Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Crystal Lake

Find the right Tenant attorney in Crystal Lake, IL

Tenant Law in Illinois

The relationship between a landlord and tenant in Crystal Lake, Illinois can sometimes be a touchy one. Landlords and tenants are not always clear on their respective rights and responsibilities.

Both parties to a landlord/tenant relationship are governed by an extensive body of laws and regulations, defining their legal rights and obligations.

Landlord's Rights in Crystal Lake, IL

The most basic right that landlords have is the right to be paid the agreed-upon rent by their tenant. Obviously, renting apartments is how landlords make a living, so they are entitled to collect the rent that the tenant agreed to pay.

Landlords also have a right to be compensated for damage to the building that a tenant causes, either intentionally or negligently. Any damage caused by a tenant, besides reasonable wear and tear, can be billed, and the landlord can deduct from the tenant's security deposit to pay for repairs.

Tenant's Rights in Crystal Lake, IL

At the most basic level, tenants have a basic right to what they're paying for: a habitable living environment. Consequently, landlords in Crystal Lake, Illinois must ensure that the units they rent to tenants meet some basic standards for human habitation. These requirements vary from state to state, but are often fairly easy to meet. There are no legal criteria that rented units be pretty, particularly spacious, or luxurious. They simply have to be fit for human beings to live in them. To be considered "habitable," rented units must have water, electricity, some form of heating (if the local climate necessitates it), and adequate protection from the elements (proper insulation, no roof leaks, windows that close, etc.).

Moreover, tenants are entitled to common areas which are reasonably safe and clean, and free of physical obstacles. Areas such as lobbies, hallways, stairwells, and fire escapes must comply with the building codes of Crystal Lake, Illinois. Moreover, any other unreasonable safety hazard, even if it doesn't violate a specific provision of a building code, can create liability for the landlord if it injures a tenant.

A tenant also has a right, under federal law and the laws of Illinois to be free from discrimination in housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, or gender. Landlords can additionally not discriminate against persons with disabilities, and must make reasonable accommodations for those disabilities.

Finally, the laws of most states protect tenants from unfair eviction. In general, as long as a tenant is paying rent on time, and is not damaging the unit, they cannot be evicted before the term of the lease expires, unless there is a very good reason to do so (such as excessive noise caused by the tenant, or illegal activities in the apartment).

Can a Crystal Lake, Illinois Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Tenants and landlords always want to avoid getting into any serious disputes - these disputes interfere with the tenant's living arrangement, and the landlord's business. In short, they help nobody. While a good Crystal Lake, Illinois attorney can certainly help his or her client prevail in such a dispute, they may be more valuable for their ability to help prevent such disputes from escalating in the first place.

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Life in Crystal Lake

Crystal Lake is located in McHenry County, Illinois. It is a suburb of Chicago.

Being so near Chicago, Crystal Lake residents have the vast Chicago legal force for all their legal matters. Chicago is home to large firms, as well as mid to small size law firms.

For some great shopping and dining, Crystal Lake Park District is the place to go. Other popular sites include Northwest Herald, Walkup Road, Main Beach, Lakewood, and the Dole Family mansion.

All in all, Crystal Lake offers small town charm with the big windy city nearby!

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