Dear Tenant: Technically if the wear and tear on the carpet is not "normal" the Landlord can deduct it from your security deposit. However, the...

My lease has been up over several months now. I have moved out. The neighbor notified me that there was unusual activity Sat.

Dear Former Tenant: I am sorry that this happened to your former unit. You are not legally responsible assuming that you did properly leave the...

Tenant did a repair without notifying me and deducted its cost from rental check

Dear Landlord: You really need to weigh the pros and cons from a business point of view. While you may be entitle to issue a notice of default...

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How do I evict a tenant in a building not covered under the Chicago Landlord Tenant Ordinance?

Dear Landlord: Depending on your Lease, you may be able to start by giving your Tenant a 5 day notice for non-payment of rent. However, the other...

I need help understanding this part out of my lease about rent.

Dear Tenant: It sounds like your Lease has both Base Rent and additional rent such as CAM, Taxes, etc. This is a very important and basic part of...

The DUMB "property manager" aka lousy rent collector apparently LOST the master key!

Dear Tenant: You should determine if your building is covered by the Chicago Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance. If so, this may be a...

What can I do to safeguard myself if a contractor puts a lien or pursues legal action in case of dispute?

Dear Homeowner: You cannot stop him from recording a lien on your property. However, enforcing or maintaining that lien is covered by a statutory...

Dear Litigant: You can issue the Rule 237 Notice without permission from the Court but once served, you should file the affidavit of service with...

Do I need to return tenant the rest of rent if he violated the lease and had already moved out?

Dear Landlord: Your question does not contain enough information to answer definitively. However, assuming that your Lease is for a period of...

What does a landlord have to prove in court to sue a former tenant for lost rent due to the condition of the apartment?

Dear Former Tenant: To answer your questions, it will be difficult for the Landlord to recover "lost rent due to the condition of the unit"...