Can my landlord charge me for a whole month if i just need a week?

Yes, you are asking for an extension and there is no rent control in Chicago - thus, he can charge whatever he wants. Asking for a whole month...

Can i break my lease without penalty?

Possibly. If the unit is in Chicago and covered by the Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (most units are) there is a notice and cure period...

Is it safe to rent a room/place directly from the owner?

It is very normal to rent directly from an owner (as opposed to through a real estate agent or management company). Some of the best units are...

It depends on what the lease says about damage and wear and tear. It also depends on what the damage is, smoke smell and maybe even repainting...

How do you start the process of putting a decease relative home into probate so you sell the house?

Contact a probate lawyer in the county in which your father lived at the time of his death. The lawyer will advise you on opening up probate.

Can my landlord charge more than what my lease specifies for breaking the lease? The lease says $500 but he is charging $1400?

It's hard to say without a formal lease review, but if you can get out of the unit for $1900.00 with 9 months left, that is a pretty good deal....

What can I do ?

A valid POA usually gives a person the capacity to bring a suit on behalf of another. That said, prison lawsuits tend to be very difficult, so you...

DDo i have to pay for my water bill if i do not own the property?

You are only responsible for water payments if your lease says you are (most do not). Even if the lease says you are responsible for water, the...

We have our lease til the end of the month, but the landlord starting doing renovations without telling us?

This is a pretty clear violation of the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (assuming it applies to your unit). You can recover money...

Can I legally get out of my 12 month lease and get first months rent and my deposit refunded because of a cockroach infestatio?

Probably not. Outside of Chicago (and a few other municipalities) tenants' rights laws are pretty weak and a unit has to be really, really bad in...