The Ins and Outs of an Illinois Residential Lease Agreement

Understanding the Illinois Residential Lease Agreement

A residential lease agreement is necessary for shielding the rights of a landlord and tenant during the rental period. It’s a specific contract that allows the renter to live in the landlord’s property for a predetermined period while paying a fixed monthly fee.

The main purpose of this legal document is to dictate lease-related conditions and rules both signing entities must follow. If written correctly, a lease agreement can prevent stressful arguments between the parties and help solve misunderstandings that may arise. In case you want to get informed about the Illinois residential lease agreement and learn how to write a contract, we are here to help you!

What Are the Terms Your Lease Agreement Should Have?

Each state—including Illinois—has a specific set of rules dedicated to the relationship between landlords and tenants. The Illinois Compiled Statutes (or Section 765 ILCS 705, to be precise) provide a clear insight into this state’s rent-related rules. It contains all requirements and limitations you must bear in mind while drawing up a lease agreement.

Here’s the table showing the crucial parts your contract should include, but also the sections that you should drop:

You Should IncludeYou Shouldn’t Include
  • Full name and address of the landlord
  • Full name and address of the tenant
  • Contact information of both signing entities, including their phone numbers and email addresses
  • Start and expiration date of the agreement
  • Rent amount and due date
  • Additional fees as a consequence of late rent payment
  • Security deposit amount and return deadline
  • Landlord’s and tenant’s responsibilities
  • Potential modifications of the premises
  • Repair restrictions
  • Notice requirements
  • Entry to rental property provision—the state doesn’t require any specific notice landlords should give to tenants if they want to visit the property, but the parties can add this clause to the document if they want to
  • Sublease provision—it’s usually forbidden in Illinois unless the landlord allows it
  • Termination and restriction clauses
  • Signatures of the landlord and tenant
  • Optional disclosures:
    • Marijuana use disclosure
    • Move-in checklist
    • Late and returned check fees
    • Bed bug, asbestos, and mold policies
    • Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
    • Concession granted
  • Terms that allow the tenant to waive their right to sue the landlord in case of personal injury
  • Sections that allow the tenant to waive any other right provided by the state law
  • Clauses that enable the landlord to evict the tenant without prior notice or a court order
  • Provisions that confirm the landlord can evict a pregnant tenant
  • Terms that state the landlord can refuse to lease out the property to a person based on their race, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, or any similar criteria

Do Illinois Laws Propose Any Obligatory Lease Agreement Disclosures?

The Illinois Compiled Statutes propose several mandatory provisions that apply to most lease agreements signed in this state. These are:

  1. Radon hazard disclosure—This section refers to all rental units with structures containing traces of this radioactive substance. The landlord must alert the tenant about this by creating a specific statement within the agreement
  2. Lead-based paint disclosure—The structures of certain buildings and objects dating before 1978 may contain traces of lead-based paint. The landlord’s statement about it must be included in the agreement
  3. Shared utility arrangements—If multiple tenants share a single utility meter, or if a landlord shares it with the tenant, the agreement needs to contain a clause that explains how the utility bills will be paid

Is the Illinois Residential Lease Agreement Legally Binding?

The lease agreements in Illinois become legally binding once both parties sign them. There’s no need to have the document notarized.

Let DoNotPay Draft Your Contract in the Blink of an Eye

If you want your contracts to be valid and protect your rights, they need to be thorough and comprehensive. Unfortunately, only people with knowledge of the law can write such documents, and they tend to charge too much. Online templates are often too vague and don’t include all the necessary statements, which can cause ambiguities and disputes.

Too many obstacles? Choose DoNotPay and say goodbye to all of them! Our app lets you pick a modifiable contract template and make a detailed document in a snap.

Here are the steps to follow:

  1. from any web browser
  2. Search for the document you want to personalize
  3. Give us the details you want to include in your agreement

Using the information you provide, we will generate a complete lease contract based on the applicable laws in your state, whether you live in Illinois, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin, Alabama, or any other part of the USA! After completing this short procedure, sign your agreement to put it into effect.

Are There Other Legal Document Templates in DoNotPay’s Offer?

Below is the table showing the list of all templates allows you to customize:

  1. LLC Operating Agreement
  2. Bill of Sale
  3. Non-Compete Agreement
  4. Residential Lease Agreement
  5. Prenuptial Agreement
  6. Intent To Purchase Real Estate
  7. General Business Contract
  8. Independent Contractor Agreement
  9. Non-Disclosure Agreement
  10. Quitclaim Deed
  11. Child Custody Agreement
  12. Estoppel Certificate
  13. General Affidavit
  14. Child Care Authorization Form

Not only do we help you rock your residential lease contracts, but we also provide other handy guides in our knowledge base. You can read loads of useful articles about:

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