Passwordless update sacrifices usability
The passwordless update sends a 6 digit code to your email address. Yardi has not taken into account their audience. The average age of the residents at my facility is 84. It’s a major accomplishment for an 84 year old to even attempt to use an app on a phone or iPad. The previous password version recognized face-id and touch-id to bypass the password. This update recognizes face-ID and touch-ID, then asks for your email address to send the code to anyway. The password version had the capability to remember the email address. This version only has the Remember Me option on some units. It looks to me like on my IPhone 16 Pro, it gives me the Remember Me option, then immediately hides it under the Next button, so you never get the chance to set the option. Many of our users don’t want to mess with the app if they have to type in their email address every time. With 84 year olds, dexterity becomes a major issue. Some users get the option to send the code to their phone. I think that works on about 50% of our users devices. Again I don’t have that option on my IPhone 16 Pro. It is identified as a mobile device in the RentCafe master database. I have no problem getting a code on my phone for other apps. Trying to explain to senior residents how to switch to their email app, get the code and get back to the Senior Resident app, becomes a major problem. We are losing a lot of previous users of the app due to the loss of user friendliness in the current version. The app works pretty well once you get access, but many users give up before they get that far.
Update:
The latest update helps the usability a lot. I was very pleased to see the Remember Me option to remember the email address login is now working again. Having to retype their email address every time residents logged into the app caused many residents to quit using the app. I’d still like to see the phone option working on all phones. I don’t have that option on an Iphone 16 Pro and the phone option works for all other apps that I have with a phone option for sending a code. There are still too many steps for a senior resident to log in. I had to prepare step by step instructions with screenshots just to show people the easiest way to log in. Pulling the code out of the code email and putting it at the top of the keyboard for one click to enter the code on an Iphone also helps, but that process is more reliable with the phone option. I’d still like to see Face Recognition or Touch-ID bypassing the code process like it did with the password version, which made it very easy for a senior to login reliably.
Update:
The latest update helps the usability a lot. I was very pleased to see the Remember Me option to remember the email address login is now working again. Having to retype their email address every time residents logged into the app caused many residents to quit using the app. I’d still like to see the phone option working on all phones. I don’t have that option on an Iphone 16 Pro and the phone option works for all other apps that I have with a phone option for sending a code. There are still too many steps for a senior resident to log in. I had to prepare step by step instructions with screenshots just to show people the easiest way to log in. Pulling the code out of the code email and putting it at the top of the keyboard for one click to enter the code on an Iphone also helps, but that process is more reliable with the phone option. I’d still like to see Face Recognition or Touch-ID bypassing the code process like it did with the password version, which made it very easy for a senior to login reliably.
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Horrible app
Account creation is painful.
Once you have an account the app signs you out frequently so every time you open the app you must log in again! The app doesn’t allow a username/password combo and doesn’t support passkeys so you’re left with the slow and annoying otop code to email option. I tried the Sign in with Apple option but it said the email address doesn’t match even though my AppleID is using the same email as I use in the app.
Once you login I’ve had problems where the Events Calendar randomly isn’t visible.
I’m not a senior and work in IT. If I have this much frustration with an app designed to be used my seniors I can’t imagine it gets used much.
Once you have an account the app signs you out frequently so every time you open the app you must log in again! The app doesn’t allow a username/password combo and doesn’t support passkeys so you’re left with the slow and annoying otop code to email option. I tried the Sign in with Apple option but it said the email address doesn’t match even though my AppleID is using the same email as I use in the app.
Once you login I’ve had problems where the Events Calendar randomly isn’t visible.
I’m not a senior and work in IT. If I have this much frustration with an app designed to be used my seniors I can’t imagine it gets used much.
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app does not work
I made multiple attempts to log in using correct credentials, reset passwords, and even tried different devices and browsers—nothing worked. I contacted the developer, who redirected me to the property. The property then informed me that none of the residents’ family members are able to log in or use the app either, so this appears to be a widespread issue, not user error.
This app is essentially unusable. There is no functional access, no resolution, and no accountability between the developer and the property. Completely ineffective and frustrating.
This app is essentially unusable. There is no functional access, no resolution, and no accountability between the developer and the property. Completely ineffective and frustrating.
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Junk
Errors, errors, errors. First of all it is for seniors so why isn’t there an iPad version.
All I get is errors. It says to enter mobile number for ease of sign in. I enter and save; error. Setup biometrics; says successful then doesn’t sign me in, but takes me back to email sign in. So bored these days with no quality control before release. Don’t bother!
All I get is errors. It says to enter mobile number for ease of sign in. I enter and save; error. Setup biometrics; says successful then doesn’t sign me in, but takes me back to email sign in. So bored these days with no quality control before release. Don’t bother!
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Payment issues
I have an IPhone 16. When in try to pay an invoice the Pay button is cutoff at the bottom of the screen, so it doesn’t allow me to complete the transaction. Additionally it loads through the screens very slowly.
Passwordless update sacrifices usability
The passwordless update sends a 6 digit code to your email address. Yardi has not taken into account their audience. The average age of the residents at my facility is 84. It’s a major accomplishment for an 84 year old to even attempt to use an app on a phone or iPad. The previous password version recognized face-id and touch-id to bypass the password. This update recognizes face-ID and touch-ID, then asks for your email address to send the code to anyway. The password version had the capability to remember the email address. This version only has the Remember Me option on some units. It looks to me like on my IPhone 16 Pro, it gives me the Remember Me option, then immediately hides it under the Next button, so you never get the chance to set the option. Many of our users don’t want to mess with the app if they have to type in their email address every time. With 84 year olds, dexterity becomes a major issue. Some users get the option to send the code to their phone. I think that works on about 50% of our users devices. Again I don’t have that option on my IPhone 16 Pro. It is identified as a mobile device in the RentCafe master database. I have no problem getting a code on my phone for other apps. Trying to explain to senior residents how to switch to their email app, get the code and get back to the Senior Resident app, becomes a major problem. We are losing a lot of previous users of the app due to the loss of user friendliness in the current version. The app works pretty well once you get access, but many users give up before they get that far.
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Rent Cafe Senior Living iOS App Vulnerabilities
I downloaded the Rent Cafe Senior Living app from the Apple app store. I can log into it. Significant observations:
1. It saves my password, but not to my keychain or to any other password autofill service on my device, it appears to be saved in the app.
2. The app underlines misspelled words in the password (spellcheck should not be checking password fields, app developer is responsible).
3. The app is not present in any of my Settings menus on my device which is a problem because those settings menus on the device is how a user manages the permissions granted to the app. This is a problem because a user needs the ability to modify the permissions granted to the app. I would never put this application on my father’s phone. Vulnerable software does not belong on the devices of vulnerable people, the elder generation is very vulnerable to cyber crime.
Update per developer response: per the explanation from the developer it appears that the permissions may not have been requested by the app due to the login password issue as I had logged into the app and used it, the permissions should have been requested along the use pathways. Nonetheless, I am glad to hear the issue was finally addressed by Yardi after I notified my father’s property management company, RentCafe, Yardi, and wrote this app review 8 months ago. It wasn’t until I had some face to face time with one of the members of the property management firm who then escalated it within their company and back to Yardi that the issue was addressed. Seniors deserve security and privacy as much as the younger “iPhone generation”; more so in some ways. I’m still not trusting Yardi’s apps and software for seniors on my father’s devices.
1. It saves my password, but not to my keychain or to any other password autofill service on my device, it appears to be saved in the app.
2. The app underlines misspelled words in the password (spellcheck should not be checking password fields, app developer is responsible).
3. The app is not present in any of my Settings menus on my device which is a problem because those settings menus on the device is how a user manages the permissions granted to the app. This is a problem because a user needs the ability to modify the permissions granted to the app. I would never put this application on my father’s phone. Vulnerable software does not belong on the devices of vulnerable people, the elder generation is very vulnerable to cyber crime.
Update per developer response: per the explanation from the developer it appears that the permissions may not have been requested by the app due to the login password issue as I had logged into the app and used it, the permissions should have been requested along the use pathways. Nonetheless, I am glad to hear the issue was finally addressed by Yardi after I notified my father’s property management company, RentCafe, Yardi, and wrote this app review 8 months ago. It wasn’t until I had some face to face time with one of the members of the property management firm who then escalated it within their company and back to Yardi that the issue was addressed. Seniors deserve security and privacy as much as the younger “iPhone generation”; more so in some ways. I’m still not trusting Yardi’s apps and software for seniors on my father’s devices.
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Response from developer
Thank you for sharing your concerns. We have addressed the feedback regarding the password field in the latest release. Regarding the mobile device permissions, we found the permissions behavior to be working as expected. Initially when apps are downloaded, they have a minimal set of permissions, and the app is listed in a minimal set of mobile device privacy/permissions screens. As an app gets used, and additional permissions get enabled (by the app user within the app), it is that point that the app becomes listed as an additional app that can be controlled by the mobile device privacy/permission control screens. For our app, the initial permissions are Cellular Data (On) Siri & Search (Off). Optional permissions that can be enabled within the app (and controlled from the mobile device thereafter), currently include Photos, and Microphone. These permissions are presented to the user if they desire to include a photo or voice memo along with their written maintenance request ticket.
Rent Cafe Senior Living iOS App Vulnerabilities
I downloaded the Rent Cafe Senior Living app from the Apple app store. I can log into it. Significant observations:
1. It saves my password, but not to my keychain or to any other password autofill service on my device, it appears to be saved in the app.
2. The app underlines misspelled words in the password (spellcheck should not be checking password fields, app developer is responsible).
3. The app is not present in any of my Settings menus on my device which is a problem because those settings menus on the device is how a user manages the permissions granted to the app. This is a problem because a user needs the ability to modify the permissions granted to the app.
I would never put this application on my father’s phone. Vulnerable software does not belong on the devices of vulnerable people, the elder generation is very vulnerable to cyber crime.
1. It saves my password, but not to my keychain or to any other password autofill service on my device, it appears to be saved in the app.
2. The app underlines misspelled words in the password (spellcheck should not be checking password fields, app developer is responsible).
3. The app is not present in any of my Settings menus on my device which is a problem because those settings menus on the device is how a user manages the permissions granted to the app. This is a problem because a user needs the ability to modify the permissions granted to the app.
I would never put this application on my father’s phone. Vulnerable software does not belong on the devices of vulnerable people, the elder generation is very vulnerable to cyber crime.
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Yardi System = Bad Product + Customer Service
The software systems simply do not work, especially their portal payment systems that fail to process payment and cause renters to incur late fees. Customer service is non-existent and they hide behind property managers rather than owning up to their faulty software.
