tenant

We do NOT represent tenants in Evictions

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Just a friendly reminder to TENANTS! While we sometimes take on a tenant security deposit recovery matter here and there, our office does NOT represent tenants in eviction cases.  There are MANY excellent attorneys in the City of Chicago who do represent tenants and suggest tenants contact one of them for assistance! If tenants call … Read more

Are we mean? A quick word to tenants in residential evictions

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landlord businessJust a little while back, I received a particularly nasty comment on this blog from a reader who accused me of ignoring the plight of Chicago’s tenants. The poster commented:

“I personally think you SUCK! These people are desparate (sic) and need help. All tenants are’nt (sic) bad. You and your landlord, self righteous bull. These people need direction not I don’t represent tenants crap!”.

The commenter went on to suggest that I provide advice for “these greedy, sex hungry,greedy (sic) landlords”.  The comment rants further on and on and ends with a few ad hominem attacks.  Ouch!

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2011 Illinois Landlord Tenant Law Year in Reviw

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2011 was an interesting year in landlord tenant law. While the “shake-up” in new CRLTO law took place in 2010, 2011 was a year full of new state laws regulating landlords and leases. We have a statewide crime free lease law and, beginning in 2011, landlords will have to include Radon disclosures and comply with the lock change statute.

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Can’t find your tenant? Maybe they are in Jail

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All sorts of difficulties can arise when a landlord cannot find a tenant. One day, I will write on the difficulties of abandonment of property the many issues it creates. In short though, abandonment issues, especially in CRLTO covered tenancies, require more caution than the plain code of the CRLTO might suggest and landlords who mistakenly take back a property that they deem abandoned can find themselves in a real legal mess of wrongful eviction claims. When a tenant can’t be found, a myriad of notice and service issues must be analyzed. One possible explanation for a tenant’s absence is that the tenant might be in jail.  Here are a couple of links where landlords can search to see if their tenants are in jail.

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Can a Chicago landlord refuse a sublese?

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No.  That was easy.  But, as is usually true in Chicago landlording, there’s much more to the story.  What is a sublease anyway?  A sublease is merely a further leasing (by the tenant) of already leased property.  When a tenant, for whatever reason, is unable to meet lease obligations, that tenant might seek to lease the unit to a tenant of their own- a subtenant.  By doing so, the original tenant finds a new party to assist in meeting the lease obligations. 

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Illinois landlord tenant insurance requirements

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Photos courtesy of and copyright Free Range Stock, www.freerangestock.comA pipe accidentally bursts in the closet wall of a rented apartment and a tenant’s property suffers major water damage.  The tenant thinks the landlord is responsible and that the landlord’s insurance will cover the tenant’s damaged property.  In most cases, the tenant is, unfortunately, mistaken.  What kind of rules govern the insurance requirements of landlords and tenants? 

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Tips for Illinois Landlords When Tenants Fail to Pay Rent

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Renting real estate is easy, right?  Well, renting the “right way” is easier than doing it the wrong way, however, there are times where the business of rental real estate goess “off track” without any fault of the landlord.  In difficult economic times, more and more landlords are finding that their tenants are unable to make the monthly rent.  What’s a smart, conscientious, and savvy landlord to do about it?  Here are a few tips for what to do and what not to do when a tenant falls behind.

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