Are you wondering how to evict a tenant in Chicago?
Tenant eviction may be the most unpleasant part of being a landlord. But without a property management agency to do it for you, sometimes you’ve simply no choice in the matter. Confusing eviction laws don’t make the task any easier, either.
Fortunately for you, the eviction process is usually straightforward. Keep reading to find out how to legally evict a tenant in Chicago.
Prepare the Proper Notice
To evict a tenant in Chicago, you must send the proper notice. If your tenant is refusing to pay their rent, you can give them a five-day notice. If your tenant violated a term of the lease, you can give them a 10-day notice.
If your tenant hasn’t stopped paying rent or violated your lease agreement and you simply want to terminate their tenancy, things are a little more complicated. You must issue a 30-day notice that encompasses a full rental period.
Because the 30-day notice must encompass an entire rental period, even if you serve the notice early in the month, the tenancy will not be terminated until the end of the following month.
File the Forcible Entry and Detainer Action
In a perfect world, the first step would be the only step—after serving the eviction notice, your tenant would leave, and that would be the end of it.
But if the appropriate number of days goes by and your tenant doesn’t leave, you will want to file a formal summons and complaint. You will need to go to court to file either for possession or Joint Action for possession and unpaid rent.
Serve the Summons and Complaint
The Sheriff must make the first attempt to serve the tenant with the summons and complaint. If this first service attempt is unsuccessful, you may request permission to hire a private party to personally serve the summons and complaint.
Go to Court
Next, you will need to go to court to argue your eviction case. If the tenant appears with their lawyer, you will both argue for your sides of the case. If the tenant doesn’t appear, the judge will issue a default judgment against them.
Certify the Order of Possession
If the tenant still does not move out at the judge’s order, you will need to have two copies of an Order of Possession certified by the clerk. You will then take these copies to the Sheriff, who will schedule a forced eviction.
When the final eviction date arrives, you will attend the removal with the Sheriff.
How to Evict a Tenant and Take the Fuss Out of Property Management
With that, you now know how to evict a tenant successfully in Chicago. But as you know, that’s only the first step in the process of getting your property rented out to someone new. Researching tips for landlords online will only take you so far.
Fortunately, we’re here to take the fuss out of property management. Contact HomeRiver Group Chicago today and let us take your rental property management to the next level.
