Got court papers?
Go to court on the date listed. Contact the Legal Aid Society right away about free eviction defense through Eviction Free MKE.
A notice starts a clock, and only a court can evict you. Read the notice, note the date on it, and get help before that date passes.
What does my notice mean?
Find the notice that matches yours. Each one must give you at least the number of days shown after it’s given to you. If you don’t pay, fix the problem, or move by the date on it, the landlord can file an eviction case in court.
5 days“Pay the rent or move out”
Applies to: Month-to-month and week-to-week tenants, and leases of one year or less.
Your tenancy ends if you don’t pay by the date on the notice. “Rent” here includes past-due rent and late fees owed on it.
- Paying everything the notice says you owe by that date keeps your tenancy.
- If you can’t pay it all, get help right away. Waiting doesn’t stop the clock.
14 days“Move out within 14 days (for unpaid rent)”
Applies to: Month-to-month tenants who are behind on rent. On a lease of one year or less, only if you already got a 5-day notice in the past year and are late again.
This notice doesn’t have to offer a chance to pay.
- Talk to Legal Aid or the Rental Housing Resource Center before the date passes.
5 days“Fix the problem or move out”
Applies to: Lease violations other than rent, such as damage or a broken rule, for month-to-month tenants and leases of one year or less.
You comply if you promptly take reasonable steps to fix the problem and keep at it, or offer to pay for the damage when that fully covers it.
- Keep a record of what you did and when.
- A second violation within a year can bring a 14-day notice with no chance to fix it. A month-to-month tenant can get a 14-day notice instead of a 5-day one.
30 days“Pay, fix, or comply within 30 days”
Applies to: Leases longer than one year.
The notice must give at least 30 days to pay rent, repair damage, or otherwise comply. For unpaid rent, everything due must be paid by the date on the notice.
- Respond in writing and keep copies of what you send and pay.
28 days“Your month-to-month rental is ending”
Applies to: Month-to-month tenants, with no reason required.
Either you or the landlord can end a month-to-month tenancy with written notice of at least 28 days, ending at the end of a rental period. For week-to-week rentals, notice equal to one rent period is enough.
- If you believe the notice is retaliation for a code complaint, talk to Legal Aid.
A court date“Summons and complaint (court papers)”
Applies to: Any tenant: the landlord has filed an eviction case.
This is a court case, not a notice. The papers list the court date, time, and place. If you don’t appear, the court can rule against you without hearing your side.
- Go to court on that date and time.
- Milwaukee County tenants served with an eviction summons can ask for free eviction defense through Eviction Free MKE at the Legal Aid Society. Contact them as soon as you get the papers.
Not sure which kind of rental you have, or whether a notice was given correctly? That affects your deadline, so ask Legal Aid or the Rental Housing Resource Center.
Your landlord can’t lock you out
A landlord can’t remove you, lock you out, or force you out by making the home unlivable. Removing a tenant takes a court eviction case. Landlords also can’t take your belongings or raise rent, cut services, or refuse to renew because you reported a code problem.
Locked out or cut off? Call the Legal Aid Society, and call 414-286-CITY (2489) about a missing essential service like heat or water.
Source: Wis. Admin. Code ATCP 134.09, prohibited landlord practices Source: Wis. Stat. § 704.45, retaliationGetting repairs made
- Tell your landlord first, in writing if you can, and keep a copy. The City asks tenants to contact the owner or manager before calling.
- No response? Report it to Neighborhood Services. Call 414-286-CITY (2489) any time, call DNS at 414-286-2268 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.), or use Click4Action or the MKE Mobile app. Emergencies such as no water usually get a response within 24 hours. Other problems are usually inspected in 2 to 7 days.
- The inspector can order repairs with a deadline, usually 30 to 90 days, and shorter for serious problems.
- If the order goes overdue, you can apply to DNS for rent withholding. With an inspector’s approval, you pay rent to the City instead of the landlord until the repairs are done. It isn’t available in licensed rooming houses, owner-occupied duplexes, or when the only problem is exterior paint.
- Rent abatement is different. If a problem affects health or safety or keeps you from using part of your home, state law reduces your rent to match. It doesn’t let you stop paying rent entirely while you stay. For advice, call Community Advocates, 414-449-4777 (mornings only).
No heat
Landlords must keep heat working, even when the gas bill is in your name. The minimum is 67°F in living spaces, or 68°F in federally subsidized housing. If the landlord hasn’t responded or given a repair update within 24 hours, report it to Neighborhood Services. Call 911 if the cold is a medical emergency.
Source: City Neighborhood Services complaint process Source: City code violation process and rent withholding Source: City no-heat guidance Source: Wis. Stat. § 704.07, repairs and untenantable premisesYour security deposit
- When you move in, the landlord must give you at least 7 days to inspect and list existing damage. You can also ask for the list of damage charged to the last tenant.
- When you move out, the landlord must return the deposit, minus allowed deductions, within 21 days. If you leave on the date your lease ends, the 21 days start that day. If you leave early, they start when the lease would have ended or when a new tenant moves in, whichever is first.
- Deductions are limited to amounts reasonably needed for things like damage, waste, or neglect by the tenant, unpaid rent, and certain unpaid utility charges. Anything withheld must be listed in writing, item by item, with the amount for each.
- Leave a forwarding address. Legal Aid’s monthly clinics help with deposit problems.
Sealing a dismissed eviction
An eviction case can follow you even if it was dismissed. If you have a dismissed eviction on your record and have finished any payment plans, the Legal Aid Society holds free Eviction Sealing Clinics on the second Wednesday of each month, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Rental Housing Resource Center, 728 N. James Lovell St.Walk-ins are welcome, and appointments are preferred.
Source: Legal Aid Society eviction clinicsWhere to get free help
| Situation | Start here |
|---|---|
| Court papers, a lockout, or a notice you want to fight | Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee (Eviction Free MKE). Eviction defense for Milwaukee County tenants served with an eviction summons, plus help with notices, repairs, lockouts, and deposits. Start with the intake form at legalaidmke.com to see if you qualify. |
| Behind on rent, need mediation, or need to move | Milwaukee Rental Housing Resource Center. Walk in at 728 N James Lovell St, weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., first come, first served. Call 414-895-7368 or visit renthelpmke.org. |
| Repairs, no heat, or unsafe conditions | City Neighborhood Services. 414-286-CITY (2489) any time, or 414-286-2268. |
| Nowhere to stay tonight | 2-1-1. Call 211 for emergency housing. |
Direct rent assistance from Community Advocates has been paused for new applications since January 7, 2026, except for tenants facing a placard, a fire, or domestic violence. The Rental Housing Resource Center still helps with eviction prevention, mediation, and referrals.
Source: Community Advocates rental assistance and the Rental Housing Resource Center Source: Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee services, including Eviction Free MKEThis page explains Wisconsin rental law in general terms for City of Milwaukee renters. It isn’t legal advice. Your lease, your notice, and the court papers control your situation, so talk to Legal Aid about your case.