Distinct Values from MySQLi Query - php

Question

I am trying to only show unique userIds (userIds are (0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 etc...) for the query I am running. I tried using DISTINCT in my query, but it only shows me unique values of the rows that have 2 or more of the same userId.
Is there a way I can use php to only show the unique values. My weak points are arrays and it makes it more complicated because its using data from a MySQLi query.
Example right now I have with the query now (lets say its GROUP BY rentPaid DESC and the rent total is 800.00 for all users):
userID rentPaid rentMonth
2--------800.00------April
1--------500.00------April
3--------400.00------April
3--------400.00------April
1--------200.00------April
1--------100.00------April
Example desired output:
userID rentPaid rentMonth
2--------800.00------April
1--------500.00------April
3--------400.00------April
Can I do this with MYSQL because I tried DISTINCT and it wouldn't work, how about PHP?
Query:
SELECT
properties.*,
leases.*,
users.userId, users.primaryPhone,
CONCAT(users.userFirstName,' ',users.userLastName) AS user,
admins.adminName, payments.*
FROM
properties
LEFT JOIN leases ON properties.propertyId = leases.propertyId
LEFT JOIN assigned ON properties.propertyId = assigned.propertyId
LEFT JOIN admins ON assigned.adminId = admins.adminId
LEFT JOIN users ON properties.propertyId = users.propertyId
LEFT JOIN payments ON properties.propertyId = payments.propertyId
WHERE
payments.rentMonth = '$currentMonth' AND
payments.rentYear = '$currentYear'
Edit: Please excuse my formatting, this is my first post.
Edit: Added query....its long, but works lol. I only want unique userIds (no double or triple userIds etc...)

Answer 1

I suspect this is what you want:
SELECT userID, MAX(rentPaid) AS maxRentPaid, rentMonth
FROM yourTable
WHERE rentMonth = "April"
GROUP BY userID
ORDER BY maxRentPaid