Old CI install, server updates...

[eluser]OES[/eluser]
By returning result_array() its returning the array not an object.

So you would do a normal count of an array ($result = count($a)

By changing to the return array no doubt you will have to change your view.

$data = $this->model->GetPaymentRequests();

$result = count($data);
foreach($data as $d){
$data['item']; // etc
}

hope that makes sense.