{
  "slug": "tenant-turnover-cost",
  "title": "Tenant Turnover Cost Calculator",
  "heading": "Tenant Turnover Cost Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/tenant-turnover-cost",
  "summary": "Total cost of a tenant leaving — vacancy, make-ready, and leasing, in one number.",
  "description": "Turnover is the single biggest hidden cost in rental ownership. It's not just the lost rent during vacancy; it's paint, cleaning, carpet or flooring repair, marketing, screening, and the leasing fee if you use a manager or agent. This calculator adds every piece so you can see the real cost of a tenant leaving and compare it to the cost of proactively keeping a good tenant with a modest renewal incentive. Owners who only track lost rent routinely underestimate turnover cost by 40-60% because make-ready and marketing don't show up on a bank statement the same way a rent check does.",
  "formula": "Total turnover cost = (vacancy days ÷ 30 × monthly rent) + make-ready cost + marketing cost + leasing fee.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=tenant-turnover-cost",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "rent",
      "label": "Monthly rent",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1850,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "vacancyDays",
      "label": "Expected vacancy",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 21,
      "unit": "days",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 180
    },
    {
      "id": "makeReady",
      "label": "Make-ready cost (paint, clean, repairs)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 900,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "marketing",
      "label": "Marketing / listing cost",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 150,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "leasingFee",
      "label": "Leasing fee",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1400,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "total",
      "label": "Total turnover cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "vacancyCost",
      "label": "Lost rent during vacancy",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "monthlyEquivalent",
      "label": "Spread across 12 months",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "pctOfAnnualRent",
      "label": "Cost as % of annual rent",
      "format": "percent",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Monthly rent: 1850 $",
      "Expected vacancy: 21 days",
      "Make-ready cost (paint, clean, repairs): 900 $",
      "Marketing / listing cost: 150 $",
      "Leasing fee: 1400 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Total turnover cost: $3,745",
      "Lost rent during vacancy: $1,295",
      "Spread across 12 months: $312",
      "Cost as % of annual rent: 16.9%"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter monthly rent ($).",
      "Enter expected vacancy (days).",
      "Enter make-ready cost (paint, clean, repairs) ($).",
      "Enter marketing / listing cost ($).",
      "Enter leasing fee ($).",
      "Read your total turnover cost on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "rent": 1100,
        "vacancyDays": 13,
        "makeReady": 550,
        "marketing": 100,
        "leasingFee": 850
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "rent": 1850,
        "vacancyDays": 21,
        "makeReady": 900,
        "marketing": 150,
        "leasingFee": 1400
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "rent": 2950,
        "vacancyDays": 34,
        "makeReady": 1450,
        "marketing": 250,
        "leasingFee": 2250
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How much does turnover typically cost?",
      "a": "Industry surveys put average turnover cost between one and two months' rent once you include vacancy, make-ready, and leasing costs. For a $1,850/month unit that's commonly $2,000-$3,700, which is why retention incentives that cost a few hundred dollars are almost always cheaper."
    },
    {
      "q": "Should I include my own labor in make-ready cost?",
      "a": "Yes, at a fair hourly rate, even if you're doing the painting yourself. Otherwise you're comparing a turnover that costs you real weekend hours against a renewal that costs a $200 gift card, and the comparison looks artificially close."
    },
    {
      "q": "How do I reduce vacancy days?",
      "a": "Start marketing 30-45 days before move-out, allow the outgoing tenant to show the unit for a rent credit, and have your make-ready vendor scheduled before the lease ends instead of after. Each week of vacancy avoided is worth roughly a quarter of a month's rent."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does a security deposit offset this cost?",
      "a": "Only for damage beyond normal wear and tear, and only up to whatever you legally withheld and can document. Most states cap deposits at one to two months' rent, and normal painting between tenants isn't billable to the deposit in most jurisdictions."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/vacancy-loss-calculator",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/lease-renewal-vs-turnover-cost",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/lease-up-marketing-cost"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Tenant Turnover Cost Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/tenant-turnover-cost)"
}