Category: Rental Laws

Laws that cover the landlord-tenant relationship.

Chapter 18-27 Chicago Electrical Code

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This provides excerpts of Chap 18-27 as it relates to tenants’ access to their fuse box. The Municipal Code of Chicago requires that either tenants have direct 24 hour open access to the circuit breaker/fuse box, or the management provides the same 24 hour access with their on-duty personnel.

18-27-225.35  Access to occupants.

In a multiple-occupancy building, each occupant shall have access to the occupant’s supply disconnecting means.

Exception: In a multiple-occupancy building where electric supply and electrical maintenance are provided by the building management and where these are under continuous building management supervision, the supply disconnecting means supplying more than one occupancy shall be permitted to be accessible to authorized management personnel only.

(Added Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 5)

18-27-230.70  General.

Means shall be provided to disconnect all conductors in a building or other structure from the service-entrance conductors.

(a)     Location. The service disconnecting means shall be installed at a readily accessible location in the basement or first floor area of a building or structure, within the main wall, at a point not exceeding 5 ft (1.92 m) from the point of entry. When the distance of the service raceway needs to exceed 5 ft (1.92 m) from the point of entry into the building, the service raceway shall conform to the requirements of Section 18-27-230.6.

Exception: For the purposes of this section, readily accessible locations include dedicated electrical rooms, meeting the following conditions:

(1)     Access to room either from inside or outside the building shall be provided for all occupants;

(2)     Rooms shall have a secure, locking-type door(s) that prohibits access to persons other than tenants and/or occupants of the building.

(3)     Rooms shall be of the same construction as the building;

(4)     Rooms shall be for the exclusive use of the electrical service metering and distribution equipment;

(5)     A panelboard with main and branch circuit protection shall be provided within the interior of each unit or space being served;

(6)     A wall switch controlled lighting outlet shall be provided for illumination in all such electrical rooms.

Service disconnecting means shall not be installed in bathrooms.

In high rise buildings or similar buildings, the disconnecting means for the multiple services recognized by Section 18-27-230.2(b)(2) shall be located in a dedicated fire-rated room as near as practical to the serving utility vault. The rooms for the “Main” service disconnecting means which serve the building common element loads shall have a three-hour fire rating. The electrical service rooms for tenant loads shall have a 2-hour minimum fire rating. These rooms shall be for the exclusive use of electrical equipment. Separate service disconnecting means shall be required for each tenant floor. These disconnects shall be permitted to be located on a floor other than the floor served. Where more than one service is permitted to serve one floor, the various disconnecting means and their locations shall be prominently identified as required by Section 18-27-230.2(e). All such rooms shall comply with Section 18-27-110.26.

(b)     Marking. Each service disconnect shall be permanently marked to identify it as a service disconnect.

(c)     Suitable for Use. Each service disconnecting means shall be suitable for the prevailing conditions. Service equipment installed in hazardous (classified) locations shall comply with the requirements of Articles 500 through 517.

(Added Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 1-10-01, p. 50262, § 1)

18-27-230.92  Locked service overcurrent devices.

Where the service overcurrent devices are locked or sealed, or not readily accessible to the occupant, branch- circuit overcurrent devices shall be installed on the load side, shall be mounted in a readily accessible location, and shall be of lower ampere rating than the service overcurrent device.

(Added Coun. J. 11-3-99, p. 13842, § 5)

Illinois Laws

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Foreclosure (Right to Possession) Law: Public Act 095-0262

Illinois Condo Conversion Ordinance

Illinois State Preservation Ordinance

Illinois Code of Civil Procedure – Eviction – Sets out in detail the procedures and methodology of eviction court cases.

Condo Conversion Proposal

“New” Illinois Condo Conversion Law – Outlines a tenant’s rights and a developer’s responsibilities in converting rental property into condominiums for purchase.

Illinois Rent Concession Act – Statute requires disclosure of all rent concessions in leases so that potential buyers, etc. are not misled or deceived by secret and undisclosed concessions made by landlords to tenants.

Illinois Rent Control Preemption Act – State law provides that no local government like Chicago can regulate the amount of rent charged by landlords for residential and commercial property.

Illinois Rental Property Utility Service Act – Complex statute relating to the regulation of charges to tenants for utility services. The main provision relates to a tenant paying for common areas of a building and in such event, the court may treble the damage award when the court finds that the landlord’s violation of this Act was knowing or intentional. The tenant may also recover costs and fees, including attorneys fees, if the amount awarded by the court for utility service is in excess of $3,000.

Illinois Residential Tenants’ Right to Repair Act – Gives tenants the right to do certain repairs to their apartments and to deduct such payments, with proper documentation, from their rent. The state statute falls short of tenants’ rights under The Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance.

Click here for a sample Illinois “Repair and Deduct” letter

Illinois Retaliatory Eviction Act – Protects tenants in the State of Illinois from a landlord failing to renew a lease when the tenant has complained to a governmental agency about building code violations and the need for repairs. The state statute falls short of tenants’ rights under The Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance.

Illinois Safe Homes Act –  Allows the victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking to terminate their lease by proper notice to the landlord. Also, changing locks is also provided for in this new law.
Safe Homes Act of Illinois (Domestic Violence)
Safe Homes Act Violence Against Women Flyer (English) (Spanish)
Safe Homes Act Violence Against Women Brochure (English) (Spanish)

Illinois Security Deposit Interest – Provides for the payment of interest on security deposits where the number of units in a building or in a complex of buildings exceeds 25 in number. If the failure is WILLFUL then damages are due to the tenant equal to the amount of the security deposit plus attorney’s fees. The state statute falls short of tenants’ rights under The Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance.

Illinois Security Deposit Return Act – For all properties of 5 units or more, provides for the return of the tenants security deposits. If the amount is not refunded in a timely fashion and/or if inadequate documentation of deductions is present, then damages equal to two times the amount of the deposit may be imposed. It provides for the liability of the seller and buyer of residential property as to security deposits of tenants. The state statute falls short of tenants’ rights under The Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance.

Illinois Landlord and Tenant Act – Statute providing that landlord may NOT exempt themselves from payment of damages to a tenant due to negligence of the landlord.

Illinois Tenant Utility Payment Disclosure Act – Allows owners to pass along utility charges made under a MASTER billing arrangement provided the tenant gets certain information in writing as to the formula used to assess such costs to individual units and so that there is no excess charges passed along to occupants of separate units.

Public Act 095-0262 – This law sets out the rights and procedures to be followed during a foreclosure (Right to Possession).

Security Deposits – Interest Rates

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Interest Rates for leases begun in the following years:

2016 – 0.01%

2015 – 0.01%

2014 – 0.013%

2013 – 0.023%

2012 – 0.057%

2011 – 0.073%

2010 – 0.073%

2009 – 0.12%

2008 – 1.26%

2007 – 1.68%

2006 – 1.71 %

2005 – 1.01%

2004 – 0.42%

2003 – 0.52%

2002 – 0.83%

2001 – 3.10%

2000 – 2.71%

1999 – 2.63%

1998 – 3.38%

1997 – 3.42%

1987-7/1/1997 – 5.00%

[Note: These are the interest rates for the city of Chicago only]

To qualify for interest in the City of Chicago you must live:

* in a building not occupied by the owner or owner occupied building of 7 units or more

To calculate how much interest is due:

* multiply the total deposit amount by the percentage rate for each year separately
* if more than one year owed add all totals together for final amount

Tenants must reside in unit for at least six months or more in order to be eligible for interest Must be paid within 30 days of tenant’s year anniversary.