DORMY PH, a local property technology startup, is expanding its digital rental platform to support the entire leasing process as it seeks to simplify renting for both tenants and property owners in Metro Manila.
The company previously focused on digitizing the search and inquiry stages. With its new mobile app, Suzy Rent, it now aims to offer a fully digital, end-to-end experience for renters and landlords.
“We’re eyeing to give a fully digital renting experience to at least 3,000 Filipinos this year with our second brand, Suzy,” Kurt Lenard T. Gutierrez, co-founder and chief executive officer of Dormy PH, said in an e-mailed reply to questions.
“In previous years, we were only digitizing the search-to-inquiry portions of the transaction, this time around, we’re going full end-to-end.”
Suzy Rent, a word play on the Filipino word susi or key, is designed to cover the entire rental process digitally. It includes tenant screening, online lease signing, and online rental payments, with features supported by artificial intelligence.
“We’re currently focused on Metro Manila, for one, because it’s the majority market for renting, and two, we’ll contribute to alleviating the condo oversupply crisis,” Mr. Gutierrez said.
The capital region has around 82,800 unsold condominium units across 638 actively selling buildings, equivalent to three years’ worth of inventory, according to Leechiu Property Consultants.
“We’re lowering the barriers to renting by bringing them online and oiling the friction of rental transactions, helping demand find supply, and strengthening the precision of market data for the industry,” Mr. Gutierrez said.
Dormy PH was founded in 2022 as a college project that sought to address challenges students faced in finding near-campus housing when face-to-face classes resumed. For its pilot phase, it partnered with 18 universities to connect students with dormitories in Manila’s University Belt.
“Renting just sucked, and I knew that myself and the rest of Gen Z will probably be renting in the next decade as we move into ‘adulting,’” Mr. Gutierrez said.
He added that many renters still encounter issues such as fake or outdated listings, which the platform aims to minimize by hosting verified listings and digital tools.
With the growing use of digital payments and e-commerce platforms, Mr. Gutierrez said the shift to digital renting is a “natural progression.”
Dormy PH currently has 35,000 registered users and over 800 property hosts.
The most common transactions on the platform involve condominium units, apartments, and dormitories, particularly those located near universities in Manila and Quezon City, and in employment hubs like Makati and Bonifacio Global City.
“By building Suzy, our leasing and automation mobile app, and linking it with the marketing and rental classifieds strength or Dormy PH — the target is to let Filipinos experience how it’s like to book a rental and do everything: search, inquiry, signing, screening, payments, and landlord communication — fully online,” said Alyssa Casandra W. Wee, co-founder and chief operations officer.
Dormy PH primarily targets students and young professionals, while Suzy Rent is positioned as a general-purpose app for a wider base of renters and landlords, said Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Bryce Ivan C. Cataran.
When searching for units, most renters prioritize three factors: price, location, and house rules, said Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer Sean Carlo O. Francisco.
“They’re looking for units that are affordable and practical — ideally close to their school or workplace — and flexible enough to allow essential activities like cooking, laundry, and hosting visitors,” he said.
Mr. Francisco added that renters tend to respond well to clear, emotionally resonant listings.
Listings with room tours, layout visuals, and proximity to key locations tend to attract more interest, he said, while fast and clear responses from landlords are also a major factor in decision-making.
“Messaging that makes a rental feel like home rather than just another room tends to resonate more and convert better,” Mr. Francisco said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
