Episode 196: Location-Specific Tenancy Guidance for Illinois
Summary
Today’s location-specific episode features Illinois. We explore the overview of the housing guiding document called Illinois Tenancy Act. Each of my location-specific podcasts is set up the same way answering the same four questions:
1) What are the basics of the Illinois Tenancy Act
2) What are the nuances of this location – what is different that stands out?
3) Some guidance about abandoned items left behind by a tenant in a rental in Illinois
4) Where to get help in your local area in Illinois.
Then I’ll go through what I call my “Bingo Card” of standard items I see most often in tenancy laws in different locations. This episode is NOT all inclusive – you must research further in your specific area including your County, Regional District, Parish, City or any other Governing Body that involves your rental location, but today’s episode will get you started!
This episode includes resources for Illinois including:
Your Guide to Landlord-Tenant Law | Illinois State Bar Association
City of Chicago :: Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance
Understanding Abandonment in Illinois Rental Properties | KSN Law Firm
Listen to the full episode :
This Week’s Blog Post:
Welcome to My Life As A Landlord
Welcome to My Life as a Landlord, where I educate curious U.S. and Canadian landlords, answer rental questions, and clear up confusions about all things housing. I’m your host, Dr. Jennifer Salisbury, and in this episode I explored location-specific tenancy guidance for Illinois. Like all of my location-specific episodes, this one is set up the exact same way and answers the same four questions so you know what to expect going in.
How Illinois Location-Specific Episodes Are Structured
In every location-specific podcast, including this one for Illinois, I walk through the basics of the area, the nuances of the location, guidance about abandoned items or personal property a tenant might leave behind, and where to get help locally. I also include a number of resources via hyperlinks in the show notes, including the Illinois Tenancy Act and other helpful materials. These episodes are designed to give you a running start, not to be all-inclusive.
Landlord and Tenant Rights in Illinois
I spent time reviewing landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities in Illinois, including written leases, rent payments, habitability requirements, repairs, security deposits, and rent increases. Illinois allows landlords to set rent and security deposits, charge reasonable late fees, and requires landlords to keep units fit to live in. I also covered notice requirements, eviction processes, and the fact that landlords cannot self-evict by locking tenants out or shutting off utilities.
Security Deposits, Rent Increases, and Evictions
We talked in detail about security deposit rules, including timelines for returning deposits, interest requirements for larger properties, and the importance of itemized damage lists. I also reviewed how rent increases work in Illinois, notice periods for different types of tenancies, and how fixed-term leases end. For evictions, I explained five-day notices for non-payment, ten-day notices for lease violations, holdover situations, and the role of the courts and sheriff in the eviction process.
Resources, the Bingo Card, and Final Takeaways
At the end of the episode, I went through my bingo card, reviewing standard tenancy items, what Illinois includes, what’s missing, and what’s extra. I shared where landlords can find help, including legal aid resources, standardized court forms, and local ordinances that may apply in places like Chicago and Cook County. As always, I emphasized that laws change, municipalities add their own rules, and you must do your own homework where your rental is located. This episode is part of a larger library of location-specific guidance, all in the same format, so you can keep learning wherever real estate takes you.