c/chicago-legal-advice

Vent: My landlord tried to keep my security deposit over a normal wear and tear issue

I moved out of my apartment in Lincoln Park last month and the landlord is claiming $800 for carpet wear that was already worn when I moved in. Has anyone had luck fighting these claims through Chicago's tenant laws?

My landlord said a verbal agreement was as good as written in Chicago

Last July my landlord told me rent would stay at $1200 for another year, just a handshake and a nod. Now she's trying to hike it to $1450 with 30 days notice and says the verbal thing means nothing. Is there any way to fight this in Cook County or am I just screwed?

My landlord tried to keep my whole security deposit over a tiny carpet stain

I moved out of a place in Wicker Park last month and got a letter saying they were keeping my full $1200 deposit for a 2 inch stain near the window. I looked up Chicago's security deposit laws and found out they have to give you an itemized list of deductions within 30 days or they owe you double. Has anyone else fought their landlord over this and actually won in small claims court?

That $500 landlord lawyer saved my security deposit

Paid a real estate lawyer $500 to review my old lease after my landlord tried to keep my whole deposit for 'normal wear and tear'. Turned out they had to give me itemized receipts by law in Chicago and they didn't have any. Has anyone else had luck fighting shady deposit deductions?

Pro tip: Check your landlord's insurance before signing any lease in Chicago

I moved into a place in Logan Square last September and didn't ask about the building's insurance. A pipe burst in the unit above mine 3 weeks in and ruined my couch and mattress. The landlord tried to say I needed my own renter's insurance for coverage, but his policy actually covered building damage only. I ended up paying $1,200 out of pocket for a new mattress because I waited too long to get renter's insurance. Now I always ask to see the policy documents before I sign anything. Has anyone else gotten stuck with a repair bill here that you thought the landlord would cover?

Vent: got a ticket for my license plate being too dirty after that snowstorm

I was parked on Western Ave near Irving Park last Tuesday after the big snow melt. Cop walks up and writes me a fix-it ticket for having my rear plate caked in salt and slush. Said it was illegible. I get it but come on, it was literally a day after the streets got cleared. Anyone fight one of these or just pay the fine?

Neighbor's fence is 2 feet onto my property. Do I lawyer up or mediation first?

Stopped by a house in Bridgeport yesterday and saw a fence cutting right across the lot line. Owner says it's been there 12 years. Adverse possession claim or just a survey dispute?

My landlord tried to evict me over a $35 parking ticket I never got

I got a notice from my landlord saying I had 7 days to pay a $35 parking ticket from the city or they'd start eviction proceedings. Turns out some city system glitched and sent the ticket to my old unit number. I spent 3 hours at the Daley Center last Tuesday waiting to get a clerk to void it. Has anyone else dealt with a landlord jumping the gun on eviction over something this small?

Paid a lawyer $1,200 to review a lease and he missed a clause that cost me another $3,000 in fees.

Has anyone else paid a Chicago real estate attorney who turned out to miss important stuff in a commercial lease review?

Rant: My landlord tried to keep my whole security deposit over a scratch on the floor

Honestly, I thought it was a simple fix when I moved out of my place in Logan Square last year. The lease said normal wear and tear was fine, and this was a tiny mark. Tbh, I ended up filing a claim with the Chicago Renters' Rights hotline and it took a full 5 months to get my $1200 back. They kept sending letters saying the damage was 'beyond normal' and the repair cost was $800. Ngl, I had to show them photos from when I moved in and get a statement from my old neighbor. Has anyone else had a landlord drag things out over something this small? What did you do?

Pro tip: I thought getting a ticket dismissed in Chicago was a lost cause until I actually went to court

Got a parking ticket last year for being too close to a hydrant on North Avenue. The sign was faded and I was sure I was right, so I fought it. I went in expecting a quick loss and a fine, but the hearing officer actually listened. I brought a photo from that day showing the sign was unreadable. They looked at it, asked a couple questions, and just dismissed the ticket. I was shocked. I always heard the city never lets you win, but they did. It took about 20 minutes total at the Daley Center. Has anyone else had a good result fighting a ticket, or was I just lucky?

My landlord tried to keep my full deposit for a scratch on the floor

I moved out of my Logan Square apartment last month. The landlord sent a letter saying he was keeping all $1200 of my deposit because of a deep scratch in the hardwood. I took pictures before I left, and the scratch was there when I moved in. I sent him a copy of my move-in checklist with that exact damage noted, plus the new photos. He wrote back three days later and said he would return the money. Has anyone else had to fight for a deposit in Chicago? What's the best way to keep records?

Spent $400 on a lawyer for a parking ticket and it was totally worth it

I got a ticket in the Loop last year for parking in a loading zone, but the sign was totally faded and you couldn't read it. I was gonna just pay the $150 fine, but my friend told me to fight it. I hired a local lawyer who deals with this stuff for a flat $400. He got the ticket dismissed because he had photos of the bad sign and knew the right city code to cite. I was out the $400, but it saved me from getting the violation on my record, which would have raised my insurance. Has anyone else had a good experience fighting a ticket with a lawyer here, or is it usually not worth the cost?

Overheard a guy at the Dunkin' on Clark say his landlord tried to charge him for a new fridge after the old one just needed a $20 part.

Made me wonder, how many tenants in Chicago get billed for full replacements when a simple repair would do, and what's the best way to push back on that?

My landlord tried to keep my $2,000 security deposit for 'cleaning' after I left my Logan Square apartment spotless.

Sent a demand letter citing the Chicago RLTO and had the full check in my hand 10 days later. Anyone else had to fight for their deposit in the city?

Talking to a guy at the Clark Street bus stop about his landlord refusing to fix a broken lock

He said he finally called 311 after two months, and a city inspector showed up within a week and wrote a violation, which made me realize how many people probably don't know that free option exists over here.

My landlord's 'fix' for a broken radiator was to mail me a roll of duct tape from Florida

It arrived last Tuesday with a note saying 'good luck, it gets cold there.' Anyone know a tenant lawyer who's dealt with a heating situation this ridiculous?

My neighbor in Pilsen kept getting parking tickets for a sign that wasn't clear

He took a picture of the sign and the street every day for two weeks, then showed the photos to the city. They threw out all six tickets. Has anyone else had luck fighting a ticket this way?

My landlord in Logan Square hasn't fixed the broken heat since November and it's getting cold again. What can I do?

I thought my landlord could just keep my security deposit for a broken window

After a tenant in my building broke a window last winter, the landlord took the full $1,200 from our security deposit to cover it. I found out from a free clinic at the Daley Center that in Chicago, a landlord has to provide an itemized list of damages and receipts within 30 days, which he never did. Has anyone here successfully gotten a deposit back after a landlord missed that deadline?

Vent: My landlord in Logan Square said my security deposit was gone because of 'normal wear and tear'...

He pointed at a tiny scuff on the baseboard from a chair and claimed it was damage. I had photos from move-in day showing it was already there. Has anyone else had to fight for their deposit back in Chicago and won?

Question about a Chicago parking ticket I got last winter. Paid a $75 late fee because the city website was down.

Just had a Chicago cop tell me I was wrong to film him during a traffic stop on Grand Avenue

He said it was illegal to record police activity without permission and threatened to take my phone, but I stood my ground because I know the Illinois Eavesdropping Act changed in 2014. Has anyone else in Cook County had a similar run-in and know the exact statute to cite?

My landlord tried to keep my whole security deposit for 'cleaning' after I left my Logan Square place spotless

Last Tuesday I got the check in the mail, and it was for $0. They sent a list saying they had to do a 'deep clean' and 'repaint' the whole apartment, costing $1,850. I took pictures and video before I left, the place was cleaner than when I moved in. I even have the move-in checklist from three years ago where I noted all the existing scuffs. I called them and the property manager just said 'that's standard.' I'm so mad because that money was for my new place's deposit. Has anyone in Chicago actually fought this and won without a lawyer? What's the first step, just sending a demand letter?

Called a Chicago tenant hotline instead of just googling my lease issue

My landlord tried to keep my full $1,800 security deposit for 'cleaning' after I moved out of my Logan Square place. I started reading old forum posts and got confused. So I called the Metropolitan Tenants Organization hotline last Tuesday. The volunteer walked me through the city ordinance, told me exactly what letter to send, and gave me a 14-day deadline to mention. Got a check for $1,650 in the mail yesterday. Has anyone else had to push back on a deposit around here?