Would you use AI to screen tenants instantly?

Question

Hey landlords 👋

I’m working on a tool that lets you screen tenants using AI — no more chasing paystubs or reviewing every app manually. You set the rules, and it returns an instant pass/fail result.

I’m testing if this is something landlords would actually use — not trying to sell anything yet.

Would a tool like this be helpful in your rental process?
Why or why not?

Thanks in advance — any honest feedback is appreciated 🙏

Greg M. · Answer

Nope. I find most of this "AI" tech to be nothing but garbage. It regurgitates what others have said. They are easy to manipulate and can't tell facts from opinion.

Is your program going to be able to tell a fake paystub? Call a prior landlord? See a pattern in the credit reports?

At this point, I'll pass.

Tim Delaney · Answer

If it was good I'd use it for an initial scan, but wouldn't rely on it solely. With all the free tools out there you'd have to also be willing to practically give it away to get traction.

I'd also be wary of states starting to regulate this - there are already some lawsuits against rental pricing software.

Drew Sygit · Answer

We actually consulted for a company in Chicago that developed an "automated" application screening product, which is now on the market.

Very confused about your post as you are asking a baseless question - due to the fact you are providing zero information about how your tool will work.

"No more chasing paystubs" can only mean you're going to try to connect to applicant bank accounts (via Plaid?) to deduce income.

There are already multiple automated review tools available - how will yours be different?

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

No way. Call me old-fashioned (I am) but I want a human eyes and brain on something as important as this......

Mackaylee Beach · Answer

It could serve as a "pre-screening" tool, but I wouldn't rely on it entirely. Tenant screening is crucial. Ensuring you have a comprehensive understanding of a potential tenant's background, financial stability, and rental history is vital for making informed decisions.

Alexey Sednev · Answer

Simple pass/fail seems attractive, but in reality it's not that useful. AI tool will only be valuable if it can clearly lay out the decision making process, factors it considered, factors it disqualified, etc.

Renting a property is too big of a decision to boil down to a simple pass/fail from a miraculous AI. Why should anyone trust its judgement call?

Chris Seveney · Answer

There is software out there like ocrulus which does this. Also you could look into using AI to scan the web to provide a report on that person along with public record searches as well to get a better idea of the tenant.

Peter Mckernan · Answer

No, this is something that could cause significant financial damage to your finances. I would be doing this on my own, with some AI help. For example, you can upload a credit report and prompt it to give you some of the stuff you are looking for in the report.

"How many times has this person be late on paying bills?" "What is the amount of revolving debt do they have?" Then I would double-check the work. This is where a lot of people get things wrong, they ask it a question, then do not double-check the work. You need to double-check all the work that any AI platform you are using.

Jonathan Klemm · Answer

For sure, at some point, but it would need to be audited, just like any AI currently needs to be, because this isprobably the most important task of any landlord - How would it spot scams and other crazy stuff tenants try to pull?

I've seen fake id's, false names, etc. here in Chicago.

@Jacob Cannon

Bill Le · Answer

As a property manager, we like to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to tenant screening. There are definitely some exciting tools in development, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to the quality of the information you’re working with.

An AI-based screening tool is only as good as the data it has access to. If it’s missing key details, it won’t be as effective as another platform that digs deeper—even if it doesn’t use AI. For instance, I personally find Zillow applications pretty lacking because they don’t pull the kind of comprehensive info we need to make informed decisions.

It’s also important to remember that tenant screening isn’t always black and white. There’s a lot of nuance involved, especially if you're working with LIHTC or Section 8 housing, where you really need to understand how to navigate the grey areas.

Would you use AI to screen tenants instantly?

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