California landlords have until Wednesday, Sept. 30, to provide an informational notice to certain tenants who’ve missed rental payments during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The requirement comes from the COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act of 2020, which the state Legislature passed as Assembly Bill 3088 on Aug. 31.

The COVID-19 Tenant Relief Act, or CTRA, provides certain protections to residents who are unable to pay rent or other charges for one or more months between March 1, 2020 and Jan. 31, 2021 because they have experienced COVID-19-related financial distress, such as a loss of income or increased medical expenses. CTRA requires landlords to provide the informational notice about tenant’s rights (Form CA-400) to: 

  • All residents who, as of Sept. 1, 2020, have not paid one or more rental payments that came due March 1, 2020 and Aug. 31, 2020.  The notice must be provided to these residents on or before Sept. 30, 2020. This form may be served prior to or concurrently with a 15-day notice seeking payments due between March 1, 2020, and Aug. 31, 2020, served on or before Sept. 30, 2020.
  • CAA recommends that the information notice also be provided to any resident who will be served a notice to pay rent or quit, or a notice to perform covenants or quit demanding rent or other charges that came due between Sept. 1, 2020, and Jan. 31, 2021, if the resident has not previously been provided with the informational notice.

This informational notice must be served even if the landlord is prohibited from serving a notice to pay or quit by a local eviction moratorium.  If the tenant is current on rent, the information notice should not be served. For information about the information notice, including service requirements and detailed guidance for the eviction protections enacted by CTRA, and CAA’s 15-day notice and termination forms, go to www.caanet.org/AB3088/