Eviction and notices: what to do
Last updated: September 2, 2026 · How we source & update
Only a court can evict you — never a landlord changing locks or shutting off utilities. If you get a notice, the clock is short: don't ignore it, get free legal aid, and organize your documents right away.
Educational — information, not legal advice, and not attorney-reviewed. Rules depend on your state, city, and lease; the app shows the rule we have sourced for where you live, with its official source and review status.
What this means
A landlord can only remove a tenant through the courts. Changing the locks, removing your belongings, or shutting off utilities to force you out is treated as an unlawful “self-help” eviction in many states — including Texas, by statute. The process starts with a written notice, and the type of notice and the time you have depend on your state and the reason.
Never ignore an eviction notice or court papers — missing a date can cost you the case by default. Getting help early, and bringing a clean timeline of what happened, is the single most important thing you can do.
What to do
- Read the notice carefully and write down every date.
- Contact free legal aid immediately — timelines are short.
- Gather your lease, payment records, photos, and messages into one timeline.
- If a lockout or utility shutoff is happening now, call 211 and legal aid first.
Every letter and checklist above is free, with no login. If money or an eviction deadline is urgent, start with free rental assistance and legal aid in your state — help is always free.
Your rights vary by state
The specific deadlines and limits are set where you live. Start with your state:
Turn this into action.
Renter Shield shows the rule we have sourced for your state with its review status, drafts calm letters, tracks deadlines, and keeps your evidence private on your device — free to start.
Related renter questions
Can my landlord evict me? (grounds & defenses) · Illegal or wrongful eviction (lockouts, shutoffs)
See where you are in the process
Eviction stages: where you are and what happens next — a stage map with no deadlines, showing what each stage means and what to do at it. All five decision guides.