Journey guide
Facing Eviction or Behind on Rent
This guide helps you organize urgent questions and backup housing steps; it is not legal advice and does not state an unverified deadline.
Your plan
5 steps, in the order that works. Select any step for the full instructions.
- Step 1 of 5. Assemble the payment and notice record. More info.
- Step 2 of 5. Read the notice and court papers. More info.
- Step 3 of 5. Contact legal help promptly. More info.
- Step 4 of 5. Confirm the next court action. More info.
- Step 5 of 5. Keep a safe housing fallback. More info.
Not in your numbered plan
How your answers changed this plan
- Removed from your numbered plan because of your answers: Request rent assistance separately.
- Moved to the front of the plan: Assemble the payment and notice record.
This is the ordered plan for Facing Eviction or Behind on Rent. Each step links to its full instructions further down this page.
Answer these to shorten your plan
Optional. Nothing is stored and no answer decides eligibility. Skipping every question gives you the full plan above.
Start here
Your first action
Do this now
Preserve every notice, paper, and payment record. Identify the exact stage, then contact a qualified legal resource promptly.
Next: Legal Aid Society intake
Ask: Ask what action or appearance is required and by what date. Phone intake is Monday–Thursday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at (502) 584-1254. Whether Legal Aid can take a case is its decision.
Situation: A balance, notice, or court paper has been received. The stage — balance only, written notice, filed case, or order — determines what action is urgent.
What you need to startUse what you have. Missing items do not block the first call.
Have ready if available
- Every notice, message, and court paper received
- Lease and payment records
- The stage: balance-only, written notice, filed case, or order
- A safe backup housing and transportation plan
Missing something? Ask what can be reviewed; do not wait to call.
If the first route fails
If legal help cannot be reached or rent assistance is also needed: Dial 211 for current rent-assistance and legal-resource leads. Assistance funding and Legal Aid capacity change; 211 can confirm what is currently available.
Keep any existing legal-aid application and payment records active while searching assistance routes.
Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-08-05 · Jurisdiction-neutral
What remains uncertain: Deadlines, required appearances, and assistance availability are controlled by the agency, court, or program — not by this page. Confirm the current status of every open item directly.
Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky
Programs under one organization can differ. Provider information · Methodology
Public Beta limitation
Reviewed Public Beta guidance only. Fees, timelines, eligibility, document substitutes, capacity, and provider practices are not published unless a named source has been verified. Confirm current requirements directly.
How to read checked, listed, and unknown informationA listing can stay useful without being provider confirmed.
- Checked fact or route
- NOLO matched the fact to the named source on the date shown. This is not proof of current availability or provider confirmation.
- Directory lead
- A listing that may still help remains visible with an honest status such as Possibly active or Needs verification.
- PROVIDER CONFIRMED
- Only named fields backed by linked first-party provider evidence, integrity checks, and attributed human approval may carry this state. NOLO never infers it from a website, import, likely fit, or contact attempt.
- UNKNOWN / Needs verification
- NOLO does not know the answer yet. Confirm it directly; this is not a claim that the resource or option does not exist.
Each step in full
The same steps as the plan above, with the instructions for each one.
Step 1Assemble the payment and notice record of 5
Do this
Make one timeline of the lease, claimed balance, payments, messages, and notices.
- Label amounts you dispute and attach receipts rather than changing the landlord's ledger.
- Request missing copies; share records directly with your lawyer or assistance program.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (1)
- Eviction requires a court process; notice rules depend on the tenancy and jurisdiction, and an assistance request does not replace responding to court papers.Kentucky Justice Online, Kentucky civil legal aid programs — Evictions. Read on 2026-09-07.
Still unknown
- A disputed amount or payment does not establish that a case is dismissed.
Step 2Read the notice and court papers of 5
Do this
Find the sender, case number, action requested, and any hearing or response date on the actual papers.
- Separate a balance, landlord notice, filed case, and court order; keep the envelope and all pages.
- Ask the court clerk to confirm scheduling or obtain copies; ask legal aid about what the papers require.
Why this step is here
Do this now; gathering every receipt must not delay a required court response.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (1)
- Eviction requires a court process; notice rules depend on the tenancy and jurisdiction, and an assistance request does not replace responding to court papers.Kentucky Justice Online, Kentucky civil legal aid programs — Evictions. Read on 2026-09-07.
Still unknown
- This page does not calculate your deadline or determine which local rules govern.
Step 3Contact legal help promptly of 5
Do this
Send the actual notice or court papers to the legal-aid program serving your county.
- Use Kentucky Justice Online to find regional help. Legal Aid Society publishes an online application and 502-584-1254 for its service area.
- If a date is near, say so and ask what to do while intake is pending. Do not assume submitting intake means someone represents you.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (2)
- Eviction requires a court process; notice rules depend on the tenancy and jurisdiction, and an assistance request does not replace responding to court papers.Kentucky Justice Online, Kentucky civil legal aid programs — Evictions. Read on 2026-09-07.
- Legal Aid Society accepts an online application and publishes 502-584-1254; submitting an application does not create an attorney-client relationship.Legal Aid Society — Application for Services. Read on 2026-09-07.
Still unknown
- Representation, response time for your case, and any defense remain UNKNOWN.
Step 4Confirm the next court action of 5
Do this
Follow the court's instructions and obtain legal advice about any agreement or order.
- Confirm the date, location or remote access, transportation, interpreter, and accessibility needs.
- Keep a copy of any signed agreement or order and verify what it says about payment and possession.
Why this step is here
Assistance and negotiation run alongside the court process, not in place of it.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (1)
- Eviction requires a court process; notice rules depend on the tenancy and jurisdiction, and an assistance request does not replace responding to court papers.Kentucky Justice Online, Kentucky civil legal aid programs — Evictions. Read on 2026-09-07.
Still unknown
- Only the court record and qualified legal advice can establish what is required in your case.
Step 5Keep a safe housing fallback of 5
Do this
Prepare somewhere safe to go if prevention does not work in time.
- Build a dated timeline from the lease, ledger, notices, receipts, messages, and court papers; label whether each detail comes from a document or a conversation.
- Ask 211 for local shelter and housing options; confirm intake and transportation before leaving.
- Keep medicines, essential records, contact methods, and a follow-up date accessible.
- Choose a safe contact method, name who owns the next action, and write down when to check again.
- Keep a safe copy or reference number for each notice, submission, referral, and instruction so the work can resume without starting over.
Move on when: the next legal action and a fallback each have a contact and check date.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (1)
- 211 connects callers to local housing, food, utility, and other resource referrals.United Way 211 — Call 211 for Essential Community Services. Read on 2026-09-07.
Still unknown
- A safe destination or shelter place must be confirmed directly.
Not in your numbered plan
Your answers say these do not apply to you. They are kept here in case that changes.
Already handledRequest rent assistance separately
Do this
Ask 211 for rent-assistance leads and contact each program for current intake instructions.
- Ask what bill, lease, income evidence, and landlord participation it needs before applying.
- Give any confirmation to your legal helper and landlord as appropriate; keep responding to court requirements.
What was checked, and what is still unknown (2)
- 211 connects callers to local housing, food, utility, and other resource referrals.United Way 211 — Call 211 for Essential Community Services. Read on 2026-09-07.
- Eviction requires a court process; notice rules depend on the tenancy and jurisdiction, and an assistance request does not replace responding to court papers.Kentucky Justice Online, Kentucky civil legal aid programs — Evictions. Read on 2026-09-07.
Still unknown
- Funding, eligibility, processing time, and a hold on eviction are UNKNOWN.
Forms, portals, and instructions by step (2)Official forms and portals placed where they become relevant, each with its owner, check date, and what it does not prove.
Documents inside the process
Forms, portals, and instructions by step
These are placed where they become relevant. NOLO does not imitate the form, collect answers, submit anything, or know whether you completed a step.
- 1
Legal-document directory
Find the court document named in your papers
Use the live Kentucky Court directory to identify the exact document. A directory is not an eviction response form.
- Official directoryInstructionsSource checked
Kentucky Court of Justice Legal Forms Directory
The live official directory for Kentucky court forms, including forcible-detainer and protective-order records.
- Who completes it
- Use the directory to match an exact form number or language; seek qualified help for case-specific legal advice.
- Gather before opening
- Varies by form and case; the directory is not a filing checklist.
- Access or submission
- UNKNOWN — confirm with the official owner.
- Signature
- Varies by form; follow the current form and court instructions.
What this does not prove: A form directory is not legal advice or proof that a particular form is appropriate for a case.Official owner: Kentucky Court of Justice. Checked 2026-08-04. Ask the court for an accessible format or assistance when needed. The directory lists multiple language versions for some forms; availability varies by form.
Next in the process: Check Louisville housing-support starting points
- 2
Local instructions — not proof of available assistance
Check Louisville housing-support starting points
Use the official Louisville housing page to identify current local starting routes. It does not confirm funding, an appointment, or housing availability.
- Official instructionsInstructionsConfirm source or edition
Louisville Metro housing information
An official local-government housing information destination; no direct application form is represented.
- Who completes it
- No public form is represented; confirm the appropriate route with Louisville Metro or a listed provider.
- Gather before opening
- No verified checklist is published in this record.
- Access or submission
- UNKNOWN — confirm with the official owner.
- Signature
- Not applicable to this information-page record.
What this does not prove: An information page is not proof that applications, appointments, units, or funding are currently available.Official owner: Louisville Metro Government. Checked 2026-08-04. The source could not be evaluated because browser access was blocked. Unknown — confirm language assistance with the agency.
Next: continue with the guide's fallback and agency questions.
What NOLO cannot promise
- NOLO does not decide eligibility.
- NOLO does not submit applications, renewals, appeals, or documents.
- NOLO cannot guarantee approval, a timeline, an appointment, or a fee waiver.
- NOLO is not a legal or benefits advisor.
- NOLO is not affiliated with any agency named on a journey page.
- This guide does not make a legal, medical, safety, eligibility, or discharge decision.
- A search result does not confirm funding, capacity, acceptance, or availability.
Documents and what replaces them (2)Every document this journey covers, what each one proves, and the accepted substitutes.
Documents and recovery questions
Anything marked “confirmed” below has a named source and a check date. Everything else is a question worth asking, not a rule — ask before relying on it.
Notices and court papers
Notices and court papers
A legal helper needs the actual words and dates to understand the current stage.
If it is missing
Ask the sender, property manager, or court clerk how to request a copy; confirm the correct record and case before relying on it.
Possibilities to ask about
- Ask a legal resource whether a photograph, docket entry, or other copy is enough for an initial review.
Official details not yet verified — ask the agency for current instructions · checked 2026-08-01 · Kentucky
Lease, payment history, and communication record
Lease, payment history, and communication record
These records may help explain the agreement, claimed balance, and prior attempts to resolve it.
If it is missing
Request copies from the landlord, payment provider, bank, or tenant portal and keep the request itself.
Possibilities to ask about
- Ask the reviewing legal or assistance program what account history or statement it can consider.
Official details not yet verified — ask the agency for current instructions · checked 2026-08-01 · Kentucky
If something is blocking you (4)What commonly stops people here, and what has worked around it.
If something is blocking you
A deadline or hearing may be close, but the required action is unclear.
Things to try
- Contact a qualified legal resource and the court using independently verified contact information.
- Write down the date, time, person reached, and exact next instruction.
Assistance is pending or no funding is confirmed.
Things to try
- Continue legal and backup-housing planning instead of treating an application as approval.
The balance, payment history, or notice details conflict.
Things to try
- Preserve the records, ask for a written ledger or explanation, and take the conflict to qualified legal help without deciding the amount here.
The normal route stalls, gives conflicting instructions, or cannot confirm the next step.
Things to try
- Record who said what, when, and through which channel.
- Ask what escalation or alternate channel exists, then keep a separate fallback route open.
Things that may help today
- Ask a legal resource what must happen next even if financial assistance is not yet available.
- Use the Housing journey to plan shelter, prevention, and longer-term searches separately.
Where to go — official routes (6)Named offices and services, each with its own source, check date, and published limits.
Verified official route
Where Kentucky's tenant-protection law applies
Kentucky's tenant-protection law is not statewide. KRS 383.500 says the General Assembly "authorizes cities, counties and urban-county governments to enact the provisions of the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act as set forth in KRS 383.505 to 383.705," that "If adopted, these provisions shall be adopted in their entirety and without amendment," and that no other local ordinance may be enacted on the same subjects. In practice a jurisdiction either has the whole Act or has none of it, and the protections people commonly expect — deposit rules, notice-to-cure rights, repair remedies — depend on which. NOLO has not verified which Kentucky cities and counties have adopted it, and does not publish a list. Ask Legal Aid Society or your city or county government whether the Act applies where you live before relying on any protection under it.
Open the verified official sourceLast checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky Revised Statutes — KRS 383.500
Verified official route
Legal Aid Society provides free civil legal help in Jefferson County and fourteen surrounding Kentucky counties (Breckinridge, Bullitt, Grayson, Hardin, Henry, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble, and Washington). Its published phone intake is (502) 584-1254 or (800) 292-1862, Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; it states the intake line is closed on Fridays. It also publishes an online intake application available twenty-four hours a day. Legal Aid Society states it serves Kentuckians living at or below 125% to 200% of the federal poverty line. Whether it can take a specific case is its decision, not something this page establishes.
Open the verified official sourceLast checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Legal Aid Society (Louisville) — Frequently Asked Questions
Verified official route
The Kentucky Court of Justice publishes its official AOC forms in a searchable index. It states forms are searchable by keyword and topic, and that a known form number may be entered into the keyword search. The court publishes this disclaimer: these forms "are not a substitute for legal advice and if you have difficulty filling out these forms, then you may wish to consult with an attorney." Eviction cases in Kentucky are forcible detainer actions and use the AOC 216 through 220 series; the document that authorizes removal is a Warrant for Possession. NOLO shows this index so a person can recognize the document they were handed. It does not tell anyone what to file.
Open the verified official sourceLast checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky Court of Justice — Legal Forms
Verified official route
Kentucky Court of Justice’s Legal Self-Help page links civil legal-aid resources, court forms, and self-help tools for issues including eviction. It does not identify the correct filing, interpret papers, or replace case-specific legal advice.
Open the verified official sourceLast checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky Court of Justice — Legal Self-Help
Verified official route
The Kentucky Court live forms directory lists forcible-detainer notices, complaints, judgments, and possession documents, including multiple language versions for some records. Match an exact form number; the directory is not a universal tenant-response packet.
Open the verified official sourceLast checked 2026-08-05 · Kentucky · official source: Kentucky Court of Justice — Legal Forms
Official details not yet verified
The routes above are the ones NOLO has checked against a named source. Other Kentucky and Louisville routes for this situation are not verified yet — confirm them with the responsible agency or provider.
No official link is published until it is verified. Ask the agency for current instructions.
Official details not yet verified — ask the agency for current instructions · checked 2026-08-01 · Kentucky
Build a handoff packet for a case managerFor a worker, advocate, or outreach team preparing a referral on someone's behalf.
Case manager packet
Build a Facing Eviction or Behind on Rent handoff
Choose the sections you can review together in under five minutes. The handoff starts with the first action and ends with a fallback. NOLO does not ask for or store a client name, answers, case notes, or checklist progress.
First action plus 4 selected sections
Document prompts are preparation—not a verified agency checklist. UNKNOWN means “confirm this,” not “no.” A source link does not confirm eligibility or current availability.
Before the appointment ends
- 1. Name the next official contact.
- 2. Choose one UNKNOWN to confirm.
- 3. Agree on a fallback if the first route fails.
Routes whose sources publish 24/7 access
These sources describe the route as available around the clock. A route may be a staffed phone, text, or chat line, a self-service form, or a local process. This is not a live check that someone will answer or that a service has capacity. Read each availability note and confirm the current route when you can.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Mental-health distress, emotional distress, suicide, or substance-use crisis — for you or for someone you are worried about.
Call or text 988988lifeline.org
Chat at chat.988lifeline.org. Text and chat are published in Spanish, and there is a Deaf and hard-of-hearing route.
988 publishes that it is available 24/7/365, free, and confidential.
Source: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — checked 2026-08-05.
Kentucky 211
Housing, food, utilities, transportation, and community services — when you need to know what exists near you tonight.
Or text your ZIP code to 898211.
Kentucky 211 answers 24 hours a day.
Source: NOLO emergency contact policy (SOURCE_OF_TRUTH §11) — checked 2026-08-05.
VA National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
Any veteran who is homeless or at risk of it. Family, friends, and case managers may call on a veteran's behalf.
Call 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838)va.gov/homeless
VA publishes a free, confidential online chat with a trained counselor, any time of day or night.
VA publishes that this line is available 24/7.
Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — National Call Center for Homeless Veterans — checked 2026-08-05.
4 more routes whose sources publish 24/7 access
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Confidential support if someone is hurting you or you are helping someone who is being hurt.
Call 1-800-799-7233thehotline.org/get-help
Text START to 88788, or use the live chat. There are Spanish, StrongHearts, and video-phone routes.
The Hotline publishes phone, text, and chat routes to an advocate. It also warns that internet use can be monitored and is impossible to erase completely — if this device may be watched, use a different one.
Source: National Domestic Violence Hotline — Get Help — checked 2026-08-05.
Seven Counties Services crisis lines
Local crisis support for the Louisville area, staffed at any hour. Separate lines for adults, children, addiction recovery, and developmental-disability crisis.
Adult crisis (502) 589-4313sevencounties.org
Child crisis (502) 589-8070. Addiction recovery (502) 583-3951. Developmental-disability crisis (502) 459-5292.
Seven Counties Services publishes all four lines as available 24/7, 365.
Source: Seven Counties Services — Crisis Number Directory — checked 2026-08-05.
Kentucky protective order
Filing a petition for an emergency protective order, if someone is hurting you or threatening you.
How protective orders work (Kentucky Court of Justice)
Petitions are filed with an Office of Circuit Court Clerk; the court publishes contact details for all 120 counties.
Kentucky courts are required to provide a 24-hour access process for orders of protection in every county. The after-hours location or procedure can vary by county. Contact the local circuit court clerk, law enforcement, or a domestic-violence program to confirm the local process. The Kentucky Court of Justice also states that there are no fees or costs for filing a petition. Whether to seek an order is your decision, and an advocate can help you think it through.
Source: Kentucky Court of Justice — How to Obtain a Protective Order — checked 2026-08-05.
Legal Aid Society online application
Eviction, housing conditions, benefits, and other civil legal problems in Jefferson County and fourteen surrounding counties.
Legal Aid Society publishes an online intake application available twenty-four hours a day. Its phone intake is Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Fridays — so at night the form is the way in.
Source: Legal Aid Society — Frequently Asked Questions — checked 2026-08-05.
If someone is in immediate danger or having a medical emergency, call 911.
Preparation and practice guidanceGeneral advice that applies to most appointments and calls, not only to this journey.
Practitioner and helper guidance
Preparation ideas for the person and anyone helping
Start from the document, not the person’s memory of the document.
Notice type, case status, and dates are legal facts that should not be inferred.
Track legal help, rental assistance, and backup housing as separate workstreams.
A delay or denial in one route should not erase the next action in another.
Preserve the source of every date, balance, and required action.
Legal meaning belongs to qualified help; a clean source timeline prevents memory or an intake summary from becoming the controlling record.
Separate documents, client statements, agency instructions, and unconfirmed assumptions in the record.
Clear labels let the next helper reuse what is known without turning an inference into a fact.
End each handoff with a named owner, safe contact method, next check date, and fallback.
A referral is easier to resume when responsibility and the failed-route response are visible.
Practitioner guidance from field experience — not agency policy. Checked 2026-08-01 · Jurisdiction-neutral.
Prevention work and backup planning
This comparison does not recommend one option.
Legal and prevention review
- Documents
- Ask what information this route currently requires.
- Cost
- Unknown — confirm before choosing this route.
- When it may matter
- Use this when rent, a notice, or a court process may still be addressed.
- When it may not
- Do not use it when it creates a safety or care risk.
Backup housing plan
- Documents
- Ask what information this route currently requires.
- Cost
- Unknown — confirm before choosing this route.
- When it may matter
- Use this when immediate safety or a place to stay also needs attention.
- When it may not
- Do not assume this route is available or appropriate.
Work on both when needed; an application or referral is not a legal result or housing placement.
Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-07-28 · Jurisdiction-neutral
Appointment strategy
- 1.Ask whether an appointment is required before you travel.
- 2.Ask how walk-ins are handled and whether arriving early changes the process.
- 3.Confirm the location, hours, and documents again on the day you plan to go.
- 4.Ask what safe contact method will be used for changes, cancellations, or follow-up.
- 5.Before ending, ask who to contact and what to do if the appointment or referral cannot proceed.
Scheduling links and phone numbers are pending verification.
Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-07-28 · Jurisdiction-neutral
Day of the appointment or visit
At the office
- 1.Arrive early when practical, especially if you are walking in.
- 2.Ask for a realistic wait estimate.
- 3.Ask whether the office uses text messages, callbacks, or another queue-notification system.
- 4.Ask whether you can leave briefly and return without losing your place.
- 5.Prepare for a potentially long day.
- 6.Write down the name or department that gave each instruction, the date, and the next action.
Bring for the wait
- A charger
- Water and snacks where permitted
- Medications you may need during the wait
- All paperwork together in one folder
- Something to do while you wait
- A safe way to take notes and store confirmation or reference numbers
Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-07-28 · Jurisdiction-neutral
Before you travelA final check of documents, opening hours, and the receiving contact.
Avoid a wasted trip
- 1.Recheck the location, hours, appointment rules, and current document instructions before leaving.
- 2.Keep originals and copies organized, and ask before handing over the only copy you have.
- 3.At the counter, explain what is missing and ask what replacement or workaround evidence can be reviewed.
- 4.Ask what was received, what is still missing, how status can be checked, and what happens if the normal route fails.
- 5.Keep a safe copy, receipt, confirmation, or reference number for anything you submit.
Ask before leaving the counter: “Is there anything else that could prevent this application from being approved today?”
Universal preparation guidance · checked 2026-07-28 · Jurisdiction-neutral
Related resources
The core guidance is ready while resource matches load.
- Use the emergency information at the top of this page for urgent options.
- Dial Kentucky 211
- Report a missing resource
What requires an agency or provider
- The legal meaning of a notice, deadline, filing, hearing, or order
- Rental-assistance eligibility, funding, documentation, and landlord participation
- Current shelter, prevention, mediation, and representation availability
Take this with you
The referral packet is a one-page version built to print and hand over: numbers to call and when they answer, what to bring, what to ask, what to do if it does not work, and where each checked fact came from. It has blank lines to write on.
Open the referral packetYou can also print this full page with your browser’s print command. It keeps the preparation steps, recovery questions, day-of plan, and before-you-leave question while removing site navigation.