Being a landlord can be a full-time job. And for a lot of them, they already have one. They have places to be. Families to take care of. Running a property can be time-consuming, confusing and stressful.

We devised an app that allowed landlords to store information for up to five properties in one handy and secure place.

Audience research was fundamental to the process; we spoke to the target audience in order to understand the tasks and specific issues that they encountered in their role of Landlords, as well as explore their needs for certain tools that would help them on a day-to-day basis.

These insights helped in producing a prioritised feature list and create initial user journeys and app maps.

Detailed wireframes were produced. As the app was to be developed by an external team, the documentation needed to be as clear and detailed as possible. There were ad-hoc calls as well as regular scheduled meetings in order to ensure that the development was in line with the vision described in the wireframes and interface designs.

The resultant app took care of all the hard work; it crunched all the numbers, letting users track income, expenses and monitor return on investment. It kept tenant and rental details organised and accessible – a massive help when managing more than one property.

It also allowed landlords to set reminders for things like inspections, appliance safety checks, and inventory notes, as well as insurance policy details and renewal dates.

Finally, a Knowledge Centre was created – a library of quick tips and guides on everything from landlord responsibilities to tax news. The app connected directly into Direct Line’s systems, allowing Landlords to quickly get quotes and easily purchase insurance.