Chicago, Illinois
Chicago, Illinois landlord software
Manage your Chicago rentals with confidence.
RentMouse keeps leases, rent, maintenance, documents and tenant communication for your Chicago rentals in one workspace, with lease guidance linked to Illinois jurisdiction records. Review the applicable sources before relying on a draft.
Start free · Illinois rules and sources
Renting in Chicago
Neighbourhoods landlords here manage: Downtown/Loop, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wicker Park, Logan Square, River North.
The ordinance summary is part of the lease
Chicago's Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance requires a summary of the ordinance to be attached to every written rental agreement and again when a renewal is first offered. Where the agreement is oral, new or renewed, the summary still has to be given to the tenant at the initial offering. It is a small document that is easy to leave out of a lease pack, and leaving it out is itself the breach, so build it into whatever you send rather than remembering it each time.
Local sources
Checked 2026-09-08. Confirm the current requirements for your address with the responsible authority.
Illinois rules that apply in Chicago
- Security deposit limit
- No statutory limit; local caps apply (Cook Co. 1.5 months)
- Deposit return / claim rule
- 45 days
- Deposit interest
- Interest only for 25+ unit buildings; 45-day return: 5+ units
- Notice before entry
- No statewide requirement; local ordinances may apply
- Ending a month-to-month
- 30 days written notice (735 ILCS 5/9-207)
- Notice before a rent increase
- None statewide; 30 days via termination rule; local rules vary
- Late fees
- No statewide limit; local ordinances may cap
- Rent control
- Prohibited: Rent Control Preemption Act (50 ILCS 825)
General information from Security Deposit Return/Interest Acts (765 ILCS 710, 715), last reviewed 2026-08-21; not legal advice. Municipal bylaws can add requirements. Sources are listed on the Illinois guide.
Local requirements to verify
Notes carried over from our earlier Chicago page. Confirm each one with the municipality before relying on it.
- Security Deposit Interest (REQUIRED) — Pay interest within 12 months, then annually.
- Move-In Inspection Report (MANDATORY) — Provide written statement of property condition at move-in. Tenants have 7 days to note disagreements.
- 5-Day Grace Period for Rent — Rent due on 1st, late fees only after 5th.
- 2-Day Entry Notice (48 Hours) — Chicago requires 2 days advance notice for landlord entry (except emergencies).
- RLTO Summary Required — Must provide tenants with summary of RLTO rights.
What RentMouse does for Chicago landlords
- Properties & units — Each building and suite in one portfolio view, with occupancy, unit details and photos.
- Tenants & leases — Tenant records and lease terms attached to the right unit, with renewals surfaced before they arrive.
- Rent tracking — Monthly invoices, recorded payments, balances, overdue flags and reminders. Tenants keep paying you the way they already do.
- Maintenance — Requests with photos, priorities, vendors, dates and costs linked to the unit.
- Documents & e-signing — Jurisdiction-aware lease drafts from guided templates, sent for electronic signature and filed with the tenancy.
- Tenant portal — Optional, free for tenants: their tenancy details, invoices, shared documents and maintenance requests.
- Landlord website — A branded page at rentmouse.com/your-business that advertises vacant units, collects rental inquiries and doubles as the tenant sign-in.
Other Illinois cities
Aurora · Elgin · Joliet · Naperville · Peoria · Rockford · Springfield