The verdict in three sentences
For a housing association managing 6,000 homes in Dublin, a custom tenant portal costs between 60,000 and 150,000 EUR, including the link to the housing management system. The item that moves the bill most is integration with platforms such as Aareon, often 25 to 35 % of the budget, followed by WCAG accessibility compliance. Delivered in 5 to 8 months, the portal cuts calls to the contact centre by about 30 %.
What a tenant portal includes and what it costs
Tenants expect three core uses: report a repair, track it and pay their rent. Everything else is a bonus.
| Module | Features | Indicative 2026 price |
|---|---|---|
| Core, accounts and login | sign-up with tenancy number, optional government ID login | 12,000 to 25,000 EUR |
| Repair requests | guided form, photos, appointment slot | 10,000 to 25,000 EUR |
| Ticket tracking | real-time status, SMS and email alerts, satisfaction | 8,000 to 20,000 EUR |
| Rent payment | card, SEPA direct debit, history, statements | 8,000 to 18,000 EUR |
| Housing system connector (Aareon and similar) | sync of tenancies, receipts, work orders | 15,000 to 45,000 EUR |
| WCAG accessibility and audit | level AA compliance, accessibility statement | 5,000 to 12,000 EUR |
| Document area | receipts, certificates, tenancy rules | 2,000 to 5,000 EUR |
A minimal scope with repairs, tracking and payment starts around 60,000 EUR. With two-way sync of work orders and contractors, the budget rises to 120,000 to 150,000 EUR.
Custom or vendor module: comparison
Housing system vendors offer their own tenant extranets. They install faster but leave little room on user experience and accessibility.
| Criterion | Vendor extranet | Custom portal |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 25,000 to 60,000 EUR | 60,000 to 150,000 EUR |
| Annual licence | 1 to 3 EUR per home, i.e. 6,000 to 18,000 EUR | 0 EUR, maintenance 10,000 to 20,000 EUR a year |
| Journey customisation | limited to settings | full |
| WCAG level AA | variable, often partial | contractually guaranteed |
| Mobile app (PWA) | rarely included | included |
| Contractor integration | no | possible (work orders, photos) |
| Timeline | 3 to 4 months | 5 to 8 months |
Over five years, with 6,000 homes, the total cost gap shrinks to 20,000 to 40,000 EUR, while the custom route gives full control over journeys and accessibility.
The 5 to 8 month plan
| Phase | Duration | Watch point |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping, tenant workshops | 4 to 6 weeks | include older and disabled tenants |
| Mockups and accessibility testing | 4 weeks | contrast, keyboard navigation, screen readers |
| Housing system connector | 6 to 10 weeks | negotiate vendor API access early |
| Module development | 8 to 12 weeks | in parallel with the connector |
| Pilot on 500 homes | 4 weeks | measure adoption |
| Full rollout | 2 to 4 weeks | letters, posters, SMS |
Mini case study
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Siobhan, head of customer services at a Dublin housing association with 6,000 homes, handles 42,000 calls a year. The fully loaded cost of a handled call is estimated at 6 EUR, or 252,000 EUR a year. The portal, quoted at 110,000 EUR with an Aareon connector and WCAG audit, targets 30 % fewer calls, i.e. 12,600 calls and 75,600 EUR saved every year. Maintenance costs 15,000 EUR a year, giving a net gain of 60,600 EUR. Online payment also cuts rent arrears by 2 points, easing the load on the arrears team. Payback comes in just under two years.
FAQ
What budget for a tenant portal covering 6,000 homes?
Allow 60,000 EUR for a minimal scope and up to 150,000 EUR with a full housing system connector. Annual maintenance sits between 10,000 and 20,000 EUR.
Is WCAG accessibility mandatory for a housing association?
Public sector bodies fall under the EU Web Accessibility Directive, and many approved housing bodies are expected to follow it. The audit and remediation cost 5,000 to 12,000 EUR and protect you from complaints and reputational risk.
How do you connect to Aareon or similar systems?
Vendors expose APIs or scheduled exports, sometimes for a fee. Access must be negotiated at scoping because it drives 6 to 10 weeks of development.
What adoption rate can we expect?
After one year, 35 to 50 % of households use a well-promoted portal. An SMS with an activation link and in-office support speed up adoption noticeably.
Is online rent payment secure?
Yes, it runs through a PCI DSS certified payment provider and SEPA direct debit. No card data is stored in the portal.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your stock size, housing system and priority uses: we will price the tenant portal with an indicative budget and a 5 to 8 month plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
