LeaseEase is a digital subleasing platform designed to simplify the rental process for tenants and landlords.
Side Project
LeaseEase
Sept - Dec 2024
Contributions
UI/UX Design
Project Manager
UXR
Role
Design Lead
Project Manager
Context
Could there be an easier and safer way to find housing in high demand areas like Southern California?
"As a college student in Southern California, I have faced the housing crisis head-on. Rent prices in cities like Irvine are extremely high, making it difficult for students to find affordable and flexible living spaces. Additionally, the process of subleasing is often fraught with challenges, including finding trustworthy sub-letters, unclear lease terms, and a lack of secure payment options."
Target Audience
We met with 4 college students from different universities to better understand their leasing struggle, concerns, and overall experience with subleasing and housing transition.
02 | Interview Quotes
LeaseEase_Sydney Chen
"We have no choice but to find as many people as possible to share a room, if we don't, we would not be able to afford to live in Irvine."
Age 21, Undergrad Student at UC Irvine
LeaseEase
Digital Subleasing Platform
Key Takeaways
Payment and Legal Uncertainty
Trust and Security Concerns
Communication Difficulty
After conducting in-depth interviews, we found a clear need to support college students navigating leasing and subleasing. However, the existing platforms often lack transparency, fail to build trust between users, or don’t accommodate students’ limited time and high-stress academic schedules — making the process confusing, risky, and overwhelming.
So…
HOW MIGHT WE
LeaseEase_Sydney Chen
How might we create a platform that helps college students lease and sublease confidently, while considering their limited time, trust concerns, and need for secure, transparent transactions.
LeaseEase
Digital Subleasing Platform
LeaseEase
Digital Subleasing Platform
Meet Christine, who wants to sublease her place to someone trustworthy so she can afford to stay in school without putting more strain on her family.
Final Design
"Let's walk through how Christine uses LeaseEase!"
Feature 01
Identity verification system to help prevent fraud and protect all listings, prospective tenant must provide government issued ID
To ensure secure leasing, we require multi-factor authentication and identity verification. Users must complete two-step verification to login their accounts, and prospective tenants must provide a government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license or Real ID, before finalizing any lease. These measures help prevent fraud and protect all listings.
Feature 02
Built-in legal lease agreement, customizable lease agreement templates offered, providing a seamless and legal leasing experience.
LeaseEase offers a built-in legal lease agreement available through an online system, streamlining the subleasing process. Customizable lease agreement templates allow sub-landlords to edit and send them to sub-leasers digitally, ensuring clarity, compliance, and security. This feature enhances efficiency while providing a seamless and legal leasing experience.
Feature 03
Secure payment processing through the app, ensuring that all transactions, including rent and security deposits, are safely handled.
Secure payment processing through the app, ensuring that all transactions, including rent and security deposits, are safely handled. By using a trusted payment system, funds are securely transferred and tracked, preventing fraud and reducing the risk of sub-landlords running away with deposits.
Design System and Branding
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