Cal. Civ. Code § 3
Notice of utility service termination. The utility company shall notify all tenants of buildings with 3 or more residential apartments of the proposed termination of utility service. This notice shall contain the following information: (1) the specific date, no sooner than 10 days after the notice is rendered, that utility service is subject to termination; (2) a statement of the tenants' statutory right either (A) to pay the utility company the amount due and owing by the landlord and to deduct the amount paid to the utility company from the rent due on the rental agreement or (B) to petition the court for appointment of a receiver to collect the rents due for use and occupancy of the building and remit a portion to the utility company for payment of utility bills; (3) the dollar amount of the utility bills due and owing on the date such notice is given and the average monthly utility bill; and (4) the name and telephone number of any legal services agency within the utility company's service area where the tenants may obtain free legal assistance. Any notice provided to tenants of a building under this Act shall be of a conspicuous size, on red paper, and in at least 14 point bold face type, except that the words "notice of (utility service) termination" shall be in 36 point bold face type if the notice is posted, and shall state: It is unlawful for the landlord or his or her agent to alter, deface, tamper with, or remove this notice. A landlord or his or her agent who violates this provision is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor
Operative Text
Notice of utility service termination. The utility company shall notify all tenants of buildings with 3 or more residential apartments of the proposed termination of utility service. This notice shall contain the following information: (1) the specific date, no sooner than 10 days after the notice is rendered, that utility service is subject to termination; (2) a statement of the tenants' statutory right either (A) to pay the utility company the amount due and owing by the landlord and to deduct the amount paid to the utility company from the rent due on the rental agreement or (B) to petition the court for appointment of a receiver to collect the rents due for use and occupancy of the building and remit a portion to the utility company for payment of utility bills; (3) the dollar amount of the utility bills due and owing on the date such notice is given and the average monthly utility bill; and (4) the name and telephone number of any legal services agency within the utility company's service area where the tenants may obtain free legal assistance. Any notice provided to tenants of a building under this Act shall be of a conspicuous size, on red paper, and in at least 14 point bold face type, except that the words "notice of (utility service) termination" shall be in 36 point bold face type if the notice is posted, and shall state: It is unlawful for the landlord or his or her agent to alter, deface, tamper with, or remove this notice. A landlord or his or her agent who violates this provision is guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.
Under 765 Ill. Comp. Stat. 735, when a utility company serving a building with three or more residential apartments intends to shut off service due to an unpaid landlord account, it must give tenants advance written notice at least 10 days before the planned termination date. That notice must be printed on red paper in large bold type, disclose the amount owed and the average monthly bill, explain tenants' statutory options for protecting their service, and include contact information for a free local legal services agency. Tampering with, defacing, or removing the posted notice is a Class C misdemeanor under Illinois law.
Plain English — not legal advice.
765 Ill. Comp. Stat. 735 places the primary notice obligation on the utility company, but it directly affects landlords by making it a Class C misdemeanor for a landlord or their agent to alter, deface, tamper with, or remove any termination notice posted in the building. Compliant property operators ensure that any red-paper utility termination notice remains fully intact and visible for the entire required period. Keeping utility accounts current is the most straightforward way to prevent the notice process from being triggered in the first place.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
765 Ill. Comp. Stat. 735 gives tenants in buildings with three or more apartments the right to receive formal advance notice before utility service is cut off due to a landlord's unpaid bills. The required notice must spell out two statutory options: paying the overdue utility bill directly and deducting that amount from rent, or petitioning a court to appoint a receiver to manage rent payments and satisfy the utility debt. Tenants who do not receive a proper notice, or whose notice has been tampered with or removed, may wish to contact the free legal services agency whose information should appear on the notice itself, or reach out to a tenant-rights organization for guidance on available remedies.
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.
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