Technology Blueprint, the company behind the technology that powers Countrywide, has launched an app for landlords to ‘self-serve’ called Rentr.

According to Adam Blaxter of Technology Blueprint, Rentr is a “DIY lettings app for landlords doing it outside of the agency space”.

When asked about any potential conflict of interest between his corporate agency clients and going after landlords directly, Blaxter wanted to stress that research “shows that 50-60% of landlords don’t use agents at all”.

He said: “Rentr is not about cutting out agents. It’s providing software for people who aren’t using agents.”

Heading off the question about why Rentr would take the risk, he said: “We know agents are using software to deliver a better service, but a human service.

“Landlords who are DIY don’t have access to professional technology, so we do it as attacking a different market.”

The mobile app is described as “the complete lettings management solution for the private landlord and tenant” and is “now available to download on iOS and Android”.

On using the app, it really does feel like a simplified version of the software agents would find recognisable.

It starts with a dashboard showing actions to look at and is sorted into sections for Properties, Viewings, Applicants and Tenants.

Currently the app only lists property on Gumtree, but Blaxter said that “long term [we are] not going to restrict ourselves to just Gumtree, and Rentr isn’t setting up as an agency so we can’t list on Rightmove or Zoopla”.