How long do you give late paying tenants before eviction notice?

[Jason Y.]

How lenient are you landlords with late paying tenants?  Rent is due on the 1st and late by the 6th.  If they are late, do you start the eviction process immediately or do you wait and see if tenant can get balance paid by the second, third, fourth month?

[Michael Noto]

Once tenants fall behind you need to figure out why as quick as the law allows. Are they not paying you on time because they don't have money or they are they prioritizing paying you last? Either way if you serve them with a notice to quit (which is not the start of an eviction, but is a necessary step to eventually filing one) you will find out which it is because if people who fall behind never get back on track in my experience.