property manager questions

[Sue100]

We recently bought a house that we plan to stay in about 3-4 months per year and hope to rent out when we are not there. There will likely be at least 4 or 5 months per year when the house is unoccupied. We don't expect this to bring in a huge amount of income. When renters are there, the manager will have to meet them, show them how the house works, answer calls from them, call repair people, buy supplies. When it is unoccupied, there is essentially nothing to be done except checking the house during the rainy season. Can anyone fill me in on the customs around informal property managing by neighbors, etc.--anyone who does not have a licensed business, e.g. a real estate office.
- Is it customary to pay the manager the same monthly fee year-round, even during months when there are no renters and the house is vacant, or the owners are occupying the property? Does anyone pay on a per-service basis--e.g. 100 pesos for paying a bill, 150 pesos for checking in guests each time?
- If you pay a different monthly fee when the owner is there or when nobody is there, how much less is that fee?
- Is there any customary pay range for managing? Two people have given me their fees so far--one is 1200 pesos per month, regardless of occupancy, and the other is 3500 pesos per month, not sure about occupancy (and I don't care, because 3500 is too much!)
Please note that cleaning is not included in the management fee.