Mobile App Development for Housing Management Companies
In a medium-sized management company, 50–100 requests from residents come in daily. Dispatchers spend up to 15 minutes on each: recording, forwarding, monitoring. Errors in submitting meter readings reach 15%. Our app automates the routine, reducing request processing time by 40% and lowering operating costs. The solution works offline — residents can enter readings without internet, and data syncs when connectivity is restored.
Why standard mobile apps don't fit management companies?
Typical CRMs don't account for the multi-property model: one owner may have multiple accounts in different buildings. The billing system requires bidirectional synchronization, and App Store Review Guidelines (Section 5.1) impose strict requirements for handling personal data. Apps that don't comply are rejected during moderation. We integrate with 1C, RCC, and Infocrat via REST or file exchange, using a Laravel adapter.
What features are mandatory for an MVP?
Repair Requests
Residents select a category (plumbing, electrical, cleaning), describe the issue, and attach up to 5 photos. The request is sent to the dispatcher's CRM. Each status change sends a push notification via FCM.
Meter Readings Submission
Input readings for water, gas, and electricity. Validation: readings cannot be lower than previous (unless meter replacement). Data is sent to billing.
Payments and Receipts
Account balance, billing history, payment via YooKassa or SBP. Receipts are generated as PDF.
Announcements and News
The management company publishes news — scheduled outages, meetings, acknowledgments. Push notifications segmented (e.g., only residents of entrance #3).
Integration with billing: key risks
The multi-property model complicates the architecture. A resident may own apartments in two buildings managed by the same company. Data model: user → accounts (1..n) → building → entrance → unit. Switching between accounts must switch context. We use Flutter for cross-platform development and build the backend on Laravel 11 with PostgreSQL. Integration with 1C or billing systems (RCC, Infocrat) — via REST or file exchange (XML, DBF). A Laravel adapter syncs data on a schedule.
Chat with the dispatcher — via Stream Chat SDK or custom WebSocket. Messages are linked to requests: structure message → conversation → application.
Voting at general owner meetings (OSS) — a separate module with identification via SMS OTP, timestamped vote recording, and automatic minutes generation.
How to set up segmented push notifications?
- In the admin panel, create a group (e.g., "Entrance #3").
- Configure a trigger: when a news item with tag "emergency" is published, send push only to this group.
- Use Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) for iOS and Android.
- Verify that the device received the notification via test send.
How we do it: stages and timelines
Analysis and design – 1–2 weeks. MVP development – implement requests, readings, payments, news. Use Flutter 3.x, Laravel 11, PostgreSQL. Billing integration – 2–4 weeks. Additional modules (chat, voting, multi-property model) – developed sequentially.
| Feature | MVP (12–18 weeks) | Full version (from 22 weeks) |
|---|---|---|
| Requests | ✓ | ✓ |
| Meter readings | ✓ | ✓ |
| Payments and receipts | ✓ | ✓ |
| News and push | ✓ | ✓ |
| Dispatcher chat | — | ✓ |
| Owner voting (OSS) | — | ✓ |
| Multi-property model | — | ✓ |
| 1C integration | — | ✓ |
Comparison: our solution vs paper workflow
| Criterion | Paper process | Our app |
|---|---|---|
| Request processing time | ~1 hour | ~10 minutes |
| Processing costs | High | Low |
| Meter reading error rate | ~15% | <2% |
| History availability | Low | Always at hand |
Common mistakes in developing apps for management companies
- Poor validation of readings (allowing lower values without a meter replacement note).
- Notifications without segmentation (spamming all residents).
- No caching for weak internet — the app must work offline for entering readings.
- Ignoring App Store Review Guidelines when handling personal data.
What's included
- Documentation: technical specifications, API description, admin guide.
- Access: source code, repository, admin panel, app stores.
- Training: webinar for management company staff on administration.
- Support: 6-month warranty on identified bugs, 24/7 consultation.
- Reporting: weekly status meetings, demo every 2 weeks.
Estimated timelines: MVP – from 12 to 18 weeks. Full version with chat, voting, and integration – from 22 weeks. Pricing is determined individually after requirements audit. Savings on call center operators reach 40%, and the average project pays for itself in six months.
We guarantee stable operation, compliance with App Store Review Guidelines and Google Play. Contact us for a project assessment — get a free consultation. Order a free audit of your current process.