It’s increasingly rare, but there are still those residents that prefer to pay rent by paper check because they “like the old-fashioned way.” The 2024 NMHC/Grace Hill Renter Preferences Survey found that 97% of renters prefer online payments for rent. That leaves roughly 3% who don’t — a small share that can take up a disproportionate amount of your time.
The question isn’t whether digital payments are the future (or now). It’s how to manage the gap efficiently while you close it.
This guide covers ways to handle non-digital payers without creating more work. Get proven strategies for moving your portfolio toward higher online payment adoption over time.
Key takeaways
- Clear payment options and late fees can prevent problems down the road
- Most resident hesitation comes from a short list of predictable issues
- Unbanked residents can pay cash at 24,000 retail locations through PayNearMe
- Introducing the resident portal at move-in drives higher adoption than introducing it later
- CHECKscan accepts paper checks without adding manual reconciliation work
- Belmont Properties reached 98% digital adoption across 2,200 affordable housing units by making setup a community event
Eliminate the fee barrier with $0 ACH payments
One of the most common reasons residents hesitate about online rent payments is the assumption they’ll be charged a transaction fee. The 2024 NMHC/Grace Hill Renter Preferences Survey found that 71% of renters rate fee-free digital payments as “very important” or “absolutely essential” to their financial wellbeing.
This makes zero-fee payments one of the highest-ranked financial factors in the survey.
What Breeze clients can do
Yardi Breeze charges $0 ACH fees for online rent payments, ending the concern for good before the conversation starts. If you’re a Breeze client, make sure your team communicates this clearly during onboarding and any time the topic comes up. A single line in your welcome materials can eliminate one of the most common objections immediately.
While ACH payments for Breeze clients are free, credit card payments typically carry a processing fee (usually 2.5–3%) passed to the resident. Some residents prefer this option to earn rewards points or manage cash flow timing.
Reassure renters about online rent payment security
Some residents avoid online payments because they’re worried about fraud, data breaches, or sharing banking information. These concerns are legitimate, so offer these renters peace of mind.
What Breeze clients can do
If you’re a Yardi Breeze client, let them know Breeze uses bank-level encryption and PCI-compliant payment processing. These are the same security standards banks and major retailers use to protect financial data. Linking an account for payment only allows funds to transfer when the resident manually authorizes a transaction. The management team cannot withdraw money from their account.
Consider adding a simple FAQ to your resident portal or welcome packet along the lines of, “Is it safe to pay rent online?” Include a straightforward answer covering encryption, secure servers and automatic payment confirmation emails.
When residents understand what’s actually protecting their information, they’re far more likely to give online payments a try.
Handle common objections with ease
Beyond security, resistance usually comes down to a handful of predictable concerns. Each one has a direct response.
| What residents say | What’s really behind it | How to respond |
| “I’m worried about security.” | Fear of fraud, data breaches or unauthorized bank access | Yardi Breeze uses bank-level encryption and PCI-compliant processing. Linking an account only authorizes payments the resident initiates. The management team cannot withdraw funds. |
| “I don’t want autopay.” | Fear of overdrafts or losing control over timing | Autopay is entirely optional. Residents can make one-time manual payments each month through the resident portal with full control over the date and amount. |
| “I need proof that I paid.” | Distrust of digital records; habit of keeping paper receipts | Every online payment generates an automatic email confirmation and a permanent digital record in the resident portal. This is harder to lose than a paper receipt or cancelled check. |
| “I don’t have online banking.” | Unbanked or underbanked status | You don’t need a bank account to pay rent. Retail cash payment services like PayNearMe let residents pay in cash at over 24,000 locations (e.g., Walgreens, Walmart, 7-Eleven). |
| “I’ve always paid by check.” | Habit of paying with paper | Use CHECKscan in the short term. Introduce the resident portal and online maintenance requests or community communications before making online rent payments the ask. Familiarity reduces friction. |
Equip your leasing team with the right words
Onsite staff are the ones fielding questions during tours, lease signings and move-ins. Train them on a few talking points they can use when a resident or prospect doesn’t want to pay rent online.
Here are some scripts they can use in the face of tricky resident questions.
- “Online rent payments by ACH through the portal are completely free. There are no ACH transaction fees.”
- “You can set it up once as a recurring payment or log in and pay manually each month.”
- “Our system uses the same encryption used by banking institutions. You’ll receive a confirmation email every time a payment posts.”
- “If you ever want help setting up online payments, we can walk you through it. It will only take five minutes.”
Support unbanked & cash-preferred residents
A 2023 FDIC survey found that 5.6 million U.S. households are unbanked. In affordable housing portfolios, that number is often higher. These residents can’t pay via ACH or credit card, but that doesn’t mean they’re out of options or stuck with money orders.
Retail cash payment services like PayNearMe allow residents to pay rent in cash at over 24,000 locations including Walgreens, Walmart, 7-Eleven.
Here’s how it works. The resident receives a barcode on their phone, pays cash at the register, and the payment posts automatically to your system. For property managers, this eliminates the hassle of dealing with money orders or cash payments and helps keep the workflow fully digital.
Let residents split rent payments
Many residents welcome the ability to split rent payments into two installments to better meet their monthly cash flow. That’s why RentCafe Flexible Rent is a win-win for property managers and residents. Property managers get paid in full and on time at no additional cost. Renters get an easy, affordable way to start or improve their credit history and avoid late or no payment fees.
If it’s available at their property, they simply need to access the RentCafe resident portal to sign up.
Introduce the resident portal on day one
The earlier residents see the portal as standard practice, the more normal it becomes. Include online payment setup in your welcome materials and walk new residents through the portal during their first interaction.
💡 Breeze tip: During first-day activation, give residents a link to our RentCafe Resident App Guide.
When to introduce autopay for online rent payments
Autopay eliminates late fees, reduces the resident’s mental load and gives you more predictable cash flow. However, waiting until hesitant residents are paying online before encouraging them to set up automatic payments helps ensure future success.
Frame autopay as a time-saver in your resident communications. It also solves one of the most common causes of late payments: residents simply forgetting. Your on-time collection rate will improve, and you’ll spend less time chasing down late payments.
Try simple incentives to encourage online payments
Incentive programs work. Properties that have run autopay enrollment contests or early-payment discounts — $25 off if paid by the first of the month — have seen digital adoption climb. Quarterly raffles and lease renewal perks tied to portal engagement are also worth testing. Even modest incentives can move the needle.
Celebrate online payment milestones with your team
When you hit a new adoption benchmark, such as 75% online payment adoption, share it with your team. Progress is motivating, and recognizing the team’s role in driving adoption reinforces the priority.
Real-world proof: How Belmont Properties reached 98% digital adoption
Belmont Properties is a Yardi Breeze Premier client managing approximately 2,200 affordable housing units across Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. They report that 98% of their residents use RentCafe Affordable Housing. That’s exceptional in affordable housing, where tech hesitancy tends to run higher.
How they did it
Belmont made adoption a community event. They hosted what they called a “RentCafe Rally,” bringing residents and onsite staff together for setup assistance and live demonstrations. They added prizes, friendly competition and themed events to build genuine excitement on both sides.
“We created excitement not only in our office but with residents as well. Making it fun benefits everyone,” said Cody Adams, COO of Belmont Properties.
The lesson isn’t that every property needs to host an event. It’s that intentional, resident-facing effort produces real results. Whether you host a rally, script a five-minute portal walkthrough at every lease signing or simply make free ACH rent payments a prominent message in your welcome packet, consistent attention to adoption compounds over time.
Accept paper checks without adding to your workload
Some residents will insist on paying by check. With Breeze Premier, clients have the option to scan checks via the Breeze Premier CHECKscan mobile app for a nominal fee per check. Breeze Premier users can also implement Yardi CHECKscan Full Service, where Yardi scans your paper checks for you and automatically deposits them into your account. Enjoy next-day payment transfers with no manual data entry, no reconciliation headaches, no trips to the bank.
CHECKscan supports residents who aren’t ready to adopt online payments while allowing you to focus on more important activities like leasing and customer service.
Quick reference: Toolkit for offline rent payers
| Situation | Solution | Next step |
| Resident insists on paying by check | Full Service CHECKscan | Contact your Yardi rep to enable |
| Resident thinks online rent payment costs extra | $0 ACH fee rent payments | Add to lease signing script and welcome materials |
| Resident is worried about security | PCI-compliant, bank-level encryption | Add a simple FAQ to your resident portal or welcome packet |
| Resident is unbanked or cash-preferred | Retail cash payment via PayNearMe | Ask your Yardi rep about availability in Breeze |
| Low portfolio-wide ACH adoption | Automated reminders plus portal walkthrough at move-in | Enable reminders in Breeze; build portal setup into lease signing |
The bottom line
Residents who don’t want to pay online are giving you an opportunity to demonstrate flexibility while still protecting your efficiency.
For an easy fix, check out CHECKscan to help you handle check payments seamlessly. And remind residents that ACH rent payments are free with Yardi. Just be sure to address their security concerns directly.
And stay positive! Sometimes, online payment adoption takes little nudges over time.
