My Tenant Stopped Paying Rent. What Should I Do Now?

Verify the account before taking action

Reconcile every payment, credit, returned payment, subsidy, and adjustment. Confirm which month is unpaid and whether a payment is pending or was applied incorrectly.

Review the lease for the due date, grace period, payment method, late-fee language, and notice provisions. Keep the rent ledger and all resident communication together.

Communicate without creating conflicting promises

A prompt, professional contact may reveal a banking error, temporary hardship, or disagreement. Record what was said and avoid informal extensions or payment arrangements that conflict with a notice or with the owner’s intended next step.

If the owner accepts a payment plan, put the terms in writing and have the document reviewed when appropriate. Do not threaten lockouts, utility shutoffs, or removal of the resident’s property.

Use the correct California notice process

California Courts explains that a landlord must give the tenant a written notice before starting an eviction court case. A 3-day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit is commonly used for rent nonpayment, but the notice, amount demanded, timing, service, and deadline must be correct.

Some properties or residents may be subject to additional state, local, subsidized-housing, bankruptcy, or other requirements. When the facts are disputed or the case may proceed to court, obtain advice from a qualified California landlord-tenant attorney.

Prepare the file as though someone else will review it

A complete file makes management decisions and professional review more efficient.

• Signed lease, addenda, renewals, and legally required disclosures
• Current ledger and proof of payment history
• Copies of resident messages, emails, and payment-plan discussions
• The notice, proof of service, and calculation of the response deadline
• Relevant inspection, maintenance, habitability, subsidy, or accommodation records

How professional management helps

A property manager can maintain the ledger, communicate consistently, document the file, coordinate notices and counsel, and keep the owner informed. Management does not eliminate legal risk, but a disciplined process reduces avoidable mistakes.