030 555 721 370
anfrage@guhr-steuerberatung.de
Auerstr. 14, 10249 Berlin
Industry · Property Management
Tax advisory for property managers who scale cleanly.
We are the tax advisory for owners and managing directors of condominium (WEG), rental and single-unit property managers and property-management companies. Bookkeeping and annual accounts run reliably – on top of that we separate pass-through funds cleanly from your fee, run trust accounts audit-proof and show you the true contribution margin per managed unit – nationwide, digital and personal.
Nationwide · 100% digital- Specialised in property management
- A dedicated point of contact
Sound familiar?
Problems property managers know all too well.
We speak daily with owners of condominium (WEG), rental and single-unit management firms. This is what we hear again and again:
Third-party funds and your own fee blur together.
Service charges, the maintenance reserve (Instandhaltungsrücklage) and operating-cost advances flow through your accounts – but no one draws a clean line for which euro actually belongs to the management firm. The balance sheet paints a completely distorted picture.
Trust and deposit accounts are flying blind.
Rental deposits, WEG funds and open reserves sit on mixed accounts. In an audit you lack the seamless proof that third-party money was never commingled with your own equity.
VAT on the management service is unclear.
What is a taxable management fee, what is a pass-through item? Is input VAT being recovered correctly? Wrong treatment can trigger back payments spanning several years.
You pay too much tax.
No one shows you the levers – not on director's pay, not on legal form, not on investments in software or a holding for your shareholdings.
You don't know your contribution margin per unit.
You manage hundreds of units – but which property pays its way and which one costs you money? Without a figure per unit you grow into a deficit instead of into margin.
Your accountant doesn't understand your model.
WEG service-charge statements, single-unit (SEV) mandates, special levies, the maintenance reserve after the WEG reform – you first have to explain to your advisor how property management even works.
What changes for you
More clarity. Less tax. More time for your properties.
We are not a classic tax firm. We deliver what you as a property manager really need – results, not just binders.
Third-party funds cleanly separated.
The maintenance reserve, service charges and operating-cost advances run as pass-through items – your true management margin stays visible and audit-proof in the management accounts (BWA) and the balance sheet.
Audit-proof trust accounts.
Separate third-party accounts, open deposit accounts and seamless proof of asset separation – so every WEG audit and every change of manager survives a close look at the detail.
VAT set up correctly.
A clear distinction between the taxable management fee and pass-through items, correct input-VAT recovery – no flying blind and no back payment after the tax audit.
Noticeably lower your tax burden.
We review legal form, director's pay, the investment deduction (IAB) for management software and a holding structure – proactively, not in April.
Contribution margin per unit in view.
You see monthly which properties pay their way and which don't – the basis to renegotiate prices, hand back loss-making mandates and grow profitably.
Structures that grow with you.
Processes that scale from 300 to 3,000 units – digital management, DATEV integration and automated property bookkeeping without a growing back office.
Personally from Karsten Guhr
Hardly any industry confuses other people's money with its own result as often as property management. Service charges, reserves and deposits flow through your accounts – and suddenly the balance sheet looks healthy even though the actual management margin is thin. This is exactly where we come in: we cleanly separate what belongs to you from what you merely hold in trust. Only then do you see your true result – and can improve it deliberately.
We know your business
We speak property-management language.
WEG statements, the maintenance reserve, third-party accounts, single-unit (SEV) mandates, special levies, the management fee – we know how a property-management firm ticks. So you don't waste time explaining your business model.
- 01
Third-party funds vs. management fee
Service charges, the reserve and operating-cost advances are pass-through items, not income. We separate them cleanly from your fee – so the balance sheet shows the true margin.
- 02
Maintenance reserve & WEG reform
Since the 2020 WEG reform the owners' association has legal capacity – the reserve belongs to the WEG, not to you. We account for it correctly outside your balance sheet and safeguard the separation of assets.
- 03
Trust & third-party accounts
Separate, open third-party accounts per WEG or property, clean account allocation and seamless documentation – the foundation for trust and for any audit.
- 04
VAT on the management service
The management fee is generally subject to VAT (§ 1 UStG, German VAT Act), whereas the underlying letting is VAT-exempt under § 4 No. 12 UStG. We separate your services cleanly and secure correct input-VAT recovery.
- 05
Revenue recognition of the fee
When is the management fee realised – monthly, with the annual statement, on special mandates? We account on an accruals basis and avoid profit shifts across the year-end.
- 06
Trade tax & legal form
Property management is a commercial business and therefore subject to trade tax (§ 2 GewStG, German Trade Tax Act). We review the local rate, the legal form and whether a GmbH is more tax-efficient for you than a sole proprietorship.
- 07
Contribution margin & scaling per unit
We break your costs and revenues down to the managed unit – so you see from what property size a mandate pays its way and where your prices no longer fit.
- 08
Director's pay & holding
The right mix of salary, bonus and distribution – and a holding in which investment income and a later sale of your management portfolio run in a tax-efficient way.
Industry benchmarks
We know your industry's margins. And we get more out for you.
We support more than 50 property managers in Germany and see real balance sheets every month – not property lists. We know what's normal in your segment, what result per unit is realistic, and which tax levers push your after-tax margin higher.
Typical EBIT margin (or result per unit)
- 12 – 20%Condominium (WEG) managementStatement- and volume-driven · clean fund separation is a must
- 15 – 25%Rental & single-unit (SEV) managementHigher fee per unit · special services as a margin lever
- 18 – 30%Commercial property managementMore complex but lucrative · VAT option under § 9 UStG often applies
- 20 – 35%Property management (institutional)Scalable across portfolios · reporting and SLAs drive the margin
How we raise your after-tax margin – legally and without balance-sheet acrobatics:
- Holding structureInvestment income and a later sale of your management portfolio are effectively parked in a holding at around 1.5% tax (§ 8b KStG, German Corporate Income Tax Act) – instead of over 26% at the personal level.
- Optimising director's remunerationA mix of salary, bonus, pension commitment and distribution tuned to your margin and tax allowances – instead of a standard formula.
- Investment deduction (IAB) & § 7gClaim up to 50% of planned investments in advance to reduce profit, plus 40% special depreciation – ideal for management software, servers, IT and digitising the back office.
- VAT option under § 9 UStGFor commercial properties, opting for VAT liability can secure full input-VAT recovery. We review where it pays off and where the small-business rule or the exemption fits better.
- Steering contribution margin per unitWe make visible which mandates pay their way and which drain you – the basis to renegotiate prices, hand back loss-making properties and consolidate the portfolio profitably.
- Optimising trade taxLocation, the local rate and structure noticeably affect your trade tax. With a GmbH we use the credit mechanism; with a sole proprietorship the allowance under § 11 GewStG.
Why GUHR
Tax advisory that finally thinks ahead.
We don't want to be the next advisor who writes "receipts by the 10th, please". We want to be the partner who makes your management firm safer, more profitable and more predictable.
Specialised in property management
Over 50 property-management engagements in recent years – we know fund separation, WEG statements, trust accounts and the industry's typical tax traps.
Nationwide · digital
Set up entirely digitally. Whether Munich, Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin or Leipzig – we integrate your management software and DATEV seamlessly.
Proactive, not reactive
We reach out before the tax office asks. Tax strategy for the current year – not the last one.
Personal, not anonymous
A dedicated point of contact who knows you, your properties and your numbers. Answers in hours, not weeks.
More than tax advice
A network of strong property managers. Included.
With GUHR you become part of a client circle you'd otherwise only meet at industry association meetings. Managers who talk openly about fee rates, portfolio growth, staffing and digitisation – because they trust the same advisor.
A selection from our property-management client base
We only name specific clients with their consent. In the intro call we show you relevant cases from your niche.
What this means for you in concrete terms:
- 01
Manager round-tables
Quarterly small-group meetings – topics like fee rates, buying portfolios, staff retention and digitisation. By invitation, under NDA.
- 02
Peer benchmarks
We mirror your key figures – result per unit, cost ratio, churn – anonymised against comparable managers of your size. So you see where you really stand.
- 03
Warm introductions
Looking for a portfolio to acquire, a successor or a partner for special services? We connect you directly – without commission games.
Head office Berlin · clients from Sylt to Garmisch
Nationwide · 100 % digital
One firm. Available anywhere in Germany.
Whether Berlin, Munich or somewhere in between: we run every mandate fully digital – DATEV-connected, signed PDFs, video meetings. No commuting, no postal delays, no 90s-style bookkeeping.
- 01
DATEV Unternehmen online
Receipts, banking, payroll, reports – you work in the standard interface every German tax advisor speaks. No vendor lock-in.
- 02
Video meetings instead of on-site visits
Quarterly review, tax strategy, holding check – via video with screen sharing. You save half a day every time.
- 03
Signed PDFs & digital powers of attorney
Tax filings, annual accounts, contracts – signed via qualified e-signature. Accepted by the tax office, done in minutes.
How we work with property managers
From intro call to worry-free property bookkeeping.
On average 14 days from the decision to switch to running digital operations.
Intro call & status check
30 minutes. We review your account structure, fund separation, tax burden and the biggest levers – free and non-binding.
01
Onboarding in 14 days
We handle the switch from your previous advisor, set up DATEV and connect your management software (e.g. Domus, iX-Haus, Haufe, immoware24) and your banking.
02
Ongoing support
Monthly management accounts (BWA) with an adjusted management margin, live figures in the dashboard, a dedicated point of contact – and proactive alerts as soon as we see optimisation potential.
03
Annual review & strategy
Financial statements, tax optimisation and a clear plan for the next financial year – portfolio growth, pricing and contribution margin per unit, not just a look back at the numbers.
04
030 555 721 370FAQ
Answers for property managers.
The questions we're asked most before you switch.
Intro call for property managers
What your management firm gives away in tax – we show you in 30 minutes.
You outline your setup, we name the concrete levers (fund separation, VAT on the management service, holding structure, director's pay, contribution margin per unit) and send a written proposal within 48 hours. Nationwide, free and non-binding.