?

The contract must specify the collector and the collection procedure; in practice, the concierge service often collects the tax via the platform or through a digital welcome booklet equipped with a payment module. Implementing a digital welcome booklet also centralizes the delivery of instructions and the house rules approved in the contract.

Can the commission be changed during the term of the contract?

Yes, if a revision clause exists (indexation, annual renegotiation); otherwise, reach a mutual agreement or wait until renewal.

Where can I find a template for an LCD concierge service contract?

Homeowners’ association templates, LCD attorneys, chambers of commerce—never copy a contract found online without having it reviewed by a professional. Operational questions: /support, /contact.

Conclusion: A solid property management contract transforms a business relationship into a manageable partnership. Invest time in commission structures, insurance, termination clauses, and accounting transparency—then align your tools so that the contract matches reality on the ground. Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace personalized legal advice.