Every tenant who is sued in ejectment by any person other than his or her landlord, shall forthwith give notice thereof to his or her landlord, or to his or her agent or attorney, under the penalty of forfeiting 2 years' rent of the premises involved, or the value thereof, to be recovered by such landlord by civil action.
6-114.Notice to landlord.
Article VI. Ejectment · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceRequires a tenant sued in ejectment by someone other than their own landlord to promptly notify the landlord, or the landlord's agent or attorney, on penalty of forfeiting two years' rent or its value if the tenant fails to give that notice.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/6-114
Plain-English Summary
Ejectment can put a tenant in the position of defending property the tenant does not own. This section addresses that situation by requiring the tenant to protect the landlord's interest. Any tenant sued in ejectment by a person other than the tenant's own landlord must "forthwith" give notice of the suit to the landlord, or to the landlord's agent or attorney.
The consequence for skipping that notice is specific and severe: forfeiture of two years' rent of the premises involved, or the value of two years' rent, which the landlord may recover from the tenant through a civil action. The forfeiture runs to the landlord, not to the plaintiff in the ejectment suit, and it is triggered by the tenant's failure to notify, not by the outcome of the ejectment case itself.
This section works together with 6-115, which lets the landlord respond to that notice by being made a defendant in the same ejectment action, giving the landlord a direct way to defend the property once alerted to the suit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which tenants does this notice requirement apply to?
A tenant sued in ejectment by someone other than the tenant's own landlord.
Who must the tenant notify?
The tenant's landlord, or the landlord's agent or attorney.
How quickly must the tenant give notice?
"Forthwith" -- the section requires prompt notice once the tenant is sued.
What happens if the tenant fails to give notice?
The tenant forfeits two years' rent of the premises, or its value, which the landlord may recover by a separate civil action.
What can the landlord do after receiving this notice?
Under 6-115, the landlord may move, or the plaintiff may move, to have the landlord made a defendant in the ejectment action.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 82-280.)
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the
Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: tenant notify landlord of ejectment lawsuit illinoisforfeiting rent for failing to notify landlordlandlord's rights when tenant sued in ejectmenttenant duty to notify landlord illinois