The land lord has to go to court to throw you out, (actually, to enter your apartment, and to remove everything in it and put it at the side of the street).The pay or quit notice tells you when that will happen, usually 30 days.u00a0So if he goes to court, and if the court grants him possession, he can do that after court. `However if you are duely summonsed, and you do not show up, the judge has a choice to go ahead anyway (if he has reason to believe that you could have been there, and are just stalling), or to give you a continuance, another court date in 30 days. If you do get the continuance, you will still be made to pay, but you have another 30 days before they come to move your stuff out, and yes you will have to pay the next rent due, as well. The judge can grant another continuance if he feels that either party has a good reason to get one. But this is less common. And if he gets the feeling that one party is stalling (usually the tenan) he will make his judgement in your absence.So you have longer than three days, but after three days the landlord will request the court date and for you to be summonsed.And this will go on your credit record. It would be better business, and protect your credit rating if you pay the rent now using a credit card, and pay the card back when you get the money that you expect. If you are not regular in your payment of the rent, the next landlord may not want you as a tenant.Good luck.