Know Your Rights: Fair Notice Ordinance

The Fair Notice Ordinance was approved by the Chicago City Council in July 2020 and creates new rights and responsibilities for tenants and landlords to give Chicago renters more stability in their homes. Most importantly, the ordinance increases the amount of notice a landlord must give in order to non-renew or terminate a lease, or to raise a tenant's rent. The ordinance also extends the amount of time during which a tenant may end an eviction filing against them by paying the rent they owe and their landlord’s court filing fees.

If Your Landlord Moves to Terminate Your Lease

• 60 days of notice to terminate your lease if you have lived in your apartment for more than six months but less than three years
• 120 days of notice to terminate your lease if you have lived in your apartment for more than 3 years

If Your Landlord Moves to Raise Your Rent

Under the ordinance, landlords must provide:

• 60 days of notice to raise your rent if you have lived in your apartment for more than six months but less than three years
• 120 days of notice to raise your rent if you have lived in your apartment for more than three years

These rules apply to all tenants, whether they have a written year-long lease or an informal month-to-month lease. It does not apply if the eviction process has begun to due to nonpayment of rent or another violation of the lease.

If a landlord fails to give the required notice, tenants have the right to remain in the apartment for the required notice period or pay the prior rent for the required notice period.

If You Have Been Given an Eviction Notice for Nonpayment

You now have the right to remain in your apartment and end the eviction case against you if you:

• Pay all of your back rent owed
• Pay any court filing fees your landlord has paid in your eviction case
• Do not live in the same building as your landlord if the building has six units or fewer

You are free to make these payments until a judge issues a formal eviction order against you, also known as an “order of possession.”