Justice, Illinois is a village in Cook County with a modest but active rental market. As a suburb located southwest of Chicago, many residents rent apartments, townhomes, and single-family homes governed entirely by Illinois state law. Renters in Justice do not benefit from any local rent control ordinance or city-specific tenant protections beyond what state law provides.
The most common questions Justice renters ask involve security deposit returns, eviction notice requirements, and what to do when a landlord fails to make repairs. Illinois law addresses each of these through statutes including the Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710), the Landlord and Tenant Act (765 ILCS 710-735), and the Forcible Entry and Detainer Act (735 ILCS 5/9-201). Renters who live in Cook County but outside Chicago should be aware that the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO) does not apply to Justice.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change, and individual circumstances vary. If you have a specific legal problem, consult a licensed Illinois attorney or a local legal aid organization.
Justice has no rent control, and Illinois law prohibits any municipality from enacting it. Under 50 ILCS 825/5 — the Illinois Rent Control Preemption Act — no county, municipality, or other unit of local government in Illinois may enact, maintain, or enforce any ordinance or resolution that regulates the amount of rent charged for leasing private residential or commercial property. This statewide preemption applies to Justice and every other Illinois community outside of any exemption.
In practical terms, this means a landlord in Justice may raise your rent by any amount at the end of a lease term or, for month-to-month tenants, with proper advance written notice. There is no cap on how much rent can increase. Tenants facing unaffordable rent increases have no local ordinance to rely on and must evaluate whether to renew, negotiate with their landlord, or find alternative housing.
Habitability: Illinois common law requires landlords to maintain rental units in a habitable condition — meaning structurally sound, weathertight, and free from conditions that endanger health or safety. While Illinois does not have a single statewide habitability statute that enumerates specific requirements for all rentals, courts have consistently upheld an implied warranty of habitability. Tenants may have remedies including rent withholding or repair-and-deduct in appropriate circumstances, though these remedies carry legal risks and should be pursued carefully.
Security Deposit Protections: The Illinois Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710) and the Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 710/0.01 et seq.) apply to landlords who own 25 or more units. Under 765 ILCS 710/1, those landlords must return a tenant's security deposit — or provide a written itemized statement of deductions — within 30 days after the tenant vacates. Failure to comply can entitle the tenant to the entire deposit plus damages. Landlords owning fewer than 25 units have fewer statutory obligations but may still face civil liability for wrongful withholding.
Notice to Terminate Tenancy: Under 735 ILCS 5/9-207, a month-to-month tenancy in Illinois requires at least 30 days written notice from either the landlord or tenant before termination. For tenancies of one week or less, seven days notice is required. The notice period for fixed-term leases is governed by the lease itself.
Anti-Retaliation: Illinois law prohibits landlords from retaliating against tenants for complaining to a government agency about housing code violations, organizing with other tenants, or exercising any other legal right. Under 765 ILCS 720/1, retaliatory eviction is unlawful. A tenant who proves retaliation may assert it as a defense in eviction proceedings and may be entitled to damages.
Prohibition on Self-Help Eviction: A landlord may not remove a tenant without a court order. Changing locks, removing doors, shutting off utilities, or removing the tenant's possessions to force them out — commonly called self-help eviction — is illegal in Illinois under 735 ILCS 5/9-101 et seq. and may expose the landlord to civil liability.
2025-2026 Illinois law updates: Effective January 1, 2026, the Safer Homes Act (Public Act 103-1031) requires landlords to attach the Illinois Department of Human Rights' Summary of Rights to every residential lease; House Bill 3566 (Public Act 104-0317) prohibits landlords from naming minors as defendants in an eviction action, and a violation requires dismissal of the case and allows a $1,000 penalty plus actual damages and attorney's fees; and Senate Bill 1563 allows owners to have police remove certain unauthorized occupants or squatters under the criminal trespass statute without filing a full eviction case. Separately, the Landlord Retaliation Act took effect January 1, 2025, creating a one-year presumption that adverse landlord action taken after a tenant's protected activity is retaliatory.
Illinois does not impose a statewide cap on the amount a landlord may charge as a security deposit. For landlords who own 25 or more residential units, the Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710/1) requires the following:
For landlords who own fewer than 25 units, the statutory framework is more limited, but tenants may still pursue breach-of-contract or unjust-enrichment claims in small claims court if a deposit is wrongfully withheld.
The Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 710/0.01) requires landlords covered by the Act to pay interest on deposits held for more than six months. The interest rate is set annually by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Always document the condition of your unit at move-in and move-out with photos and written records to support any deposit dispute.
In Justice, Illinois, a landlord must follow a court-supervised eviction process. Self-help eviction — including changing locks, shutting off utilities, or removing a tenant's belongings without a court order — is prohibited under 735 ILCS 5/9-101 and may result in civil liability for the landlord.
Step 1 — Written Notice: Before filing for eviction, the landlord must serve the tenant with a written notice. The type of notice depends on the reason for eviction:
Step 2 — Filing in Court: If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord may file a Forcible Entry and Detainer complaint in the Cook County Circuit Court. The tenant will be served with a summons and given an opportunity to appear and respond.
Step 3 — Court Hearing: Both parties present their case before a judge. Tenants may raise defenses such as the landlord's failure to maintain habitability, retaliation, or procedural defects in the notice. If the landlord prevails, the court issues a Judgment for Possession.
Step 4 — Order of Possession and Enforcement: After a Judgment for Possession is entered, the court issues an Order of Possession. Only a Cook County Sheriff's deputy may physically remove a tenant pursuant to that order — not the landlord directly.
Justice does not require just-cause for eviction beyond what is stated in the lease. Tenants facing eviction should seek legal assistance immediately, as timelines are short.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information presented here is intended to give Justice, Illinois renters a general understanding of applicable state laws and tenant rights as of April 2026. Laws and local ordinances may change, and the application of any law depends on the specific facts of your situation. For advice about your particular circumstances, please consult a licensed Illinois attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization in your area.
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