How to Use OpenClaw for Tenant Screening — Automate Rental

Tenant screening is time-consuming and legally sensitive. OpenClaw helps you move fast without cutting corners — automating the communication flow while keeping you in control of the decisions.

Application Intake Automation

# In AGENTS.md
## Tenant Application Processing
When a rental application comes in:
1. Send acknowledgment email within 1 hour
2. Log to /workspace/tenants/applications/pending/
3. Send applicant their document checklist:
   - Government ID (front and back)
   - 2 months pay stubs or bank statements
   - Previous landlord contact
   - Signed background check authorization

Document Collection Follow-Up

openclaw cron add "0 10 * * *" --name tenant-followup \
  --task "Check /workspace/tenants/applications/pending/ for incomplete applications. For any missing docs after 48 hours, send a reminder. After 5 days with no response, move to stale/ and notify me."

Screening Criteria Config

// /workspace/tenants/screening-criteria.json
{
  "min_income_multiplier": 3,
  "min_credit_score": 620,
  "max_debt_to_income": 0.43,
  "eviction_history": "disqualifying",
  "criminal_lookback_years": 7,
  "required_employment_months": 6
}

Lease Generation

"Generate lease for approved applicant:
Unit: 123 Main St Apt 4B, Tenant: [name]
Lease: 2026-05-01 to 2027-04-30
Rent: $1,850/mo, Deposit: $1,850
Use template at /workspace/tenants/templates/standard-lease.md"

Rejection Communications

Adverse action notices have strict legal requirements — have your attorney review your template before deploying:

## Adverse Action Notices
When an application is denied:
1. Send adverse action notice within 3 business days
2. Use template at /workspace/tenants/templates/adverse-action.md
3. Include: reason for denial, credit bureau name if applicable
4. Log denial reason in screening-log.csv

For related automation, see the rental management guide.

The OpenClaw Playbook ($9.99) includes fair housing compliance notes and a complete tenant screening workflow template.