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Swansea is a residential village in St. Clair County, located in the Metro East region of the greater St. Louis metropolitan area. While smaller than many Illinois cities, Swansea has a notable share of renters who benefit from the state's baseline tenant protections. Renters here most commonly search for information about security deposit refunds, what notice a landlord must give before ending a lease, and what to do when a landlord ignores repair requests.
Unlike Chicago or Evanston, Swansea has no local tenant rights ordinances — all protections come from Illinois state law. The most relevant statutes are the Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710), the Landlord-Tenant Act provisions under the Illinois Code, and the Retaliatory Eviction Act (765 ILCS 720). Illinois courts also recognize an implied warranty of habitability derived from common law, which applies to all residential rental agreements in the state.
This article is intended as an informational overview to help Swansea renters understand their legal baseline. It is not legal advice. Laws can change, and individual circumstances vary — if you have a specific dispute, consult a licensed Illinois attorney or a local legal aid organization.
Swansea has no rent control, and Illinois state law forbids any municipality from enacting one. The Illinois Rent Control Preemption Act (765 ILCS 720/1) expressly prohibits any unit of local government — including villages, cities, and counties — from enacting, maintaining, or enforcing any ordinance that controls or limits the amount of rent charged for leasing private residential or commercial property.
In practice, this means a landlord in Swansea may raise your rent by any amount, at any time, provided they give you proper written notice before the increase takes effect. For a month-to-month tenancy, that means at least 30 days' notice before the new rent begins. For a fixed-term lease, the rent is locked in for the lease term; the landlord cannot raise it until the lease is up for renewal. At renewal, however, no cap applies.
Because there is no rent stabilization or vacancy control, Swansea renters facing steep rent hikes have limited legal recourse beyond negotiating with their landlord or choosing not to renew their lease. Renters experiencing housing instability due to unaffordable rent increases may contact Prairie State Legal Services for guidance on available options.
Illinois provides a set of core statewide protections that apply to every residential rental in Swansea, regardless of the absence of local ordinances.
Implied Warranty of Habitability: Under Illinois common law (as articulated in Jack Spring, Inc. v. Little, 50 Ill. 2d 351 (1972)) and codified principles, landlords must maintain rental units in a habitable condition — meaning structurally sound, with functioning heat, plumbing, and protection from the elements. If a landlord fails to maintain habitability, tenants may have remedies including rent withholding or repair-and-deduct, though these remedies carry legal risk and renters should seek legal advice before pursuing them.
Security Deposit Protections: The Illinois Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710/0.01 et seq.) requires landlords of buildings with five or more units to return the deposit — along with an itemized written statement of any deductions — within 30 days of the tenant vacating. Failure to comply entitles the tenant to the return of the full deposit plus damages. The Illinois Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 710) also requires landlords of larger buildings to pay interest on deposits held longer than six months.
Notice Requirements: To terminate a month-to-month tenancy, either the landlord or tenant must provide at least 30 days written notice before the end of a rental period (735 ILCS 5/9-207). For nonpayment of rent, the landlord must serve a written 5-Day Notice to Pay or Quit before filing for eviction. For lease violations, a 10-day notice is typically required.
Anti-Retaliation Protections: The Illinois Retaliatory Eviction Act (765 ILCS 720/1) prohibits a landlord from retaliating against a tenant — through eviction, rent increase, or reduction of services — because the tenant complained to a governmental authority about housing code violations, complained to the landlord about habitability, or organized with other tenants. Retaliation is an affirmative defense in eviction proceedings.
Prohibition on Self-Help Eviction: Illinois law (735 ILCS 5/9-101 et seq.) requires landlords to obtain a court order before removing a tenant. A landlord may not change the locks, remove doors or windows, shut off utilities, or remove the tenant's belongings to force them out. These acts constitute illegal self-help eviction and expose the landlord to civil liability.
Swansea renters are protected by the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710/0.01 et seq.), which governs landlords who own buildings with five or more residential units. Under this Act, the landlord must return the security deposit — minus any lawful deductions — within 30 days after the tenant has vacated the unit and returned possession.
If the landlord withholds any portion of the deposit, they must provide the tenant with an itemized written statement of damages and actual repair receipts or invoices within that 30-day window. Failure to provide the itemized statement or to return the deposit within 30 days entitles the tenant to recover the full amount of the deposit in a civil action. Some courts have awarded additional damages depending on the facts of the case.
Illinois law does not set a statewide cap on the amount of a security deposit a landlord may charge. Landlords may generally charge any amount they wish at lease signing. However, landlords of buildings with 25 or more units must also pay annual interest on security deposits held longer than six months, under the Illinois Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 710).
For tenants in buildings with fewer than five units, the Security Deposit Return Act does not apply by its terms, but landlords may still face common law liability for wrongful retention of a deposit. Regardless of building size, tenants should document the condition of the unit at move-in and move-out with dated photographs and a written checklist, and should provide a written forwarding address to ensure the landlord can return the deposit.
In Swansea, a landlord must follow Illinois's formal court process to remove a tenant — no shortcuts are permitted. The eviction process is governed by the Illinois Code of Civil Procedure (735 ILCS 5/9-101 et seq.) and proceeds as follows:
Step 1 — Written Notice: Before filing in court, the landlord must serve the tenant with a written notice. The type and duration of notice depends on the reason for eviction: a 5-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit for nonpayment of rent; a 10-Day Notice to Comply or Quit for a lease violation; or a 30-Day Notice to Terminate for a month-to-month tenancy being ended without cause (735 ILCS 5/9-207, 5/9-210).
Step 2 — Filing an Eviction Complaint: If the tenant does not pay, cure the violation, or vacate by the end of the notice period, the landlord may file an eviction complaint (formerly called a forcible entry and detainer action) in the St. Clair County Circuit Court. The tenant will be served with a summons and given a court date.
Step 3 — Court Hearing: Both parties may appear and present their case before a judge. Tenants have the right to raise defenses, including habitability issues, improper notice, or retaliation (765 ILCS 720/1). If the judge rules in the landlord's favor, a judgment for possession is entered.
Step 4 — Enforcement: After a judgment is entered, the landlord may obtain an order of possession. A sheriff's deputy — not the landlord — carries out the physical removal if the tenant does not leave voluntarily. The landlord must not attempt to remove the tenant, their belongings, or access to the unit before this step.
Self-Help Eviction is Illegal: Under 735 ILCS 5/9-101 and Illinois common law, a landlord who changes locks, removes doors or windows, shuts off heat, water, or electricity, or removes a tenant's belongings without a court order commits an illegal self-help eviction. Tenants subjected to these acts may have grounds for a civil suit for damages and may seek emergency injunctive relief.
Swansea has no just cause eviction ordinance. A landlord may decline to renew a lease at the end of its term for any reason, or no reason, as long as proper notice is given.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information presented here reflects Illinois state law and general legal principles as of April 2026, but laws and local regulations can change. Swansea renters with specific legal questions or disputes should consult a licensed Illinois attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization such as Prairie State Legal Services or Illinois Legal Aid Online. RentCheckMe is not a law firm and no attorney-client relationship is created by reading or relying on this content.
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