SECURITY DEPOSIT ISSUES
Most landlords are required to preserve tenant security deposits by placing them in segregated, interest bearing accounts, pay annual interest on those deposits to the tenants, and return those deposits to the tenants in a timely fashion. Landlords frequently fail to follow those rules and may use tenant deposits improperly as their own funds during the tenancy, or use the deposits as a fund to redecorate their rentals for the next tenant. Penalties are available to the tenants, including attorney’s fees and court costs. Landlords subject to tenant protection laws who fail to comply with the technical requirements of those laws may be liable to their tenants. Contact me so I may evaluate your case and determine if you are owed damages from your landlord for misuse of your deposit.
ILLEGAL ENTRIES
In Chicago, landlords are prohibited from entering a rented dwelling without 48 hours prior notice apart from emergencies, and cannot use the right to enter their property to harass the tenant. Penalties are provided under law for these entries, along with attorney’s fees and court costs.
ILLEGAL LEASE PROVISIONS
Certain lease provisions in favor of the landlord have been deemed illegal or have been prohibited under tenant protection statutes. These provisions may not be enforceable, and efforts to enforce them by your landlord may subject them to civil penalties, attorney's fees and court costs.
LEASE BREAKS
There are occasions when a tenant needs to break his or her lease, whether because of intolerable habitability issues, fires, flooding, changed job circumstances or other reasons. Let me assist you in finding a solution to your problem.
MAINTENANCE AND HABITABILITY ISSUES
Building Code standards are required to be met by landlords throughout Illinois, and no tenant should have to live in a dwelling that falls below certain minimum standards. You have options which may resolve your sub-code conditions.
LOCKOUTS
Illinois does not allow self-help evictions. If you are the victim of a lockout, or a landlord preventing you from using services or terminating or impeding access to utilities or previously allowed access to such things as laundry or parking spaces in an effort to force you to move, there are protections that may provide you with relief under the law.
RETALIATION
In Chicago, a landlord who retaliates in certain ways against a tenant for merely exercising their rights under law is subject to penalties, as well as attorney’s fee and costs, as well as a defense to any eviction filed by the landlord.
DISCRIMINATION
Housing discrimination against tenants in Illinois is expressly prohibited for reasons of race, religion, nationality, sex, size of or nature of family, source of income, and other basis’ depending on the location of the discrimination (i.e. sexual orientation).
INVASION OF PRIVACY
It is not uncommon for a landlord to assume that they have the right to intrude into their tenants' personal affairs and privacy. Claims can be brought against such offending landlords under a tort known as "intentional intrusion upon seclusion", and also under an "implied covenant of peaceful enjoyment" of one's rental space.
Most landlords are required to preserve tenant security deposits by placing them in segregated, interest bearing accounts, pay annual interest on those deposits to the tenants, and return those deposits to the tenants in a timely fashion. Landlords frequently fail to follow those rules and may use tenant deposits improperly as their own funds during the tenancy, or use the deposits as a fund to redecorate their rentals for the next tenant. Penalties are available to the tenants, including attorney’s fees and court costs. Landlords subject to tenant protection laws who fail to comply with the technical requirements of those laws may be liable to their tenants. Contact me so I may evaluate your case and determine if you are owed damages from your landlord for misuse of your deposit.
ILLEGAL ENTRIES
In Chicago, landlords are prohibited from entering a rented dwelling without 48 hours prior notice apart from emergencies, and cannot use the right to enter their property to harass the tenant. Penalties are provided under law for these entries, along with attorney’s fees and court costs.
ILLEGAL LEASE PROVISIONS
Certain lease provisions in favor of the landlord have been deemed illegal or have been prohibited under tenant protection statutes. These provisions may not be enforceable, and efforts to enforce them by your landlord may subject them to civil penalties, attorney's fees and court costs.
LEASE BREAKS
There are occasions when a tenant needs to break his or her lease, whether because of intolerable habitability issues, fires, flooding, changed job circumstances or other reasons. Let me assist you in finding a solution to your problem.
MAINTENANCE AND HABITABILITY ISSUES
Building Code standards are required to be met by landlords throughout Illinois, and no tenant should have to live in a dwelling that falls below certain minimum standards. You have options which may resolve your sub-code conditions.
LOCKOUTS
Illinois does not allow self-help evictions. If you are the victim of a lockout, or a landlord preventing you from using services or terminating or impeding access to utilities or previously allowed access to such things as laundry or parking spaces in an effort to force you to move, there are protections that may provide you with relief under the law.
RETALIATION
In Chicago, a landlord who retaliates in certain ways against a tenant for merely exercising their rights under law is subject to penalties, as well as attorney’s fee and costs, as well as a defense to any eviction filed by the landlord.
DISCRIMINATION
Housing discrimination against tenants in Illinois is expressly prohibited for reasons of race, religion, nationality, sex, size of or nature of family, source of income, and other basis’ depending on the location of the discrimination (i.e. sexual orientation).
INVASION OF PRIVACY
It is not uncommon for a landlord to assume that they have the right to intrude into their tenants' personal affairs and privacy. Claims can be brought against such offending landlords under a tort known as "intentional intrusion upon seclusion", and also under an "implied covenant of peaceful enjoyment" of one's rental space.