Understanding Eviction Notices: Notice of Lease Non-Renewal in Chicago

As a tenant, it's important to understand your rights when a landlord decides to terminate your lease without any specific reason, also known as "no cause" termination. Here's a breakdown of the key points to be aware of:

General Illinois Rules

• Week-to-week tenancy: Your landlord must give you 7 days' advance written notice if they want to terminate a week-to-week tenancy.
  • Example: If you receive the notice on Monday, the tenancy will end the following Monday.
• Month-to-month tenancy: The landlord must provide you with 30 days' advance written notice.
  • Full 30 Days Required: The notice must cover the entire 30 days. For example, if your landlord gives you notice on June 3, the tenancy cannot end on June 30 because that would only provide 27 days' notice. It must extend to July 3.
  • End of Tenancy Date: The notice must expire at the end of a monthly tenancy period.
• Fixed lease term: Landlords don’t need to give extra notice for a lease non-renewal if there’s a set end date. 

Important Local Protections

Chicago tenants have special protections based off the Chicago Fair Notice Ordinance.

• The landlord needs to give a 30, 60, or 120-day notice of lease nonrenewal.  
• It doesn't matter if a tenant has a week-to-week lease, month-to-month lease, or fixed written lease.

Calculating the Notice Period

• Start Date: The notice period begins the day after the notice is served.
• Notice Served by Mail: If the notice is served by certified mail, the 30-day period begins when you actually receive the notice, not when it was sent.
• Weekends and Holidays: If the last day of the notice period falls on a weekend or a holiday, the notice period is extended to the next business day.

What Should You Do?

• Check the Notice End Date: Confirm that the notice period ends on the correct date based on when you received the notice and the type of tenancy you have.
• Seek Legal Advice: If you believe the notice is incorrect or if you need help understanding your rights, consider seeking legal assistance.

Understanding how and when your landlord can terminate your lease without cause is crucial. By knowing the notice requirements and how to calculate the notice period, you can ensure your rights are protected.