Under Illinois law, landlords cannot use force to lock you out of your dwelling unit. The use of force includes:

• Changing locks
• Removing your belongings from the unit,
• Blocking entrances,
• Removing or disabling appliances (unless needed for repair),
• Threatening or injuring you or your roommates or damaging your belongings,
• Removing doors or windows of the unit, and
• Shutting off the heat, water, electricity, or other essential utilities.

Note that the landlord cannot do the above acts even if you violate the lease or if the lease has expired.

A landlord can only lock out a tenant after they have done two things. First, the landlord must have filed an eviction in court against the tenant. Second, the judge must have signed an order evicting the tenant. The landlord must also wait for the sheriff to come to the unit and perform the eviction.

If your landlord locks you out illegally, you can take the landlord to court to get back into your apartment, or get damages. You can use the End lockout letter program to create letters to give to your landlord and the police.

Lockouts in Chicago

Free help for Chicago renters.

Under the Chicago Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance (RLTO), a lockout occurs when your landlord tries to force you out of your unit. A lockout can include:

• The changing, plugging, adding, or removing of any lock or latching device;
• The blocking of any entrance to the dwelling unit;
• The removal of any doors or windows from the unit;
• Interfering with or shutting off of services, including electricity gas, hot or cold water, plumbing, heat or telephone service;
• Removal of appliances or fixtures, except for the purpose of making repairs;
• The removal of your personal property;
• Use or threat of force, violence or injury to a tenant’s person or property;
• Any other act that renders the dwelling or any personal property located within the unit inaccessible or not livable.

In Chicago, a landlord may be able to lock out a tenant if:

• The tenant and the tenant’s family have left the property for 21 days, taken their belongings out of the house, and have not paid the rent;
• The tenant and the tenant’s family have left the property for 32 days or more and have not paid rent; or
• The tenant notified the landlord in writing that they are not living in the apartment anymore.

"Traditional" lockouts under the RLTO

If your landlord is blocking the entry to your unit, call the police. Dial 311 if it is not an emergency, and 911 if it is emergency. If the police refuse to help, remind them that the landlord's action violates the RLTO, and that the police must investigate lockouts. If the officer still refuses to help, ask to speak with the watch commander. Chicago Police Department Special Order 93-12 sets forth the procedures that the police department is to follow in case of an illegal lockout. 

After the police have addressed the lockout, obtain a copy of the report. Then, send a notice letter to your landlord. You may sue your landlord for damages. Consult with a lawyer prior to taking any legal action.

"Utility" lockouts under the RLTO

If you think that your landlord has shut off your utilities on purpose, follow the steps below:

1. Send a notice letter to your landlord;
2. Call 311 and get an incident report;
3. Call the Citizens Utility Board at (312) 263-4282 or (800) 669-5556 for help;
4. Contact the utility company and ask for documentation that they are not able to solve the problem without the cooperation of the landlord;
5. Keep all receipts/bills and write up a list of damages;
6. Consult with a lawyer and consider legal action.

Lockouts in suburban Cook County

In Cook County, penalties for lockouts are expanded under the Cook County Residential Tenant Landlord Ordinance ("RTLO"). This law lets you sue your landlord if they lock you out. You can get 2 months' rent, or whatever costs you had due to the lockout, whichever is higher.

Your landlord will also have to pay you back for any money you have to spend hiring a lawyer to file the case for you.

In municipalities covered by the Cook County RTLO, a landlord may lock out a tenant who has abandoned the property. The landlord may also temporarily interfere with the tenant’s right to possession in order to make necessary repairs or to inspect the property.

Learn more about how the Cook County RTLO protects renters against lockouts.

Note: The Cook County RTLO does not apply in Chicago, Evanston, Oak Park, or Mount Prospect. Those towns have their own lockout protections.

Lockouts in Carbondale, IL

In Carbondale, it is against city laws to change the locks or cut off utilities to force a tenant to leave. The tenant should call the police if this happens. The landlord may be ticketed for each day it continues. Landlords often reverse the action when they learn that such an action is illegal under city law.