Cal. Civ. Code § 9-203
Holding over after notice. If any tenant gives notice of his or her intention to quit the premises which are held by him or her, at a time mentioned in such notice, at which time the tenant would have a right to quit by the lease, and does not accordingly deliver up possession thereof, such tenant shall pay to the landlord or lessor double the rent or sum which would otherwise be due, to be collected in the same manner as the rent otherwise due should have been collected
Operative Text
Holding over after notice. If any tenant gives notice of his or her intention to quit the premises which are held by him or her, at a time mentioned in such notice, at which time the tenant would have a right to quit by the lease, and does not accordingly deliver up possession thereof, such tenant shall pay to the landlord or lessor double the rent or sum which would otherwise be due, to be collected in the same manner as the rent otherwise due should have been collected.
Under 735 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5 § 9-203, when a tenant formally notifies a landlord of their intent to vacate by a specific date—a date on which the tenant would have the contractual right to leave—but then fails to actually surrender the property, the tenant becomes liable for twice the amount of rent that would otherwise have been owed. This doubled rent is collected through the same legal mechanisms that would apply to ordinary unpaid rent. The provision creates a financial consequence specifically tied to a tenant's own voluntary notice of departure followed by a failure to follow through.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators managing Illinois rental properties should be aware that under 735 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5 § 9-203, a tenant's own written notice to vacate can become the basis for a double-rent claim if the tenant holds over past the stated departure date. Compliant operators typically retain copies of any tenant-issued notices to quit, document whether possession was actually surrendered on the noticed date, and pursue the doubled rent amount through the same collection channels used for standard unpaid rent. Maintaining clear written records of all tenant communications helps establish the factual foundation this statute requires.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 735 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5 § 9-203, a tenant who voluntarily gives written notice of their intent to leave by a certain date takes on a significant financial obligation if they remain in the unit past that date—specifically, double the rent that would otherwise be due. Tenants should understand that this provision is triggered by their own notice, not the landlord's, and only applies when the noticed departure date is one the tenant had a contractual right to use. Tenants with questions about whether a specific notice or holdover situation falls under this statute may benefit from consulting a tenant-rights organization or reviewing resources available through Illinois legal aid services.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.