August 5, 2020

Paying Rent Online? Here’s One Amazing Benefit

We’ve all got a mental checklist of things we want to be better at: paying rent on time, drinking more water, sending birthday texts to friends, and trying to boost our credit score. We may not be able to help you with drinking water or remembering your friends’ birthdays, but what if we told you that paying rent online can actually help you boost your credit score?

When you pay rent online at Avignon Apartments, your payments get reported to credit bureaus, which shows them that you are responsible with your money. And if you pay your rent with a credit card, that may boost your score even more! Here’s how it works.

Pay Online to Have Your Payments Reported

It takes more than just paying rent to build credit. As Bev O’Shea at NerdWallet explains , “Simply paying your rent will not help you build credit. But reporting your rent payments can help you build credit—especially if you are new to credit or do not have a lot of experience using it.”

At Avignon Apartment Homes, we make it easy for you. Our online rental payment system reports information to the credit bureaus. So when you pay through the portal, credit bureaus receive a record of your on-time rental payments, which contributes to your good credit. In order to opt-in for the credit reporting, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to your account through the resident portal and click on “Make a Payment Now.”
  2. Select “Build your credit history by opting in to credit reporting.”
  3. Enter your information in the credit reporting fields. Be sure to select “yes” for month-to-month lease if you have one, or select “no” and a lease end date.

Show Credit Bureaus That You’re Responsible

Once your rent payments are reported to the credit bureaus, how do they affect your credit score? Here is what your credit score is made of :

  • Your payment history
  • Your credit utilization
  • What types of accounts you have
  • New credit requests
  • Credit history length

Paying rent online allows those payments to become part of your history. And the longer you pay online and on time, the better. How much better?

One survey of New York City renters found that 76 percent  “of those tenants would see their credit scores improve if their rental payments were included. . . . Getting credit for on-time rent payments not only affects your credit score but can actually have a profound, positive impact.”

Pay with a Credit Card to Boost Your Score Even More

Have you ever gotten a credit card to pay for one specific thing, like gas? You could try the same thing for paying rent!

“Open a credit card and use it to pay your rent . . . then pay your credit card balance in full each month,” says LaToya Irby, credit expert for The Balance. “The timely credit card payments will help boost your credit score.”

Whether you pay with a credit card or not is completely up to you, but it can help boost your score even more than just paying rent online by itself.

Head over to the resident portal to check out our online payment system. As you pay your rent online, your payments will be reported to credit bureaus, showing them exactly what they are looking for. And if you pay with a credit card, you may increase your score even more. Give it a try next time rent is due!

Improve Your VIP Experience: Flexible Ways to Pay Rent and Build Credit at Avignon

April 15, 2026
At  Avignon Apartments  , we are committed to providing our VIPs with the best tools to manage their apartment homes effortlessly. We want to highlight the various ways you can handle your monthly rent, including some exciting benefits that help you build your financial future just by living with us. 1. The AppFolio Resident Portal App The easiest way to manage your living experience is through the AppFolio app. It is a one-stop shop for your most frequent needs: Convenient Payments: Set up one-time or automatic payments using a bank account (e-check), credit card, or debit card. Split Payments with Flex: We have integrated Flex directly into your AppFolio app. This service allows you to split your rent into two payments throughout the month. Flex pays your rent to us in full and on time, while you pay them back on a schedule that fits your cash flow. Full Transparency: View your current balance, previous statements, and full payment history anytime. 2. Build Your Credit for Free with Pinata Your consistent rent payments should work for you. We are proud to offer Free Positive Rent Payment Reporting to major credit bureaus through our partner, Pinata. How it works: You will receive an email invitation from Pinata to sign up for this service. Once you are enrolled, your on-time payments are reported to the credit bureaus. The Benefit: This helps you build your credit score over time without any extra cost. It is our way of rewarding your reliability and helping you reach your long-term financial goals. (Please note: we do not utilize any resident reward or marketplace features through Pinata; this service is strictly for your credit reporting benefit.) 3. More Ways the App Helps You Beyond payments, the AppFolio app remains your primary tool for staying connected with our Fullerton community. You can: Submit Maintenance Requests: Easily upload photos and descriptions of any needed repairs. Manage Renter's Insurance: Access your policy or update your provider details. Stay Informed: Contact the office via text or phone, update your contact preferences, and access your lease documents. At  Avignon Apartments  , we treat every resident like a VIP. Whether you are looking for more flexibility with Flex or looking to boost your credit score through Pinata, we are here to support your lifestyle.
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