Illinois Landlord & Tenant Laws
The Illinois landlord and tenant laws are in place to protect a renter and property owner involved in a rental relationship. Both the landlord and the tenant must follow the law when handling disputes, maintaining the property and paying rent. While a rental arrangement may continue for years without incident, Illinois law provides remedies for those times when it does not.
Other People Are Reading
-
Security Deposits
-
The Illinois landlord and tenant law does not limit the amount of money a landlord may charge for the security deposit on a rental unit. The law does require property owners with a building that contains 25 or more units to pay the tenant interest on the security deposit. When a landlord plans to keep a portion of the security deposit for damage to the unit, he must provide a statement to the tenant within 30 days that lists the damage. If returning the entire amount, the landlord must return the security deposit within 45 days of the tenant leaving the unit.
Landlord Responsibilities
-
A landlord must maintain the building according to housing codes and ensure the safety of tenants on the property. In addition, the property owner must provide garbage receptacles, fire extinguishers on each floor of buildings over three stories, locks on the doors, smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Heat, electricity, hot water and plumbing systems must also be provided.
-
Tenant Responsibilities
-
The tenant, in addition to keeping the rental unit clean, removing garbage and not damaging the property, must also ensure that guests do not damage the property. The renter is responsible for paying the rent on time and for not disturbing the peace of other tenants on the property.
Evictions
-
The landlord may not lock a tenant out of the property or turn off services to force the renter from the unit. A landlord must provide the tenant with a written notice before filing an eviction. The Illinois landlord and tenant law requires property owners to provide a five-day notice for non-payment of rent and a 10-day notice for a violation of the lease agreement. The landlord must provide a 30-day notice if a tenant without a lease agreement remains in the unit or if the term of the lease is a one-month period. Once the notice expires, the landlord may file an eviction with the court. The court will schedule a hearing date for the eviction, which provides the tenant with an opportunity to state his case in court. If the court finds in favor of the landlord, the state will determine the date the tenant must vacate the property. Landlords and tenants in Illinois have an opportunity to appeal an eviction decision.
-
