Illinois Security Deposit Return Act

Security Deposit Return Act.

765 ILCS 710/0.01
Sec. 0.01. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Security Deposit Return Act.

765 ILCS 710/1
Sec. 1. A lessor of residential real property, containing 5 or more units, who has received a security deposit from a lessee to secure the payment of rent or to compensate for damage to the leased property may not withhold any part of that deposit as compensation for property damage unless he has, within 30 days of the date that the lessee vacated the premises, furnished to the lessee, delivered in person or by mail directed to his last known address, an itemized statement of the damage allegedly caused to the premises and the estimated or actual cost for repairing or replacing each item on that statement, attaching the paid receipts, or copies thereof, for the repair or replacement. If the lessor utilizes his or her own labor to repair any damage caused by the lessee, the lessor may include the reasonable cost of his or her labor to repair such damage. If estimated cost is given, the lessor shall furnish the lessee with paid receipts, or copies thereof, within 30 days from the date the statement showing estimated cost was furnished to the lessee, as required by this Section. If no such statement and receipts, or copies thereof, are furnished to the lessee as required by this Section, the lessor shall return the security deposit in full within 45 days of the date that the lessee vacated the premises.

Upon a finding by a circuit court that a lessor has refused to supply the itemized statement required by this Section, or has supplied such statement in bad faith, and has failed or refused to return the amount of the security deposit due within the time limits provided, the lessor shall be liable for an amount equal to twice the amount of the security deposit due, together with court costs and reasonable attorney’s fees.

765 ILCS 710/1.1
Sec. 1.1. In the event of a sale, lease, transfer or other direct or indirect disposition of residential real property, other than to the holder of a lien interest in such property, by a lessor who has received a security deposit or prepaid rent from a lessee, the transferee of such property shall be liable to that lessee for any security deposit, including statutory interest, or prepaid rent which the lessee has paid to the transferor. Transferor shall remain jointly and severally liable with the transferee to the lessee for such security deposit or prepaid rent.

(765 ILCS 710/1.2 new)
Sec. 1.2. Security deposit transfer. Notwithstanding Section 1.1, when a lessor transfers actual possession of a security deposit received from a lessee, including any statutory interest that has not been paid to a lessee, to a holder of the certificate of sale or deed issued pursuant to that certificate or, if no certificate or deed was issued, the
purchaser of a foreclosed property under Article 15 of the Code of Civil Procedure, the holder or purchaser shall be liable to a lessee for the transferred security deposit, including any statutory interest that has not been paid to the lessee, as provided in this Act. Within 21 days after the transfer of the security deposits and receipt of the name and address of any lessee who paid a deposit, the holder or purchaser shall post a written notice on the primary entrance of each dwelling unit at the property with respect to which the holder or purchaser has acquired actual possession of a security deposit. The written notice shall state that the holder or purchaser has acquired the security deposit paid by the lessee in connection with the lessee’s rental of that dwelling unit.

765 ILCS 710/2
Sec. 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 1974 and applies to leases executed on or after that date.