Tenant Said She Can't Pay Rent and Won't Respond Now -SF Bay Area
Hi Everyone, this is my first property purchased and I am new to being a landlord so would really appreciate any advice here.
I purchased a property with a tenant in the unit back in October and worked with a lawyer to legally raise the rent to market rate this past February 2020. (It is a bigger increase but my tenant was paying well below market rate). My tenant paid her Feb/March rent "under protest" and has decided pay only 2/3 of her rent on April 1st, mentioning she can't pay the full amount. She has not explained why she cannot pay so I'm unsure if it is COVID-19 related or not. It's been more than a week since her nonpayment and I've tried to contact her multiple times but have not received a response.
I know we are in an uncertain time right now and I am trying to work with her but her lack of response is making it impossible. What can I do in this situation? Would really appreciate advice, especially from any legal professionals out there who is familiar with the SF Bay Area. Evictions have been suspended in our area, but can I do anything in the meantime to ensure that I can get the rental payment back in the future and pursue eviction if needed?