UI / UX Design
House Rental Platform UX/UI Case Study – Removing Agent Fees & Rental Fraud
End-to-end product design case study of a house rental platform solving excessive agent fees and rental fraud through verification, transparency, and marketplace UX strategy
Year :
2025
Industry :
real estate
Client :
Personal Project
Project Duration :
6 weeks
Problem :
Finding a home to rent is often stressful, time-consuming, and costly. In many cities, renters are burdened with excessive agent fees, lack of transparency, and limited trust in the rental process. On the other hand, property owners rely heavily on agents, losing direct control over their listings and tenant selection. The outed systems lead to financial exploitation, wasted time, and a lack of trust between renters and property owners, ultimately making the rental journey more stressful than it should be.
Challenge :
Creating a platform that effectively eliminates excessive agent fees and build trust in a rental market known for fraud and opacity is a major challenge. Many property owners are not tech-savvy, making onboarding difficult, while renters are cautious due to past experiences with fake listings and scams.
Verify property listings and ownership to build user trust
Provide a seamless user experience that simplifies the rental process
Onboard non-tech-Savy landlords with minimal friction
Handle secure transactions, including escrow rental payments
Offer legal clarity through digital agreements and support.
SOLUTION AND PRODUCT PILLARS:
To address the issue of high agent fees and lack of transparency in Nigeria rental market, i designed EasyHousing, a secure, user-friendly rental platform that connects renters directly with verified property owners, eliminating the need for middlemen (agents).
Here's how i solve the problem:
No agents' fees: Renters connect directly with landlords, removing costly their-party commissions.
Verified listings: Owner verification with proof of ownership and ID.
Renter verification through employment ID and employment letter.
Secure escrow payment: Rent is held safely until the renter confirms move-in, protecting both parties
Digital lease agreement: Legally backed documents are signed online, making the process seamless and transparent.
Booking list with clear status indicator.
Research and key findings:
When I started working on this house rental platform, I knew the Nigerian rental space had major pain points, but I wanted to truly understand them from the users themselves. So, I dove deep into user research to uncover where the real gaps are and how we could solve them with design and technology.
My Research Goal
Understand how renters currently search for homes and the struggles they face.
Explore the emotional and financial burden of excessive agent fees.
Identify the trust barriers between renters and landlords.
Discover opportunities to streamline, simplify, and secure the rental process through thoughtful UX.
How I Conducted My Research
15 one-on-one interviews with renters and landlords in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
120+ surveys sent out to young professionals, students, and families across Nigeria.
I analyzed existing platforms like PropertyPro and PrivateProperty to see where they fall short.
A lot of people still rely on "My friend knows someone" for rentals. This tells me trust is not yet fully digital, so I need to design for credibility.
Key Findings
Excessive agent fees: 78% of users complained about unregulated agent commissions, some paying up to 30-40% of rent just in agent fees.
Fake or duplicated listings: 63% of users said they visited houses that either didn’t exist or had been rented out. Lack of listing updates or duplicate posts led to time and money loss.
Lack of Verified Properties: Trust is a major barrier. Users won’t take action unless they are sure a property is real, secure, and accurately described.
No Escrow or Protection: 71% of users said they’ve heard or experienced fraud during payment. There’s no system to hold funds securely until the rental is confirmed
Landlords Want Help Too: Many landlords don’t know how to go digital and would value assistance with onboarding, help managing listings, and filtering serious renters.
Design & Product Implications
Direct Landlord-Tenant Connections: Remove agent middlemen and give verified landlords a digital presence.
Verified Listings & Escrow: Introduce property verification and secure escrow payment options to build trust.
Smart Filters & Real-Time Availability: Show only currently available homes with clear filtering (price, location, amenities).
Digital Agreements & Paperwork: Provide e-signature-ready agreements and standardized documents for both parties.
Assisted Landlord Onboarding: Offer a concierge service or an agent-lite system for landlords to get onboarded quickly.
Transparent Pricing Breakdown: Show all costs upfront, with no hidden charges.
More Projects
UI / UX Design
House Rental Platform UX/UI Case Study – Removing Agent Fees & Rental Fraud
End-to-end product design case study of a house rental platform solving excessive agent fees and rental fraud through verification, transparency, and marketplace UX strategy
Year :
2025
Industry :
real estate
Client :
Personal Project
Project Duration :
6 weeks
Problem :
Finding a home to rent is often stressful, time-consuming, and costly. In many cities, renters are burdened with excessive agent fees, lack of transparency, and limited trust in the rental process. On the other hand, property owners rely heavily on agents, losing direct control over their listings and tenant selection. The outed systems lead to financial exploitation, wasted time, and a lack of trust between renters and property owners, ultimately making the rental journey more stressful than it should be.
Challenge :
Creating a platform that effectively eliminates excessive agent fees and build trust in a rental market known for fraud and opacity is a major challenge. Many property owners are not tech-savvy, making onboarding difficult, while renters are cautious due to past experiences with fake listings and scams.
Verify property listings and ownership to build user trust
Provide a seamless user experience that simplifies the rental process
Onboard non-tech-Savy landlords with minimal friction
Handle secure transactions, including escrow rental payments
Offer legal clarity through digital agreements and support.
SOLUTION AND PRODUCT PILLARS:
To address the issue of high agent fees and lack of transparency in Nigeria rental market, i designed EasyHousing, a secure, user-friendly rental platform that connects renters directly with verified property owners, eliminating the need for middlemen (agents).
Here's how i solve the problem:
No agents' fees: Renters connect directly with landlords, removing costly their-party commissions.
Verified listings: Owner verification with proof of ownership and ID.
Renter verification through employment ID and employment letter.
Secure escrow payment: Rent is held safely until the renter confirms move-in, protecting both parties
Digital lease agreement: Legally backed documents are signed online, making the process seamless and transparent.
Booking list with clear status indicator.
Research and key findings:
When I started working on this house rental platform, I knew the Nigerian rental space had major pain points, but I wanted to truly understand them from the users themselves. So, I dove deep into user research to uncover where the real gaps are and how we could solve them with design and technology.
My Research Goal
Understand how renters currently search for homes and the struggles they face.
Explore the emotional and financial burden of excessive agent fees.
Identify the trust barriers between renters and landlords.
Discover opportunities to streamline, simplify, and secure the rental process through thoughtful UX.
How I Conducted My Research
15 one-on-one interviews with renters and landlords in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
120+ surveys sent out to young professionals, students, and families across Nigeria.
I analyzed existing platforms like PropertyPro and PrivateProperty to see where they fall short.
A lot of people still rely on "My friend knows someone" for rentals. This tells me trust is not yet fully digital, so I need to design for credibility.
Key Findings
Excessive agent fees: 78% of users complained about unregulated agent commissions, some paying up to 30-40% of rent just in agent fees.
Fake or duplicated listings: 63% of users said they visited houses that either didn’t exist or had been rented out. Lack of listing updates or duplicate posts led to time and money loss.
Lack of Verified Properties: Trust is a major barrier. Users won’t take action unless they are sure a property is real, secure, and accurately described.
No Escrow or Protection: 71% of users said they’ve heard or experienced fraud during payment. There’s no system to hold funds securely until the rental is confirmed
Landlords Want Help Too: Many landlords don’t know how to go digital and would value assistance with onboarding, help managing listings, and filtering serious renters.
Design & Product Implications
Direct Landlord-Tenant Connections: Remove agent middlemen and give verified landlords a digital presence.
Verified Listings & Escrow: Introduce property verification and secure escrow payment options to build trust.
Smart Filters & Real-Time Availability: Show only currently available homes with clear filtering (price, location, amenities).
Digital Agreements & Paperwork: Provide e-signature-ready agreements and standardized documents for both parties.
Assisted Landlord Onboarding: Offer a concierge service or an agent-lite system for landlords to get onboarded quickly.
Transparent Pricing Breakdown: Show all costs upfront, with no hidden charges.
More Projects
UI / UX Design
House Rental Platform UX/UI Case Study – Removing Agent Fees & Rental Fraud
End-to-end product design case study of a house rental platform solving excessive agent fees and rental fraud through verification, transparency, and marketplace UX strategy
Year :
2025
Industry :
real estate
Client :
Personal Project
Project Duration :
6 weeks
Problem :
Finding a home to rent is often stressful, time-consuming, and costly. In many cities, renters are burdened with excessive agent fees, lack of transparency, and limited trust in the rental process. On the other hand, property owners rely heavily on agents, losing direct control over their listings and tenant selection. The outed systems lead to financial exploitation, wasted time, and a lack of trust between renters and property owners, ultimately making the rental journey more stressful than it should be.
Challenge :
Creating a platform that effectively eliminates excessive agent fees and build trust in a rental market known for fraud and opacity is a major challenge. Many property owners are not tech-savvy, making onboarding difficult, while renters are cautious due to past experiences with fake listings and scams.
Verify property listings and ownership to build user trust
Provide a seamless user experience that simplifies the rental process
Onboard non-tech-Savy landlords with minimal friction
Handle secure transactions, including escrow rental payments
Offer legal clarity through digital agreements and support.
SOLUTION AND PRODUCT PILLARS:
To address the issue of high agent fees and lack of transparency in Nigeria rental market, i designed EasyHousing, a secure, user-friendly rental platform that connects renters directly with verified property owners, eliminating the need for middlemen (agents).
Here's how i solve the problem:
No agents' fees: Renters connect directly with landlords, removing costly their-party commissions.
Verified listings: Owner verification with proof of ownership and ID.
Renter verification through employment ID and employment letter.
Secure escrow payment: Rent is held safely until the renter confirms move-in, protecting both parties
Digital lease agreement: Legally backed documents are signed online, making the process seamless and transparent.
Booking list with clear status indicator.
Research and key findings:
When I started working on this house rental platform, I knew the Nigerian rental space had major pain points, but I wanted to truly understand them from the users themselves. So, I dove deep into user research to uncover where the real gaps are and how we could solve them with design and technology.
My Research Goal
Understand how renters currently search for homes and the struggles they face.
Explore the emotional and financial burden of excessive agent fees.
Identify the trust barriers between renters and landlords.
Discover opportunities to streamline, simplify, and secure the rental process through thoughtful UX.
How I Conducted My Research
15 one-on-one interviews with renters and landlords in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
120+ surveys sent out to young professionals, students, and families across Nigeria.
I analyzed existing platforms like PropertyPro and PrivateProperty to see where they fall short.
A lot of people still rely on "My friend knows someone" for rentals. This tells me trust is not yet fully digital, so I need to design for credibility.
Key Findings
Excessive agent fees: 78% of users complained about unregulated agent commissions, some paying up to 30-40% of rent just in agent fees.
Fake or duplicated listings: 63% of users said they visited houses that either didn’t exist or had been rented out. Lack of listing updates or duplicate posts led to time and money loss.
Lack of Verified Properties: Trust is a major barrier. Users won’t take action unless they are sure a property is real, secure, and accurately described.
No Escrow or Protection: 71% of users said they’ve heard or experienced fraud during payment. There’s no system to hold funds securely until the rental is confirmed
Landlords Want Help Too: Many landlords don’t know how to go digital and would value assistance with onboarding, help managing listings, and filtering serious renters.
Design & Product Implications
Direct Landlord-Tenant Connections: Remove agent middlemen and give verified landlords a digital presence.
Verified Listings & Escrow: Introduce property verification and secure escrow payment options to build trust.
Smart Filters & Real-Time Availability: Show only currently available homes with clear filtering (price, location, amenities).
Digital Agreements & Paperwork: Provide e-signature-ready agreements and standardized documents for both parties.
Assisted Landlord Onboarding: Offer a concierge service or an agent-lite system for landlords to get onboarded quickly.
Transparent Pricing Breakdown: Show all costs upfront, with no hidden charges.