Important Alert For Illinois Landlords

Residential Renters' Rights and Responsibilities Act - House Bill 3067



Sponsor: Rep. William Delgado (D-3rd)



Introduced in Illinois House on February 26, 2003





HB 3067 would standardize the landlord/tenant relationship throughout the

state, including standard definitions for tenancy, setting limits for security

deposits and other fees, and providing redress for tenants.





A standardized landlord/tenant relationship would provide protection for

both parties and facilitate outreach efforts to educate people on their rights

and responsibilities. This would then allow tenants to challenge substandard

housing and slum landlords more easily, and thereby lead to increased stability

in communities.









IMPORTANT ALERT FOR ILLINOIS LANDLORDS



We need your help - see telephone numbers to call at bottom of page.





Here are some of the lowlights of this bill that has been introduced by

some very powerful tenant's rights activists.







House Bill 3067 - Residential Renters Rights Act





Points of interest within H.B. 3067





* Notice of Termination must be sent by Registered Mail in addition



to any current required methods.





* The landlord shall not charge any application fee.





* Credit Check - The landlord shall provide the prospective



leaseholder with a copy of the full report.





* Credit Check - The landlord shall not charge for a credit report if



the prospective leaseholder presents an unaltered copy of the prospective



leaseholder's credit report to the landlord and the report is less than 60

days old.





* If your lease is in violation of this Act, you have 10 days to an

amended lease. If you fail to do so, you will be subject to a fine of 2 months

rent per tenant.





* It is insufficient notice to provide a post office box address as

an address of the landlord, the person who makes repairs, the person who

collects the rent, and for receipt of process.





* If the landlord fails to provide this notice, (physical address)



the leaseholder may withhold rent until such time as the notice is provided.





* A landlord shall neither demand or receive a security deposit in

excess of one months rent.





* All security deposits shall be held in a federally insured interest

bearing account ... in this State.





* A security deposit and all interest earned on the security deposit



remain the property of the leaseholder.





* The security deposit may not be commingled with the *****ets of the

landlord.





* Within 30 days of the end of each 12 month rental period, the

landlord shall pay directly to the leaseholder all interest earned on the

leaseholder's deposit for that period.





* The landlord shall create an inventory checklist detailing the

condition of the dwelling.





* The landlord shall give the new tenant a copy of the checklist from

the previous tenant.





* The tenant may change the locks and refuse to give the landlord the

new keys until after move out.





* A landlord may not charge a tenant any fee in addition to rent

unless the fee is disclosed on the lease and separately initialed by the tenant.





* A lease cannot include a leaseholder paid fee for late payment of

rent or discount for early payment of rent in excess of $10 per month for the

first $500 plus 5% per month for any amount of rent in excess of $500.





* For rent increases of 5% or less, the landlord must provide 30 days

written notice.





* For rent increases of greater than 5% and up to 10% of the rental



rate, the landlord must provide 60 days written notice.





* For rent increases of more than 10% of the rental rate, the



landlord must provide a 90 day written notice..





* Landlords must accept all reasonable subleases offered by the

leaseholder.





* Return of security deposits. The security deposit and all interest

earned thereon shall be returned to the leaseholder within 10 days of the

date on which the leaseholder gave notice that the tenant vacated the unit.





* Abandonment of the dwelling unit shall be deemed to have occurred

only when: ... all tenants have been absent from the unit for a period of 21

days, or for one rental period, which ever is greater, the tenants have removed

their personal property from the premises, and the rent for the



period is unpaid...





* Right to terminate lease. After giving 2 months written notice, a



leaseholder may terminate a lease if the reason for the termination is:



(a) The purchase of residential property that will become the

leaseholder's primary residence.



(b) The need to relocate when either the leaseholder or a member of the

leaseholder's family accepts employment located more than 50 miles from the

dwelling place.



(c) The consolidation of households because of a marriage.





Below are members of the Housing and Urban Development Committee





ROLE Representative District Office Phone Fax

Party





Chairperson - Julie Hamos - Evanston - 217-782-8052 - 217-557-7204 -D



Member - Patricia Bailey - Chicago - 217-782-5971 - 217-558-6370 -D



Member - Bob A. Biggins - Elmhurst - 217-782-6578 - 217-782-5257 - R



Member - Sara Feigenholtz - Chicago - 217-782-8062 - 217-557-7203 - D



Member - Paul D. Froehlich - Schaumburg - 217-782-3725 - 217-782-1336 - R



Member - Deborah L. Graham - Oak Park - 217-782-6400 - 217-782-6400 - D



Member - Charles E. Jeffereson - Rockford - 217-782-3167 - 217-557-7654 - D



Member - Robin Kelly - Hazelcrest - 217-558-1007 - 217-557-7203 - D



Republican Spokesperson - David R. Leitch - Peoria - 217-782-8108 -



217-557-3047 -R



Vice-Chairperson - Larry McKeon - Chicago - 217-782-3835 - 217-557-6470 - D



Member - Ruth Monson - Elgin - 217-782-8020 - 217-782-8020 - R



Member - Elaine Nekritz - Des Plaines - 217-558-1004 - 217-558-3443 - D



Member - Harry Osterman - Chicago - 217-782-8088 - 217-782-6592 - D



Member - Raymond Poe - Springfield - 217-782-0044 - 217-782-0897 - R



Member - Chapin Rose - Charleston - 217-558-1006 - 217-782-1275 - R



Member - Kathleen A. Ryg - Vernon Hills - 217-782-0499 - 217-557-1934 - D



Member - Ricca Slone - Peoria - 217-782-3186 - 217-782-3186 - D



Member - Keith P. Sommer - Morton - 217-782-0221 - 217-782-1275 - R



Member - Ron Stephens - Troy - 217-782-6401 - 217-557-3047 - R



Member - Dave Winters - Rockford - 217-782-0455 - 217-782-1139 - R





Illinois Rental Property Owners is launching a grassroots effort to fight

this bill. Please make the calls and help make Illinois a safe state for good

landlords.



Thank you for your time,

Clif aka pbodys