Landlord-Tenant
At Wolf Solovy & Zivin, we specialize in representing both Landlords and property management companies, in a wide range of issues from drafting, reviewing, and negotiating leases to handling landlord-tenant disputes to evictions under the Forcible Entry and Detainer Act.
If you are a landlord or property management company and you have a tenant that is not paying their rent, causing a nuisance at the property, causing damage to the unit or any other matter in breach of their lease or any municipal landlord-tenant ordinance, our experienced real estate attorneys can help.
Following the initial consultation, we will come up with a strategy to help get the tenant out of the property as quickly and efficiently as possible. If the property in question is in Cook County, then it is even more imperative that you contact an experienced attorney as the laws are very tenant-friendly and must be strictly followed in order to avoid long, and potentially costly delays.
While the majority of our eviction clients are landlords, we do take on some tenant clients depending on the type of issue at hand. So, if you are a tenant and you believe that your rights are not being respected or that your landlord is taking advantage of you, we are here to help you as well. If your landlord is retaliating against you for making claims for repairs, withholding your security deposit, or illegally locking you out of your unit, we may be able to assist and even get you additional statutory damages. If you are threatened with an eviction, we can help ensure that your landlord follows the proper process and meets the requirements for eviction, which in Cook County are very stringent. If your landlord has not provided you with a safe and habitable property, ensured that you have quiet enjoyment of the property, or made reasonable and necessary repairs, there are processes you can follow to correct these deficiencies. We will help you get the remedy you need.
Our Landlord-Tenant services include, but are not limited to:
- Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance Compliance
- Security Deposit Act Compliance
- Breach of Lease (Contract)
- Termination of Lease
- Landlord Notices to Tenant (5-day, 10-day, 60-day & 120-Day)
- Property Management
- Building Code Violations
- Health Code Violations
- Retaliation
- Illegal Lockouts
- Subleasing
- Breaking a Lease Early
Security Deposit Compliance
We also represent both tenants and landlords in security deposit disputes. As a landlord, it is extremely important that you strictly follow the laws for taking, holding, and returning security deposits as the statutory fines for violations are substantial and strictly enforced if the property is governed by the Chicago Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance (“CRLTO”), Cook County Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance (“CC RLTO”), the Security Deposit Interest Act and/or the Security Deposit Return Act. On that same note, If you are a tenant and live in Cook County and your lease is subject to any of the above, there are very specific rules that your landlord must follow regarding your security deposit, including but not limited to, holding the deposit in a proper interest-bearing bank account, proof that the deposit was deposited into the bank account within a certain time period after receipt, and time constraints to give lists of damages/repairs and return of the deposit at the end of your lease. If the landlord violates any of these very specific rules regarding your deposit, you may be entitled to statutory damages. Contact our office for a free consultation.
Forcible Detainer Actions (Evictions)
We also handle evictions under the Forcible Entry and Detainer Act. We have successfully represented hundreds of Landlords and Tenants in eviction-related matters. Whether the reason for the eviction is non-payment of rent, breach of lease, breach of RLTO, breach of Crime Free Housing, or any other reason, we are able to assist on both sides of the aisle. The rules and procedures that landlords must follow in order to file an eviction have changed immensely since the start of Covid-19 and are very strict. Contact our experienced attorneys for a free consultation to discuss your matter.