For anyone holding a rental in California (I manage rentals in Orange County), here's the general sequence I walk owners through when rent stops coming in:

1. No lockouts, no utility shutoffs, no removing belongings. California bans self-help evictions.

2. The usual first formal step is a written 3-day notice to pay rent or quit. Weekends and court holidays don't count toward the 3 days, and service has to be done correctly or you start over.

3. Document everything from day one: payment ledger, communications, the notice, and proof of service.

4. If it isn't cured, only a court can order the tenant out (unlawful detainer). Local ordinances and tenant protections can add steps, so budget time for that.

Worth asking early: what changed for the tenant? A written payment plan sometimes saves months.

General information, not legal advice. Talk to a landlord-tenant attorney for your situation. Curious how other CA investors handle the first week of a missed payment.