Home rental app Flatchat to launch in Singapore on November 7

Flatchat decided to launch in Singapore because of the country's student and expat population

Flatchat, the home rentals and roommate-finder app, will go international and officially launch its app on November 7 in Singapore. The beta version of the app, available on an invite-only platform, is already operational in the country.

Launched in 2014 by Gaurav Munjal and Hemesh Singh, Flatchat connects renters with home owners and potential flat-mates. Currently, Flatchat has a user base of more than 150,000 in India.

"After three months of research, we decided that Singapore was our best bet as it is part of a developed market. Unlike, the US or UK, we can get a free entry, without competition, into the city. The fact that the mobile penetration is this high will obviously help us," said Sachin head of operations, Flatchat.

The start-up was also enticed by the considerable student and expat population, who look purely at the rental market for accommodation. "We do not intend to spend too much on marketing either. Reaching out to our consumers online will be our primary focus," he added.

The company insisted that they will not be making any significant hires, despite expansion plans. Sources said that Flatchat is looking to expand to three more cities (outside India) by the end of FY16.The company raised $2.5 million from CommonFloor in June, and used the funds for strengthening their team and upgrading technology.