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River Grove is a small residential village in Cook County, Illinois, situated just northwest of Chicago. Like many Cook County communities outside Chicago proper, River Grove renters are governed exclusively by Illinois state law — there is no local tenant-rights ordinance, no local rent board, and no municipal rental code beyond state-level requirements.
Illinois renters most commonly search for answers about security deposit timelines, eviction notice requirements, landlord repair obligations, and rent increase limits. In River Grove, all of these questions are answered by statewide statutes, including the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710), the Illinois Rent Control Preemption Act (765 ILCS 720), and the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure governing eviction proceedings (735 ILCS 5/9-101 et seq.).
This page summarizes the tenant protections that apply in River Grove as of April 2026. It is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws can change and individual circumstances vary — consult a licensed Illinois attorney or a legal aid organization for guidance specific to your situation.
Rent control is prohibited in River Grove and throughout all of Illinois. The Illinois Rent Control Preemption Act, 765 ILCS 720/1, expressly forbids any unit of local government — including villages, cities, and counties — from enacting, maintaining, or enforcing any ordinance that controls the amount of rent charged for private residential or commercial property. This preemption applies statewide without exception, meaning that even Cook County and municipalities like River Grove that might otherwise wish to adopt rent stabilization measures are legally barred from doing so.
In practice, this means a landlord in River Grove can raise the rent by any amount at the end of a lease term or, for month-to-month tenancies, with at least 30 days written notice before the next rent due date. There is no cap, no required justification, and no local agency to file a complaint with regarding rent increases. Renters do retain the right to refuse a rent increase and move out, or to negotiate with their landlord, but the law provides no ceiling on what a landlord may charge.
Habitable Conditions: Illinois landlords are required under the implied warranty of habitability — recognized by Illinois courts and codified in part through local building codes — to maintain rental units in a safe, sanitary, and livable condition throughout the tenancy. This includes functioning heat, plumbing, electricity, and a weathertight structure. If a landlord fails to address serious habitability defects after proper written notice, Illinois courts have recognized tenant remedies including rent withholding, repair-and-deduct, and lease termination, though these remedies carry procedural requirements and risks best navigated with legal assistance.
Security Deposit Protections: The Illinois Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710/1) requires landlords of residential buildings with five or more units to return a tenant's security deposit — or provide a written, itemized statement of deductions — within 30 days after the tenant vacates the unit. A landlord who wrongfully withholds a deposit may be liable to the tenant for an amount equal to twice the security deposit, plus court costs and reasonable attorney fees, under 765 ILCS 710/1. The Illinois Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 710/1 and 765 ILCS 715/1) also requires landlords of larger buildings to pay interest on deposits held for more than six months.
Notice to Terminate Tenancy: For month-to-month rental agreements in Illinois, either the landlord or the tenant must provide at least 30 days written notice before the next rent due date to terminate the tenancy. For fixed-term leases, no additional notice is required beyond the lease end date unless the lease provides otherwise. These requirements flow from longstanding Illinois common law and 735 ILCS 5/9-207.
Anti-Retaliation Protections: Under 765 ILCS 720/1 and Illinois common law, a landlord may not retaliate against a tenant for reporting code violations to a government authority, requesting legally required repairs, or exercising any tenant right protected by law. Retaliatory acts can include rent increases, reduction of services, harassment, or attempted eviction. A tenant facing retaliation may raise it as a defense in an eviction proceeding or pursue a separate legal claim.
Prohibition on Self-Help Eviction: Illinois law strictly prohibits landlords from removing a tenant by any means other than a court-ordered eviction. A landlord cannot change locks, remove doors or windows, shut off utilities, or remove the tenant's belongings in order to force the tenant out. These acts constitute an illegal lockout under Illinois law (735 ILCS 5/9-101 et seq.) and can expose the landlord to civil liability, including actual damages and attorney fees.
Illinois does not impose a statewide cap on the amount a landlord may charge as a security deposit. Landlords in River Grove may therefore collect whatever deposit amount the parties agree to in writing at the start of the tenancy.
Return Deadline: For residential buildings with five or more units, the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710/1) requires the landlord to return the deposit — or deliver a written, itemized list of deductions along with any remaining balance — within 30 days after the tenant surrenders possession of the unit. If the landlord claims deductions for damage beyond normal wear and tear, receipts or invoices supporting those deductions must accompany the itemized statement.
Penalty for Wrongful Withholding: A landlord who fails to comply with the 30-day return requirement or who wrongfully withholds any portion of the deposit without a proper itemized statement can be held liable to the tenant for twice the amount of the security deposit, plus reasonable attorney fees and court costs, pursuant to 765 ILCS 710/1. This penalty applies when the landlord's failure to return the deposit is found to be unjustified.
Interest on Deposits: The Illinois Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 715/1) requires landlords of buildings with 25 or more units to pay annual interest on security deposits held for more than six months. The applicable interest rate is set each year by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
Tenants should document the condition of the unit at move-in and move-out with dated photographs and written records, and should provide written notice of their forwarding address when vacating to ensure the landlord can return the deposit within the statutory period.
Illinois landlords must follow a strict legal process to remove a tenant from a rental unit in River Grove. No self-help measures are permitted at any stage of this process.
Step 1 — Written Notice: Before filing in court, a landlord must serve the tenant with a written notice. The type and duration of the notice depends on the reason for eviction: (a) a 5-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit is required for non-payment of rent (735 ILCS 5/9-209); (b) a 10-Day Notice to Cure or Quit is required for lease violations other than non-payment (735 ILCS 5/9-210); (c) a 30-Day Notice to Terminate is required to end a month-to-month tenancy without cause (735 ILCS 5/9-207). The notice must be served personally, left with a resident of the unit, or posted on the door with a mailed copy, following 735 ILCS 5/9-211.
Step 2 — Filing an Eviction Complaint: If the tenant does not comply with the notice within the specified period, the landlord may file a Complaint for Eviction (Forcible Entry and Detainer) in the Cook County Circuit Court. River Grove cases are heard in the Cook County Circuit Court's First Municipal District. The landlord pays a filing fee and receives a hearing date, typically within two to three weeks.
Step 3 — Court Hearing: Both the landlord and tenant may appear and present evidence at the hearing. Tenants have the right to raise defenses, including improper notice, retaliation, or uninhabitable conditions. If the court rules in the landlord's favor, it issues an Order for Possession. The court sets a date by which the tenant must vacate.
Step 4 — Enforcement by Sheriff: If the tenant does not vacate by the court-ordered date, the landlord may obtain a Writ of Possession and request that the Cook County Sheriff enforce removal. Only a sheriff's deputy may physically remove a tenant — the landlord cannot do so independently under 735 ILCS 5/9-101 et seq.
Self-Help Eviction is Illegal: Changing locks, removing doors or windows, shutting off heat, electricity, or water, or removing the tenant's property without a court order are all prohibited acts under Illinois law. A tenant subjected to an illegal lockout may seek emergency relief in court and may be entitled to damages, attorney fees, and immediate restoration of possession.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant rights laws can change, and the application of any law depends on the specific facts of your situation. River Grove renters with questions about their rights or a specific landlord-tenant dispute should consult a licensed Illinois attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization. RentCheckMe and its contributors are not responsible for actions taken in reliance on the information provided here.
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