13 Oct Guidance Regarding Rent Collection
Guidance Regarding Rent Collection
As a California landlord, if you are owed back-rent due to COVID-19 here is some guidance regarding rent collection under the Tenant Relief Act of 2020. Beginning October 5, 2020, you can evict a tenant if they fail to return a COVID-19 related hardship declaration. But before you do, make sure to contact a lawyer to see if your city or county has additional requirements. That being said, as a landlord you have rights just like your tenants. For this reason, we wanted to offer some guidance regarding rent collection for rents due during The Protection and Transition Periods.
This information is not legal advice; instead, all information is for general informational purposes only.
Evictions during COVID-19 protected and transition periods are complex. Consultation with a qualified California landlord tenant attorney is highly advised.
Guidance Regarding Rent Collection: The Protected & Transition Periods
For rent owed between March 1, 2020, – August 31, 2020, (The Protected Period), and September 1, 2020, – January 31, 2021, (The Transition Period), landlords can now give their tenants a notice to pay rent or quit. However, if, within 15 days of the notice the tenant signs and returns the declaration of COVID-19-related financial distress, you cannot evict them. But, to serve a notice, you must meet certain requirements.
The Requirements:
- Send: Notice for Code of Civil Procedure Section 1179.04(a)
- Serve: A 15-Day Notice to Pay or Quit (Nonpayment of Rent between March 1, 2020 and August 31, 2020)
- Serve: A 15-Day Notice to Pay or Quit (Nonpayment of Rent between September 1, 2020 and January 31, 2021)
- Make sure to include an unsigned Declaration of COVID-19-Related Financial Distress
- For High-Income Tenants: (i.e., exceeds 130% of area median income as published by the Department of Housing and Community Development for the county in which the property resides)
- You must also send Notice for Code of Civil Procedure Section 1179.02.5(d)
- Provide: Any other information required by federal, state, and/or local laws
For more on this, review all of the landlord resources here
How To Protect Your Revenue
The reality is, no one really knows how quickly we will get back to normal. To keep your rental business up and running during COVID-19, protecting your revenue is key. Because the challenges associated with rent collect amid COVID-19 can be very hard to navigate especially when you are working without a team, you may want to consider hiring a property management company to help you.
Whether you are looking to change property managers or simply want to hire one for the very first time, we can help. We manage all types of residential properties including homes, condos, and multi-family properties such as duplex and triplexes, and even small apartment buildings. Let us manage your rental properties, so you can enjoy life! Call us today at (858) 576-2176 to get started!