Uczciwe opłaty - Platform for comparing housing costs

The system is designed to help users analyze property-related expenses by comparing them with regional averages, identifying areas of overpayment, and generating personalized savings reports.
This project responds to a growing public demand for greater transparency and smarter management of housing costs, including utilities, renovation funds, and administrative fees.

Challenge

The main goal was to develop a comprehensive, scalable, and user-friendly tool capable of:

• Accurately comparing the cost of maintaining residential properties across different regions of Poland
• Analyzing fee structures to highlight potential savings
• Handling thousands of diverse data inputs efficiently
• Ensuring full compliance with data protection regulations (GDPR)

Some of the most significant challenges included designing a complex, multi-step form, managing a vast array of cost components, ensuring accurate geographic mapping, and building a platform that could scale effectively while maintaining robust security.

Solution

The Boring Owl team designed and implemented a modern application architecture focused on user experience, high performance, and strong security.

• Frontend: Next.js 15 with TypeScript and Tailwind CSS, using the shadcn/ui component library to deliver a responsive, modern user interface
• Backend: Strapi 4 CMS with Node.js, providing a flexible content and data management system
• Database: PostgreSQL/SQLite with optimized queries and relational data handling
• DevOps: Docker, CI/CD pipelines via GitHub Actions, hosted on DigitalOcean
• Integrations

  • Google Maps API – for address autocompletion and geolocation
  • Google Sheets API – automated data exports every 30 minutes for external analysis
  • Nodemailer (SMTP) – email notification system

Key Features

• Advanced multi-step form

  • Automatic data saving between steps
  • Dynamic validation and seamless navigation between steps without data loss
  • Selection of location, property manager, building type, and cost components
• Comparison & analysis engine

  • Generates comparative reports based on regional data
  • Offers savings suggestions and flags potential overpayments
• Location management

  • Comprehensive database of towns and cities with administrative divisions
  • Smart suggestions and autocompletion for user inputs
• Dashboard & educational blog

  • Key platform metrics visualized for users
  • Clear comparisons of property expenses “with us” vs. “without us”
  • Educational content on managing housing costs
• Data security

  • Secured APIs with thorough data validation and sanitization
  • Full GDPR compliance with clear consent management for users

Results

• Business Metrics

  • Over 1,700 properties added
  • 1,000+ users completed the cost analysis form
  • Data collected from 72 cities across Poland
  • Average annual savings of 1,200 PLN per household
  • 95% of users reported a better understanding of their billing structure
• User benefits

  • Clear and actionable comparative reports
  • Tools to support negotiations with property managers
  • Educational resources explaining fee components and cost structure
• Operational impact

  • Automated data exports streamline external analysis
  • Significant error reduction thanks to validation and user-friendly interface
  • High user retention enabled by the ability to return and complete forms at any time

Summary

Uczciwe opłaty is a prime example of how modern technology can address real social challenges. By combining thoughtful system architecture, smart UX design, and robust third-party integrations, the platform helps Polish residents confront rising housing costs. The project not only boosts awareness but also delivers tangible savings - laying the groundwork for future developments in housing analytics and cost optimization.