You got a 5-Day Notice.
Here's what to do.
A 5-Day Notice is serious — but it is not an eviction, and you have real options. Here's what it means, how to stop it, how to ask your landlord for a payment arrangement, and what to do if it moves forward.
What a 5-Day Notice actually means
In Illinois, before a landlord can file to evict you for unpaid rent, they must first give you a written 5-Day Notice for nonpayment of rent. It's the required first step — not the eviction itself.
- Only a court can evict you. A landlord cannot lock you out, remove your things, or shut off your utilities to force you out. That's illegal in Illinois and in Chicago.
- The 5 days are calendar days from when you were properly served the notice.
- If you clear the balance in time, the notice is done — see your first option below.
- If nothing is resolved after 5 days, the landlord can file an eviction case in court. You would then get a court summons with a date — and you'll have the right to show up and be heard.
Your options
Best first, but any of these can help. You can combine them.
1 · Pay the full amount within the 5 days ("cure" it)
In Illinois, if you pay the full amount of rent the notice demands within the 5 days, the landlord generally must accept it and cannot move forward with eviction on that notice. Get a receipt or pay in a way you can prove. If you can scrape it together, this is the cleanest way to make the notice disappear.
2 · Ask for a payment arrangement
Can't pay it all at once? Ask your landlord — in writing — for a payment plan: a good-faith amount now, then a schedule for the rest while you keep paying regular rent. Your landlord isn't required to say yes, but many will rather than pay court costs. Use the ready-made letter below.
3 · Apply for rental assistance
Emergency rental-assistance and one-time help exist and can cover some or all of the back rent. Some programs can even pause a court case. Call 211 or a legal-aid office (below) to find what's open in your area right now.
4 · Get free legal help — before you agree to anything
A tenant attorney or legal-aid counselor is free and can tell you your exact rights, spot mistakes in the notice, and help you negotiate. Do this early — don't wait for a court date. See Get help.
The timeline, step by step
- Day 0 — Read the notice carefully. Note the exact date, the amount claimed, and how it was delivered. Keep it.
- Days 1–2 — Decide your path. Can you pay in full? Do that. If not, send the payment-arrangement letter below and call 211 / legal aid about assistance.
- Within 5 days — Act. Pay in full (and get proof), or get a written, signed payment agreement, or line up assistance. Save every text, email, and receipt.
- If it's not resolved — the landlord may file an eviction case. You are still not evicted.
- You get a court summons. Show up on your court date — every time. Not showing up usually means you lose automatically. Bring your records and ask for legal aid at the courthouse.
- Only after a court order can the sheriff carry out an eviction — and only the sheriff, never the landlord.
The Payment Arrangement Letter
Option 2 above — asking your landlord for a payment plan — lands best as a clear, professional written letter. We built one you just fill in.
Payment Arrangement Letter
A ready-to-use letter that proposes a good-faith payment now, a schedule for the rest, and asks your landlord to put it in writing. Fill it in, then download it as a PDF or send it for signature online.
If the eviction goes through: your move-forward plan
Hope for the best, prepare for the rest. Starting early gives you options and protects your record.
Move-Forward Checklist
Everything to do if the case proceeds — protect your court case, gather your documents, start your apartment search early, and line up a backup. A printable checklist you can save.
Get help & resources
Illinois / Chicago focused. All free.
Know your landlord before you sign. · itzwurthit.com