River Forest is a residential village in Cook County, Illinois, situated just west of Chicago's Austin neighborhood and bordering Oak Park. With a population of roughly 11,000, River Forest is predominantly owner-occupied, but a meaningful share of residents rent apartments, condominiums, and single-family homes. Renters in River Forest most commonly seek information about security deposit returns, landlord repair obligations, and the eviction process.
All tenant-landlord relationships in River Forest are governed by Illinois state law. The village has not enacted its own residential landlord-tenant ordinance, so renters rely on statewide protections including the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710), the Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 725), and general habitability principles recognized under Illinois common law. Because River Forest is not part of the City of Chicago, the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (Chicago Muni. Code § 5-12) does not apply here.
This page summarizes the laws that protect River Forest renters as of April 2026. It is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have a specific legal dispute, consult a licensed Illinois attorney or contact a local legal aid organization.
River Forest has no rent control, and Illinois law expressly prohibits local governments from enacting it. The Illinois Rent Control Preemption Act (50 ILCS 825/5) bars any county, municipality, or other unit of local government from enacting, maintaining, or enforcing any ordinance or resolution that would regulate the amount of rent charged for leasing private residential property. River Forest, as a Cook County municipality, is fully subject to this preemption.
In practical terms, this means your landlord may raise your rent by any amount at the end of a lease term or, for month-to-month tenancies, with at least 30 days written notice. There is no cap on annual rent increases, no requirement that increases be tied to inflation, and no local board or agency to challenge a rent hike. Your primary protection against excessive increases is the ability to decline renewal and vacate with proper notice.
Implied Warranty of Habitability: Under Illinois common law, all residential landlords must maintain rental units in a habitable condition throughout the tenancy. This includes functional heating, plumbing, electrical systems, weatherproofing, and freedom from serious pest infestations. If a landlord fails to remedy a material defect after reasonable notice, Illinois courts have recognized tenant remedies including rent withholding and repair-and-deduct, though tenants should consult an attorney before exercising these remedies.
Security Deposit Protections: The Illinois Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710/1) requires landlords who own five or more units to return a tenant's security deposit — less any lawful deductions — within 30 days of lease termination or the tenant vacating, whichever is later. The landlord must provide an itemized written statement of any deductions. The Illinois Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 725/1) requires landlords of 25 or more units to pay annual interest on deposits held for more than six months. Failure to comply with either act can expose the landlord to damages.
Notice Requirements: For month-to-month tenancies, either party must give at least 30 days written notice before terminating the tenancy (735 ILCS 5/9-207). For week-to-week tenancies, 7 days notice is required. Fixed-term leases expire on their own terms unless renewed.
Anti-Retaliation Protection: Illinois law (765 ILCS 720/1) prohibits landlords from retaliating against tenants who report housing code violations, contact a government agency about conditions, or exercise any legal right. Prohibited retaliatory acts include unjustified rent increases, reduction of services, or commencement of eviction proceedings. A tenant subjected to retaliation may raise it as a defense in an eviction action.
Prohibition on Self-Help Eviction: Illinois law prohibits landlords from removing a tenant without a court order. Changing locks, removing doors or windows, shutting off utilities, or removing the tenant's personal property to force a vacancy — without a valid court judgment and writ of possession — is illegal 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.
River Forest landlords who own five or more residential units are subject to the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act (765 ILCS 710/1). Under this law, the landlord must return the tenant's full security deposit — or the balance remaining after lawful deductions for unpaid rent or damages beyond normal wear and tear — within 30 days after the lease terminates and the tenant vacates the unit.
If the landlord withholds any portion of the deposit, they must provide the tenant with an itemized written statement of deductions, along with receipts or invoices supporting the claimed costs, within the same 30-day period. Illinois law does not set a statewide cap on the amount a landlord may charge as a security deposit.
If the landlord wrongfully withholds the deposit or fails to provide the required itemized statement within 30 days, the tenant may be entitled to recover the amount wrongfully withheld. Tenants should document the unit's condition at move-in and move-out with photographs and written records to support any dispute. Landlords of 25 or more units must also pay interest on deposits held for more than six months under the Illinois Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 725/1); the applicable interest rate is set annually by the Illinois State Treasurer.
Evictions in River Forest follow Illinois state law as set out in the Eviction Act (735 ILCS 5/9-101 et seq.). A landlord cannot remove a tenant without first obtaining a court judgment and an order of possession from the Cook County Circuit Court. Self-help eviction — including changing locks, shutting off utilities, or removing the tenant's belongings — is illegal regardless of whether rent is owed.
Step 1 — Written Notice: Before filing in court, the landlord must serve the tenant with written notice. The required notice period depends on the reason for eviction: (a) 5-Day Notice to Pay or Quit for nonpayment of rent (735 ILCS 5/9-209); (b) 10-Day Notice to Cure or Quit for lease violations other than nonpayment (735 ILCS 5/9-210); (c) 30-Day Notice to Terminate for month-to-month tenancies with no stated cause (735 ILCS 5/9-207). Notice must be served personally, left with a household member of suitable age, or posted and mailed.
Step 2 — Court Filing: If the tenant does not comply with the notice, the landlord may file an eviction complaint in the Cook County Circuit Court (First Municipal District, Richard J. Daley Center, Chicago). The tenant is served with a summons and given a court date.
Step 3 — Hearing: The tenant has the right to appear and present defenses, including improper notice, retaliation, habitability issues, or payment of rent owed. If the court rules for the landlord, it issues an order of possession.
Step 4 — Enforcement: After an order of possession is entered, the landlord must obtain a writ of possession and have the Cook County Sheriff enforce it. Only the Sheriff may physically remove the tenant; the landlord cannot act unilaterally.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant-landlord laws can change, and the application of any law depends on the specific facts of your situation. RentCheckMe is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation. If you have a legal dispute with your landlord, please consult a licensed Illinois attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization in your area. Always verify current statutes and local ordinances independently before taking action.
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