How to register for Rent Café

  1. Make sure you have your registration code. If you do not know your registration code, your property manager can provide it for you. 
  2. Go to portal.mphaonline.org. 
  3. Click “Resident Log In” and follow the on-screen instructions.
  4. If you do not have an email address, you will need to create one. Links to popular email provider websites can be found on the registration screen.
  5. Once you have registered and logged in to Rent Café, click on either the Payments tab or Payments card to review the online payment processing options.

  1. To make payments through Rent Café, you must first add a payment account (e.g. bank account, debit card, or credit card). Bank accounts must also go through a verification process before you will be able to make payments. This process involves making a small deposit into your account, which you then use the unique deposit amount to verify the account. The deposit can take between 1-3 business days before you will see it in your bank account.

  2. Note that if you choose to use a credit card, you will be charged a service fee by the credit card company. MPHA does not receive this fee, and it is non-refundable.

  1. Open the “Payment Accounts” tab and click the Add Bank Account button.
  2. To add a bank account, enter all your account information: Name on the account, routing number, and account number. Then Click Save.
  3. The bank information will be saved as pending until the verification deposit is placed in your account 1-3 business days later. You may now log out of Rent Café and wait for the deposit.
  4. Once you receive the deposit in your account, return to the Payment Accounts screen in Rent Café. Click the “Verify” link for your bank account.
  5. Enter in the deposit amount from your bank account and click Submit. If you need assistance locating the deposit, click the “Where do I find the deposit?” link.
  6. After submitting the correct deposit amount, your account is verified and can immediately be used to make payments.The Resident Portal restricts the number of verification attempts. If you exceed the number of permitted attempts, the bank account is locked and no longer displays in the Resident Portal. If this happens contact the Property Manager.

  1. Note that debit and credit cards will incur a service fee for each payment made with the account.
  2. Open the “Payment Accounts” tab. Click the Add Debit Card or Add Credit Card button.
  3. On the Yardi Card Services screen, enter all required information. Agree to the terms and conditions and hit Save.
  4. The card information will then be validated. If the card or billing information is incorrect, the credit card company will decline the card and it will not be added.
  5. Cards that are successfully added will appear under the Payment Accounts tab.

  1. On the Make Payments tab, select Pay Now.
  2. Enter the amount to pay for each transaction and select the payment account from the dropdown. Note the service fee if paying by debit or credit card. The total amount of the payment will appear at the bottom. Choose Next.
  3. Review the payment details and agree to the terms and conditions. If everything is correct, choose Submit Payment.
  4. Successful payments will result in a confirmation email and the payment summary will appear on the page.

  1. Select the Auto-pay Setup tab.

  2. Please be aware that balances due may change from month to month. As a result, if you choose fixed monthly charges, your full balance may not be covered. Selecting Variable Monthly Charges would permit your payment amount to change to the balance due without further action from you.
  3. Variable Monthly Charges can be set up to pay select types of charges automatically. To do this, fill out the lines/information for each type of charge you would like to pay automatically (e.g. rent, electricity, water, sales & service, etc.).
    1. Auto-Pay Account – Choose from available payment accounts. Note that there is a service fee for credit card payments.
    2. Start Date – Recurring payments will be debited on the 5th of each month following this date. Must choose a future date.
    3. End date – Choose an end date or set the recurring payment end date to “Until I Cancel.”
    4. Pay on Day – Set to 5th.
    5. Payment Percent – Set to 100%.
    6. Max Pay Amount – Choose a maximum amount per charge type. Choose $0 to not set a max amount. If you set a max amount and then your rent amount changes to exceed the max amount, you will need to update your auto-pay settings.
  4. Choose Next. If there are no errors, a confirmation pop up will appear. Review the recurring payment details and agree to the terms and conditions. If everything is correct, choose Set Up Auto Pay.
  5. Successful setup will result in a confirmation email and a summary will appear on the page indicating the first payment date. It is recommended to pay any outstanding balances prior to the first payment date by using a one-time payment. This is because if you enrolled in Variable Monthly Charges and do not pay outstanding balances with a one-time payment, the first recurring payment will pay the full outstanding balance.
  6. When the confirmation pop-up is closed, the newly scheduled Auto-Pay will appear on the Auto-Pay Setup tab. You may edit or delete existing setups at any time.

  1. Choose the Recent Activity tab. You will see all transactions for your account for the last six months. If you have questions about your account activity, please contact your property manager.