Eviction Laws in Arlington Heights, Illinois
Arlington Heights is one of Cook County’s most established suburban communities — a village of roughly 75,000 residents located 25 miles northwest of downtown Chicago along the Metra Union Pacific Northwest Line. The village draws a mix of longtime homeowners, commuting professionals, and a growing renter population concentrated in apartment complexes along Rand Road, Golf Road, and near the downtown Metra station. With a median household income above $116,000 and a poverty rate under seven percent, Arlington Heights tenants tend to be financially stable, but nonpayment cases still account for the majority of eviction filings in the Third Municipal District. The village’s proximity to O’Hare International Airport and the Golden Corridor corporate belt in Schaumburg keeps rental demand consistent year-round.
Illinois eviction law — formally called “Forcible Entry and Detainer” under 735 ILCS 5/9 — requires landlords to serve a written notice before filing suit. For nonpayment, a 5-day notice to pay or quit is required. For lease violations, a 10-day notice to cure or quit applies. Month-to-month tenancies require 30 days’ notice to terminate. Once the notice period expires and the tenant has not complied, the landlord files a Forcible Entry and Detainer complaint with the Circuit Court of Cook County. Arlington Heights falls within the Third Municipal District, so all eviction filings go through the Rolling Meadows Courthouse. Illinois law prohibits self-help evictions — no lock changes, utility shutoffs, or property removal without a court order and sheriff enforcement.
Arlington Heights & Cook County — Local Rules That Affect Landlords
No rent control. Illinois state law via the Rent Control Preemption Act (50 ILCS 825) prohibits any municipality from enacting rent control or rent stabilization ordinances.
Cook County Residential Tenant Landlord Ordinance (RTLO). As of 2021, unincorporated Cook County adopted its own RTLO modeled after Chicago’s. Arlington Heights is an incorporated municipality and is generally exempt from the county RTLO, but landlords who own property in nearby unincorporated areas should verify whether the county ordinance applies to those units.
Village Business License. Arlington Heights requires landlords operating rental properties to maintain a valid village business license. The village conducts periodic rental inspections and code enforcement — habitability complaints that result in code violations can complicate eviction proceedings if tenants raise them as affirmative defenses.
Security Deposit Interest. Under Illinois law (765 ILCS 715), landlords holding security deposits for properties with 25 or more units must pay interest annually. The rate is set each year by the Illinois Secretary of State. Failure to pay interest or return deposits within the statutory timeframe can expose landlords to penalties equal to two times the deposit amount.
Rolling Meadows Courthouse — Where Arlington Heights Landlords File
Arlington Heights landlords file Forcible Entry and Detainer actions at the Rolling Meadows Courthouse, located at 2121 Euclid Avenue, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008, phone (847) 818-3000, open Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eviction cases are heard on Thursdays in Courtrooms 204, 205, and 206. File a Complaint for Forcible Entry and Detainer (standard forms available from the Clerk of the Circuit Court, Room 121) and pay the filing fee of approximately $237 plus $60 per summons served. The tenant must be served by the Cook County Sheriff. After service, the case is set for a court date — typically within two to four weeks. If the landlord prevails, the court issues an Order for Possession. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office then enforces the eviction, which can take an additional two to six weeks depending on caseload and weather delays. Self-help eviction — changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities without a court order — is illegal under Illinois law (735 ILCS 5/9-101 et seq.) and the only entity authorized to physically remove a tenant is the Cook County Sheriff.
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