RELAY · THE QUICK READ

Rent and repairs, minus the chasing.

Role
Product designer
Timeline
Jun – Aug 2026
Scope
Landlord and tenant apps

The problem

Rent and repairs are the only two things a landlord and a tenant owe each other. Both live in WhatsApp, calls and notebooks, and neither has a status.

So nobody can tell what is paid, what is pending or who has a repair. Both sides spend their time following up.

What I found

Two moments broke every time: proving that rent was paid, and knowing who has a repair and what happens next.

The idea

One shared status that both sides see, with Relay kept deliberately small: rent and repairs, nothing else.

  • Rent. The tenant pays by UPI, bank or cash and attaches proof. The landlord verifies it. Every payment reads paid, pending or overdue.
  • Repairs. Every request has an owner, a stage and a next step.
  • Two homes. Each home screen opens on what that person came for: who hasn't paid for the landlord, rent due for the tenant.

The design

Landlord

Relay landlord repairs screen
Repairs
Relay landlord rent screen
Rent
Relay landlord tenants screen
Tenants

Tenant

Relay tenant home screen
Home
Relay tenant rent screen
Rent
Relay tenant repairs screen
Repairs

Where it stands

A complete concept for both roles: payment proof and verification, repair reporting and progress, and updates. Relay hasn't launched, so there is no impact data yet.

Next I'd test payment verification and repair tracking with real landlords and tenants, then handle rejected proofs and partial payments.

Relay

Stop chasing. Start knowing.

A status-based guide to rent and repairs, so both sides always know where things stand.

Relay landlord home screen
Relay tenant home screen

Overview

Rent and repairs are the only two things a landlord and a tenant owe each other. Both live in WhatsApp, neither has a status — so both sides keep chasing people who owe them nothing.

Title
Relay
Target audience
Self-managing landlords
Tenants
Focus
Rent
Repair coordination
Timeline
Jun 2026 – Aug 2026
Tools
FigmaClaudeChatGPT
My Role
Product design
Research synthesis
UI Execution

Solution

Relay gives landlords and tenants a shared view of rent and repairs, making every status, update, and next responsibility clear.

A repair process moving from request to completion

Primary findings

I looked at how landlords and tenants coordinate rent and repairs today, and where that coordination breaks down.

Rent CoordinationRepair coordination

Rent Due & Paid

Pays externally but may still receive reminders

checks multiple payment sources manually

Proof Shared

shares screenshots or asks for a receipt

proof gets buried inside chat or disputed

Relay Focuses On Payment Verification And Repair Progress.

Payment Verified

Manually checks if the payment was received

Lacks a reliable paid pending and overdue view

Repair Reported

Reports issues via calls or messages without a record

Requests arrive across different channels

Assigned & Resolved

Follows up repeatedly to understand repair progress

Tracks vendors, promises and closure manually

Sources:
User 01

Reddit User

Building A Tool To Track Rent Payment After My Owner Disputed On Rent Payment – Anyone Else Dealt With This?

User 02

Reddit User

Suggest Paper Trail For Rent Payment By Cash

User 03

Reddit User

How Do You Handle Tenant Repair Requests & Track Issues Over Time

User 04

Reddit User

I Always Sent A Message On WhatsApp To Confirm That I Had Made This Month’s Payment. Until I Received Yes From Him.

Moreover I Sent Payment Online With Message “So And So Month’s Rent”

User 05

Reddit User

Tenants Call For Minor Repairs, Sometimes For Plumbing Or Electrical. Nothing Major.

But Coordinating Everything Remotely Gets Tiring.

You End Up Depending On Random Contacts Or Whoever The Tenant Suggests And Doubt Of Quality Of Work.

User 06

Reddit User

How Do Tenants Reports Issues ? (Text . Mail Or Call)

Competitive analysis

Built for different rental needs

Focus

PG, Hostel And Co-Living Properties

PG, Hostel And Co-Living Properties

Shared Rent Records

Relay

For Self-Managing Landlords With A Few Properties

Simple Rent + Maintenance Coordination

Shared Status For Rent + Maintenance

User Persona

Landlords

Akash Kulkarni

Context

Manages Rental Units Directly And Coordinates Rent And Repairs Through Notebooks, WhatsApp, Calls, And Payment Screenshots.

Status

25 Properties
22 Occupied
3 Vacant

Current Behaviours

  • Accepts Rent Through UPI, Bank Transfer, Or Cash
  • Checks Screenshots To Confirm Payments
  • Sends Rent Reminders Manually
  • Coordinates Repairs Through Calls And Personal Contacts

Pain Points

  • Payment Proofs Get Buried In Conversations
  • Rent Tracking Depends On Memory And Manual Records
  • Repair Requests Arrive Through Different Channels
  • Status Updates Require Repeated Follow-Ups

Goals

  • Clearly Identify Paid, Pending, And Overdue Rent
  • Avoid Reminding Tenants Who Have Already Paid
  • Track Repair Progress And Responsibility
  • Maintain A Reliable History Of Payments And Repairs

Tenants

Context

Pays Rent Externally And Coordinates Payment Confirmation And Repairs With His Landlord Through WhatsApp, Calls, And Screenshots.

Current Behaviours

  • Pays Through UPI, Bank Transfer, Or Cash
  • Saves And Shares Payment Screenshots
  • Messages The Landlord For Payment Confirmation
  • Reports And Follows Up On Repairs Through WhatsApp Or Calls

Pain Points

  • Paid Rent Can Still Be Questioned
  • Payment Proof Provides No Clear Closure
  • Repair Progress Remains Unclear
  • Updates Require Repeated Follow-Ups
Arjun

Goals

  • Maintain Reliable Proof Of Rent Payments
  • Know When A Payment Is Confirmed
  • Report Repair Issues Clearly
  • Track Repair Progress And Responsibility

Constraints

The product was intentionally limited to a focused rent and repair coordination model.

Focused Audience

Self-Managing Landlords With A Limited Number Of Properties And Their Tenants.

External Payments

Rent Is Paid Through UPI, Bank Transfer, Or Cash. Relay Records Proof And Status.

Manual Accountability

Landlords Verify Payments And Assign Technicians They Already Work With.

Product Boundary

No Accounting, Built-In Chat, Payment Processing, Or Vendor Marketplace.

Information architecture

For landlords

Home
  • Overview
  • Needs Attention
  • Overdue
  • Activity
Rent
  • Rent status
  • Payments Verify
  • Paid
  • Late & Due
Tenants
  • Occupancy Status
  • Invite tenant
  • Tenant Details
Repairs
  • Open
  • Resolved

User flow

Landlords

HomeAssign VendorAssignOverdue TenantsSelect VendorOpen RepairsPayments to verifyTenant DetailCancelConfirmView RequestReview ProofCallMessageOverviewEnd
Home Assign Vendor Assign Overdue Tenants Select Vendor Open Repairs Payments to verify Tenant Detail Cancel Confirm View Request Review Proof Call Message Overview End

Information architecture

For Tenants

Home
  • Pay & Submit
  • Raise Request
  • Updates
  • Profile
Rent
  • Pay Rent
  • Tenancy
  • History
Repairs
  • Open
  • Resolved
  • Raise Request

User flow

For Tenants

HomeRent dueRaise RequestPaySubmitOpenDescribe IssuePre-Filled RentUpload proofList Of RequestsSet PrioritySelect Payment ModeView DetailSubmitPay ExternallyTrack Status
Home Rent due Raise Request Pay Submit Open Describe Issue Pre-Filled Rent Upload proof List Of Requests Set Priority Select Payment Mode View Detail Submit Pay Externally Track Status

Design

Landlord Experience

Relay landlord home screen design Relay landlord repairs screen design Relay landlord tenants screen design Relay landlord updates screen design Relay landlord rent screen design

Tenants Experience

Relay tenant home screen design Relay tenant rent screen design Relay tenant repairs screen design Relay tenant updates screen design

Future scope

Future iterations can strengthen coordination and trust while preserving Relay’s focused rent-and-repairs boundary.

Validate core flows

Test payment verification and repair tracking with landlords and tenants to identify usability gaps.

Smarter reminders

Customise reminder timing and exclude tenants who have already paid or submitted proof.

Payment exceptions

Support rejected proofs, resubmissions, partial payments, and corrections without processing payments inside Relay.

Stronger repair tracking

Add priority, completion dates, photos, and issue reopening for better repair visibility.

Learnings

Relay showed that everyday coordination problems are often visibility problems before they become feature problems.

Shared status reduces confusion

One shared view makes completed, pending, and action-required tasks clear without searching through conversations.

Payment needs confirmation

Landlord verification gives both sides closure and creates a dependable record after payment proof is submitted.

Attention guides hierarchy

Overdue rent, unverified proofs, and active repairs should receive greater visibility than completed items.

Focus creates clarity

Limiting Relay to rent and repairs kept the product simple, relevant, and easier to understand.