A notice to pay rent or quit—also known as an eviction notice or notice to vacate due to late rent—is a written letter demanding a tenant who is late paying rent (1) pay the rent by a certain date or (2) quit (leave or vacate) the premises.
In Illinois, a notice to pay rent or quit is a formal communication from a landlord to a tenant who is behind on rent, giving the tenant a specific period to either pay the overdue rent or vacate the property. The Illinois Forcible Entry and Detainer Act governs the eviction process. Before filing an eviction lawsuit, the landlord must provide the tenant with a written notice. For nonpayment of rent, the landlord must give the tenant a 5-day notice to pay the rent or vacate. If the tenant fails to comply with the notice by either paying the overdue rent or vacating the premises within the given time frame, the landlord may then proceed to file an eviction lawsuit in court. It's important to note that the process must be carried out in accordance with state law, and self-help evictions (such as changing locks or shutting off utilities) are illegal in Illinois.