Assumption 1
Renters find value and are willing to pay for our service
Why is this important?
This assumption tests the core desirability of the business. Before building anything, we need to confirm that renters face this problem frequently enough to pay for a solution. If renters won't pay, scouts cannot be compensated, the platform has no revenue, and every other assumption becomes irrelevant.
Methodology
Desk Research
Researched through Reddit, forums, changes in legislation and benchmarking against existing products and services.
User Interviews
Register Interests
20 Semi-Structured Video Street Interviews to understand the rental problem and customers for potential solution.
25 Semi Structured DEMO interviews - share their thoughts and determine willingness to pay.
Success Metrics
Over 70% of interview participants expressing willingness to pay, and at least one international channel demonstrating measurable demand beyond our immediate networks.
20 Street Interviews : People Are Losing Money
Summary reels from our video interviews can be found here.
Insight 1 : The Problem is Costly
Through the interviews we identified a range of areas where users lose money as a result of their rental condition or their search for a rental.
25 Demo-Interviews : But are they willing to Pay?
92%
Participents moved from abroad
68%
Conversion Rate
What renters currently pay to solve this?
Train from outside London
Alternative
Cost
Viewing trip abroad
Relocation agent
Renting the wrong property
House Scout
£50- 100+ return
£400+
£500- £2000+
Thousands
£15 - 50
Pricing Strategy:
We need to be more affordable than relocation agencies and enough that a wide range of users can utilise our service
Our price should cheaper than travel and accommodation cost
Insight 2: Price sensitivity varied by customer segment
80%
Willing to pay
Student
16
4
5
£30
£50+
£15- £25
Masters
Professionals
We received a range of feedback when it came to cost per services. Some students wanted cheaper others highlighted travel costs would boost their needs. Professionals quoted higher but wanted more features.
80% stated willingness to pay exceeds our 70% threshold.
100% of street interviewees confirmed the problem is real and costly.
How we adapted our Model:
Tiered Pricing
Students said £15–25, professionals said £35–50. This directly created two pricing tiers rather than a single flat rate.
“the problem is costly”- Report flags potential damage costs so renters are aware of financial risk before signing.
Damage cost projection
Scout Pay
Higher willingness to pay means that scouts can be paid a fair wage. This is explored further in Assumption5.
Next Steps:
Paid Pilot Test
Run pilot with 5 real rental searchers
Charge £20 and £40 (premium) to test real conversion
Measure drop off at payment vs statisfaction
Quantify Frequency of viewings
Survey renter register interests use data to model revenue accurately to informs unit economics and scouting schedule.
Reducing Sample Bias
Anonymous Surveys
Target India and China (biggest countries with migrants to UK)
Reddit responses from the wider community
Assumption 2
HouseScout is able to integrate seamlessly with Property Agencies current Letting Systems
Why is this important?
As a new player in a fast moving market, we needed to gauge what the current stakeholders of the market reaction would be to our company. They control who views the properties, and therefore we need to establish how our relationship could benefit both parties. There is also potential value from partnerships whereby agencies suggest HouseScout to searchers that approach them and are unable to make their viewing.
Methodology
Stakeholder Interviews
We pitched to 3 different agencies that all serve different user groups, with members that have varying roles to gain a wide perspective.
Each interview consisted of a 10 minute Pitch, Demo and Q&A, where we focused on the following questions:
Where is the value you see in HouseScout ?
What are some of the potential challenges they see HouseScout facing ?
How might we improve our business model ?
Where could we benefit agents with our solution ?
Success Metrics
We want to have a positive response to our idea from agencies including the following key points:
Agencies see value in our Idea
They believe it’s feasible for our system to exist
Developing informed features based off of agent insights
Interviewees
High Street Heavyweights
Lorenzo Carraro
Head of Residential Development
Matthew Salvidge
Head of Corporate Services
Personal and Trustworthy
Ryan Gray
Founder/Director
Jack Robertson
Property Consultant
Prime Letting Machine
Annabel Rogers
Lettings Director
Francesca Wills
Letting Agent/Property Manager
Insights
Insight 1: An Unbiased Review is a Great Competitive Edge
We received strong validation that HouseScout's independence and neutrality is our core differentiator. Industry insiders confirmed that the market lacks a tenant-paid, unbiased solution.
Insight 2: A Friend Isn’t Enough & Relocation Agents bring Agendas
Every interview confirmed that the "ask a friend" workaround fails to provide the depth and objectivity that renters actually need. Friends lack expertise, miss critical details, and agents themselves are sceptical of friend viewings because opinions vary so much between people.
Insight 3: Building a Relationship with Local Agents
Savills and Gray's both highlighted that scout-agent relationships would develop naturally over time, especially if scouts operate in consistent geographic areas. This creates trust, reduces friction, and could lead to agents proactively working with HouseScout.
Insight 4: Keep it Personal, don’t chase a Database
The agents challenged our initial subscription database platform. Specifically highlighting that agents need a “persona” before arranging a viewing as well as a more simple pricing structure.
Agents and Directors saw great value in HouseScout’s potential
Feasibility is a concern, but only if we fail to adapt to market demands
Insights have given us great information for developing key features
How did we adapt HouseScout
From the above insights and discussions we developed 3 key changes to our model, including the switch to search to scout requests, inclusion of the renter profile and how we approach our agency relationships.
Request Pivot
Shifting from Database to Request Only for the first year to reduce friction with agent interactions and increase personalisation to the searcher.
Searcher Profile
To promote our searcher as a trustworthy tenant we added Searcher Profile when signing up. With key information such as employment history, interests and requirements.
Agents Partnerships
We stay unbiased but we create benefit for both agencies and HouseScout. Positive agency relationships can recommend our service and we ensure agency trust.
Next Steps:
We will be testing these feature changes with our target users, in our summer pilot testing. Some features need further such as the Searchers Profile to ensure all details are included. When we begin testing in certain areas, we will look to contact agents for their engagement with our services and clients.
Assumption 3
It is feasible for HouseScout to Arrange, Attend and Analyse a viewing in under 72hrs
Why is this important?
This assumption tests the validity of our technology and process in the real world. Before implementing this with paid scouts and trials we needed to see what issues we could encounter. How long does it take for a Scout to organsie and view a property? How well does our system pick up on issues? What is different to viewing a property as a scout vs for yourself?
Methodology
Research to find statistical evidence of key areas to consider during viewing.
Desk Research
Manually arrange viewings for test clients, and “scouting” properties.
Concergie Test
Presenting the report in a prototype webpage, including AI analysis.
Prototype Report Site
Success Metrics
Can we generate an informed report structure?
Can we quickly organise viewings in under 72hrs?
What is the time taken during the viewing?
Is our report informative, effective and easy to understand for our target users?
Bathrooms and Damp Spots are
critical to Winter Damages
1.
Creating a Checklist
From our initial interviews with both agents and tenants we found key areas were damages occur. These were then validated with Secondary research that confirmed the kitchen and bathroom areas were of high risk to damage.
We created our Expertly Crafted Report for the Concierge Test
“I’m calling from HouseScout on behalf of Declan from New Zealand”
Each team member was had a test user from overseas and we targeted 4 properties to Scout on Rightmove and Open Rent. These were a range of prices and sizes to see if there was a difference between agencies in time to book.
Calling on Behalf of Our International Test Users
2.
Arranging Viewings
We arranged viewings within 48 hours of the call to an agent.
No Agent Issues during Viewings
3.
All agents were happy for us to take photos and videos of the property.
We manually used the checklist and camera, whereas in app the interface would serve as both.
ln all of the properties had hidden details with varying levels of damages to the property.
Attending and Analysing Viewings
All scouts completed the viewing in under 30 minutes
Property #4
Instantaneous Report Uploading direct to HouseScout Folders
4.
Uploading the Report
We then manually uploaded the pictures into pre-sorted folders, a function that would be hardcoded into our future application.
Using this system it was still completed in under an Hour.
Users found our Report Intuitive and Informative
5.
Prototype Report Review Web-App
We coded a basic interface to view the property reports we had created as “Scouts”, this also included analysing the images through Anthropics image processing AI. Giving test users the chance to view a “standard” scout report with pictures, videos and flagged issues.
Can we generate an informed report structure? = YES
How quickly can we organise viewings? = In under 48hrs
What is the time taken during the viewing? = In under 30 minutes
Our Demo was effective, users knew all the details they needed to make an offer.
How this shaped our design:
Highlight Property Positves
Students said £15–25, professionals said £35–50. This directly created two pricing tiers rather than a single flat rate.
We now include a Video Call in our Premium Version as an added personal feature
Specific Scout
Questions
Scout Progress
Tracker
This changed our app interface to allow for clearier Scout tracking
Next Steps: Connecting Prototype to Front-End
Our positive feedback highlighted the need for our solution and our testing validated the time taken for each stage. Now it’s time to develop a functional app and begin testing real users on the Appstore with a free version as part of the next step in our route to market.
Images
Video
Flat 49 Latymer Court, 149 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7JG, United Kingdom
Report Code: #2398758273
SHOT 3
FRONT LEFT CORNER
SHOT 2
FRONT RIGHT CORNER
SHOT 1
OVERVIEW
14:21
Greg Hamlet
Submit Report
Congratulations! The report has now been uploaded.
Thank you for your scouting! Your payment should be visible in your profile!
Home
Home
Images
Video
Flat 49 Latymer Court, 149 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7JG, United Kingdom
Report Code: #2398758273
SHOT 3
FRONT LEFT CORNER
SHOT 2
FRONT RIGHT CORNER
SHOT 1
OVERVIEW
14:21
Greg Hamlet
Submit Report
You are about to submit report #2398758273 for Flat 49 Latymer Court.
Ensure all necessary documents are uploaded before submitting your report!
Submit
Submit
Keep Editing
Images
Video
Flat 49 Latymer Court, 149 Hammersmith Road, London W6 7JG, United Kingdom
Report Code: #2398758273
SHOT 3
FRONT LEFT CORNER
SHOT 2
FRONT RIGHT CORNER
SHOT 1
OVERVIEW
14:21
Greg Hamlet
Submit Report
Submit Report
+
=
Fully Functional Pilot Test
Assumption 4
International renters will register genuine interest in House Scout channels.
Why is this important?
This assumption tests whether our international target users can be reached, and whether strangers who have never heard of us will take a deliberate action when they find us. If demand only exists within our personal network at Imperial the business cannot scale.
Methodology
Instagram Ads
Reel targeting Germany, Spain, UK, India and US targeted at people searching for rentals, studying abroad, or moving internationally. Run for 2 days tracked via UTM.
Group Chat
Sending a group chat messages on we chat to targeted group chats. Tracking sign ups and website traction (UTM)
Post targeting young professionals and people relocating internationally.
Campus Posters
QR code posters placed at Imperial College, King's College London, and UCL. Unique bit.ly UTM links per campus tracked to measure conversion.
In person Outreach
Direct conversations with students and professionals at Imperial events and common areas in addition to people interviewed.
Success Metrics
Register Interests from 3+ countries via at least 2 distinct channels, with evidence that some sign ups came from people outside our personal networks.
Overall Reach Across all Channels
58
Participents uniquesign up
10+
Countries Represented
111k
Instagram Impressions
843
Active Users
(Feb 28 - Mar 7)
1. Instagram Paid Campaign
We ran an Instagram ad campaign on our reel introducing House Scout, targeted towards the countries with high migration to the UK. The ad was also tailored to interests i.e jobs in London, Study abroad, Universities in the UK.
→
→
→
1,500
Site visits
2,752
Link clicks
111.1K
Total views
515 reactions 15 saves
6 shares 4 comments
14
Register Interests
(~0.65% conversion)
Insight 1 : India Was Our Largest untapped market
India generated the most engagement, with over 90,000 views on the reel and over 1,500 website visits. There was active engagement and genuine interest, as evidenced by comments and link clicks.
The demographic of the customers was 99% 18-24, indicating an international student or young professional profile.
International Group Chats - WeChat
We sent group chat messages on we chat for people moving to the UK. China is the Second largest coutry with the most migrants moving to the UK
47%
Engagement rate
72
Website Sessions
14
Register Interests
(~20% conversion)
Insight 2 : International Group Chat Generated Great Conversion
China is the second largest country to have educational migration to the UK. Group chats are in the search mindset to move, available on Facebook, Instagram and other international social media. The conversion rate generated for this channel was one of the highest.
LinkedIn Paid Boost - Target Moving Professional
6,021
Impressions
55
Link Clicks
0.9%
CTR vs 0.39% avg
2.3× benchmark
3.27%
Engagement rate
197 engagements
This ad ran for 2 days at £19. Professionals and students moving abroad were targeted for this category. The purpose of this ad was to generate leads on linkedin similar to a registration of interest. 55 Link clicks were registered by UTM and Framer web analytics.
Top Jobs
Target
Insight 3 : People aren't interested in Rentals on LinkedIn
Marketing Strategy may not have been correctly tailored for the LinkedIn market. The ads were expensive and no leads generated.
Campus Posters
10
Website Views
1
Register Interest
65
QR Scans
20
Website Views
7
Sign ups
Imperial - Tracked with bit.ly
KCL- Tracked with UTM
10%
Conversion Rate
35%
Conversion Rate
UCL
Imperial
KCL
Posters were put up across different campuses with QR Codes containing unique UTM or Bit.ly to track clicks and conversion rates. To target students abroad during holidays/ peak viewing seasons.
12
Website Views
1
Register Interest
UCL - Tracked with UTM
8.3%
Conversion Rate
Insight 4 : Speaking To People Is Important
Demo interviews and in-person explanations at Imperial generated our strongest signups. Deploying campus ambassadors and attending housing fairs will scale this engagement across universities.
14.6%
Engagement Rate
843
Engagement
2000+
Unique Visitors
India
Top 5 Countries
Engagement
United Kingdom
United States
Spain
Italy
Portugal, Ireland, China + 19 more countries
68.6%
15.3%
4.9%
2%
1.7%
Active Users By Country
Measuring & Tracking Evidence
Created a UTM tracking and general targeting database for all marketing targetted towards different international countries, campuses and other UK cities. Register Interests were tracked on both our Initial register Interest link (15 sign ups) and Our Website page (43 sign ups).
Web Analytics: Framer
Google Analytics: Tracking
See Sign Up Datasheet Here
5- In Person Outreach
Involved direct conversations with students, professionals and people in the surrounding local area and demonstrations of Website Report pages.
40+
people spoken to
18+
Register Interests attributed
We had 58 unique register interests across 10+ countries from 5 different channels. This confirms genuine interest from Internationals abroad.
Next Steps:
From the above insights and discussions we developed 3 key changes to our model, including Group Chats as a searcher acquisition method, campus ambassadors and International moving campaign.
Join other internationals moving Group chats, across social media.
Advertise on there, to make people aware of the remote search process.
International Group Chats
Create campus ambassadors Scout's across multiple cities/countries to represent Housescout.
Campus Ambassadors
Target high migrant countries moving to the Uk/ London with a Translation of landing pages to match.
International Moving Campaign
Assumption 5
HouseScout is a desirable job for gig economy workers and we can retain our Scouts
Why is this important?
The HouseScout business model relies on a network of scouts to attend viewings. We need to make sure the scout is a desirable position and we will not encounter any problems with hiring. Would people be willing to become a scout for supplementary income? How does the Scout job conditions compare to existing gig economy roles?
Methodology
We analysed existing gig-economy structures to identify their shortcomings and position HouseScout as the most attractive app by providing the best quality of life.
Gig-Economy Analysis
By visitng Universities, we targeted students with experience to gauge interest in a "local scout" role.
Campus Scout Acquisition
Success Metrics
We can offer a better quality of life and pay-effort ratio in comparison to other Gig-economy jobs.
We have the potential to retain scouts and ensure improving skills for future prospects.
Insight 1: HouseScout could be the most desirable Gig Job
Beyond attracting Scouts, HouseScout must retain them long-term. Our research validates that in comparison to other companies, HouseScout's model addresses core drivers of gig worker churn while offering superior conditions that promote sustained engagement.
Gig Economy Comparison Analysis
HOUSESCOUT
£14-£24
(per viewing)
45 mins
£126
Highly flexible. Optimal conditions if many viewings in the same area booked back to back.
Platform
Pay per ‘gig’
Average time for task
Average pay per 5 hour shift
Quality of life
Deliveroo
£3-£6
(per delivery)
30 mins
£45
Unreliable shifts, harsh traffic and weather conditions.
Taskrabbit
£40-£100
(per task)
1-6hrs
£100
Tasks often require specialist skills or expensive tools.
Uber
~£7
(per ride)
30 mins
£70
Unreliable shifts, harsh traffic conditions.
Brightsparks
£10 per hour -- event shift work
£50
Less flexible, requires specific events, long hours standing.
Insight 2: We can retain Scouts with a <20% Churn Rate
Beyond attracting Scouts, HouseScout must retain them long-term. Our research validates that in comparison to other companies, HouseScout's model addresses core drivers of gig worker churn while offering superior conditions that promote sustained engagement.
Insight: 3/5 of Students are keen to be Scouts
Reaching out to students at Imperial, UCL and KCL confirmed that students value the flexibility of fitting viewing requests if they have a flexible schedule and have a natural incentive to help others avoid the housing problems they have experienced themselves.
As a Scout, you can be highly flexible and have optimal conditions such as local area for earning money.
HouseScout offers Scouts £30-50/hr with opportunity to grow, transparent policies, and mission-driven work. Targeting <20% monthly churn vs the industry's 30-40%.
Next Steps
Acquisition/
Retention Pilot
Recruit 20-30 Scouts.
Track monthly cohort retention to confirm <20% churn target.
Validate Scout Quality
Target a specific borough with 10 Scouts to test quality and consistency. Measure improvement with each viewing.
Conversion Rates to HouseScout
Run Scout acquisition marketing towards gig workers and measure the conversion rate and where they come from.
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