UAE’s rental app aims to take landlords entirely online

A mobile app for renting homes in the UAE has launched a digital landlord dashboard that aims to provide data analytics across the entire rental journey.

The app, Urban, was developed by Intelligent B, the Dubai-based company founded in 2018 by Rashid Al Ghurair.

The company has also created the on-demand car fuel service, Cafu.

Urban’s dashboard aims to provide data analytics across the entire rental journey to help landlords make better-informed rental decisions. Key features of the dashboard include tracking performance, including number of visits to listed properties, digital storage of inspection reports and contracts, and the ability to track rent collection, including amounts pending and expenses made.

There are also plans to introduce an additional feature that will allow landlords to make data comparisons with aggregated market data on property types, rental levels and locations.

“Landlords need to actively manage their portfolios and our digital rental solution ensures that for the first time they have clear visibility on their portfolio and the tenant market rather than taking a stab in the dark on letting, pricing and management,” said Rashid Al Ghurair, CEO and founder of Urban.

The app has waived the fee for listing properties until June 2020, after which a one-time Dhs975 fee will be applied.

For property management, landlords will also incur a charge of 5 per cent of annual rent. The app is free to use for renters until an offer they make on a property is accepted, after which a fee of 5 per cent of annual rent is applied.

The coronavirus pandemic has created an “urgent need for a tool that accommodates landlords and tenants equally to achieve their goals,” said a statement from the company.

“Renters are still on the hunt for homes and taking the journey online in terms of viewings, negotiations and payments, while landlords need to innovate to market their properties in ways that are safe and accessible.”

Urban has seen an average week-on-week increase of 256 per cent in new listings in the month to April 14, said the company.

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