The plaintiff landlord filed a lawsuit alleging breach of lease for unpaid rent after the defendant tenants vacated the leased property and stopped paying rent. The tenants filed a counterclaim alleging that the landlord violated sections of Chicago’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance regarding security deposits and the ability to seek attorney’s fees in the legal action. The trial court granted the tenants’ motion for summary judgment and awarded the tenants an amount more double their security deposit after finding the landlord violated the ordinance. The trial court then held a bench trial and found the tenants liable for unpaid rent, excluding periods of time that the apartment was “unrentable” due to roof leaks and the landlord appealed. The appellate court affirmed, finding insufficient facts in the record to support defendant’s claims. (C.A. WALKER and HYMAN, concurring)
Illinois Appellate Court
Civil Court
Landlord Tenant Law