Building Iceland's First Digital
Rental Platform
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Client name
Real Estate &
FinTech Platform -
Industry
Real Estate, FinTech
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Location
Iceland
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Size
50+
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Duration
2022 – Present
The platform operates in Iceland's rental housing market. The company secured government funding to build a digital space that didn't exist in the country before, a complete rental management solution with legal support built right in.
Challenges
In-house team handles the product side, business logic, and part of the backend work. We took care of the frontend, mobile development, and all the tricky integrations that needed to happen. Throughout our work on this project, we ran into several challenges worth sharing.
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Technical Debt and Outdated Stack
The project started before our involvement. Several teams had worked on it before us, leaving an inconsistent codebase. The mobile app had critical bugs and couldn't pass store reviews. The web platform ran on Vue 2 and Nuxt 2 – frameworks that had reached end-of-life.
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Lack of UI Consistency
Different modules used different UI libraries. Styles were duplicated across projects. Components weren't portable between applications. Each new feature required building the interface from scratch.
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Complex Local Integrations
Iceland has strict requirements for identity verification and legal contract validity. Electronic signatures must work through local ID cards. Credit scoring goes through specialized Icelandic companies with proprietary APIs. Bank integration requires SOAP protocol with certificates that only work correctly in .NET.
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Legal Contract Validity
Rental contracts must comply with local legislation. The system collects dozens of parameters: from terms and parties to financial details and termination conditions. An error at any stage makes the contract invalid.
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Incomplete Functionality from Previous Teams
Previous developers left unfinished parts. Some backend existed but didn't cover frontend needs. Notifications worked selectively. User profiles had basic fields, but landlords needed to see more information about potential tenants.
Solution
Anadea provided the client with a team of specialists under a staff augmentation model. The team included mobile developers, front-end engineers, and back-end engineers.
We conducted a full code audit. Fixed architectural issues, rewrote part of the logic, added missing features. Implemented notifications via Firebase Cloud Messaging. Connected chat for communication between tenants and landlords. Made profiles editable. Passed store review on the first try and successfully launched the app.
We rewrote the platform frontend while maintaining the old version. We moved step by step: first the search page with a map, then profiles, then contracts. Each module was tested separately before integration.
Vue 3 and Nuxt 3 provided Composition API and better typing through TypeScript. Tailwind instead of custom CSS accelerated styling work. Instead of writing classes, we combine utility classes directly in templates. Changes happen faster, consistency is maintained automatically.
We developed a private npm package with UI components: buttons, forms, modals, cards – all in one place. Install the package in a new project, import components, they look the same everywhere. Library updates automatically propagate to all apps after version update. This saved dozens of development hours.
We connected Signicat via REST API. The user fills out the contract on our side, clicks "Sign," we generate a PDF and send it to Signicat. There, verification occurs via ID card: QR code scanning in the MitID mobile app or similar solution for Iceland. After signing, Signicat returns the signed document. We store it and update the contract status.
The user enters their personal number, we query data from the Icelandic service, receive a score and financial indicators. Add net income, calculate affordability ratio. The landlord sees "pre-approval" (confirmation that the tenant is financially reliable). This automated a process that previously required manual verification.
SOAP protocol requires a specific certificate for encryption. Python wouldn't handle it correctly. We brought in a .NET consultant for a month. He created a separate microservice that accepts requests from the main backend, communicates with the bank via SOAP, and returns results. Modular architecture allowed integration without changing the core system.
Core Platform Features
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Property search with interactive map. Real-time filtering by rooms, price, and rental periods. Map shows listings with price markers. Saved searches send notifications when new properties match criteria.
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Electronic contract system. Step-by-step contract creation with automatic legal wording. Covers parties, finances, terms, and conditions. E-signing via Signicat with ID card verification.
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Pre-approval and verification. Automated credit scoring from Icelandic bureaus. Identity verification via document scanning with verified badges.
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User profiles. Detailed tenant resumes and landlord portfolios. Profile completion percentage affects search ranking.
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Digital inspections. Photo documentation at move-in and move-out. The system compares both reports and highlights new damage to prevent deposit disputes.
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Multi-channel notifications. Email, SMS, and push alerts for listings, messages, contracts, and payments.
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Mobile app. Geolocation-based search, optimized chat with file sharing, and real-time push notifications.
Ready to build
a platform for your market?
We specialize in complex systems with regulatory requirements. Experience working with government integrations, electronic signatures, and financial services.
Services
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Full-stack development
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Mobile development
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Legacy system migration
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Third-party integrations
Tech Stack
Vue 3
Nuxt 3
TypeScript
Tailwind CSS
React Native
Python
Django
.NET
Signicat
Vue 3
Nuxt 3
TypeScript
Tailwind CSS
React Native
Python
Django
.NET
Signicat
Business Value
The implemented platform fully aligns with the next strategic goals:
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Platform positioned as market leader in Icelandic rental space with no direct competitors offering comparable functionality.
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Electronic signing and verification streamline rental process, reducing time from property viewing to signed contract.
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Pre-approval system helps tenants stand out in a competitive market while giving landlords confidence.
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Mobile application extends platform reach, allowing users to browse properties and manage rentals on the go.
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Government integrations guarantee legal compliance and reduce manual verification work.
Contact us
Let's explore how our expertise can help you achieve your goals! Drop us a line, and we'll get back to you shortly.
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