What to Do About a Bad Landlord in Chicago

If you or your loved ones have been injured in a rental property due to property owners’ or landlord’s negligence, The Kryder Law Group, LLC Accident and Injury Lawyers offers legal resources to help you seek compensation for your losses.

Chicago Rental Statistics

Zumper’s 2023 national rent report indicates sharply rising rents nationwide, with Chicago ranking 13th most expensive; In 2023, one and two-bedroom apartments saw rent increases of 8.6% and 16.4%, respectively, ranging from $2,030 to 2,620.

Tips for Avoiding Bad Landlords

Avoid rental issues by researching the landlord and those renting the property, visiting the location, and ensuring terms are written in your rental agreement along with security deposits requirements. If a negligent landlord fails to meet their legal responsibilities, document health or safety concerns, the building code violation, and submit your complaint to the buildings department in your municipality.

Resources for Tenants

There are multiple free legal services, resources, and sources of information available for tenants.

Call 311

Contact 311 for registering complaints and reporting building code violations about your landlord. A Chicago Department of Buildings building inspector will follow up for building code violations. Inspectors check safety devices and exits, issue violations if a violation is found, and re-inspect if access is denied.

Protections Under the Chicago Residential Landlord Tenant Ordinance

CRLTO ensures Chicago landlords provide habitable, safe rental properties. For example:

• Provide essential services such as heat, hot water, electricity, and working plumbing
• Maintain watertight roofs and promptly fix a roof leak
• Provide fire extinguishers for buildings greater than three stories

New Sealed-Battery Smoke Alarm Law

In February of 2021, the Chicago City Council passed a new law mandating the use of sealed-battery smoke alarms and impose fines on landlords who fail to provide them or intentionally disable them.

Contact in Cook County Contacts

In Cook County, similar tenant rights ordinances exist. Violations of renters rights should be notified in writing to the landlord and your municipality.

The Chicago Department of Public Health: Healthy Homes

The Chicago Department of Public Health provides key resources in CDPH Healthy Homes, guiding tenants and landlords on health safety measures such as preventing lead poisoning or how to deal with bed bugs.

Chicago Apartment Accidents

Chicago-area landlords are notorious for failing to provide safe housing free of health violations for their tenants. As a result, tenants are at increased risk of accidents resulting in costly medical care, missed work, and a painful recovery process. Many accidents may be life-altering or even fatal.

Do I Have a Personal Injury Case?

To prove your rental unit accident case, you must show that there existed unreasonably dangerous conditions in your own apartment, and that your landlord or property manager either created or had actual or constructive control over the situation.

Landlord-held common areas such as hallways and sidewalks, and latent defects in your own rental housing unit, can be grounds for injury lawsuits.

How Do I Prove My Case?

To prove your case against your landlord or property owner:

• Submit evidence such as witness statements, pictures, videos, and documents,
• Reference your lease which identifies areas under landlord control,
• Provide inspection logs and repair invoices to illustrate awareness of defects.

Who May Be Responsible for My Injuries?

In addition to landlords, you may also be able to hold other parties liable for creating any hazards. Other common defendants are:

• Building managers
• Maintenance companies
• Maintenance crew members
• Snow removal companies
• Parking lot attendants
• Security guards and security contractors

What Are Examples of Personal Injury Cases Against Landlords?

Bad landlord cases usually arise out of failing to maintain safe conditions in common areas. Examples of injury cases against landlords include:

• Poor lighting
• Dilapidated flooring and stairways
• Malfunctioning elevators
• Missing or broken smoke detectors
• Missing or broken carbon monoxide detectors
• Dilapidated balconies
• Unnatural accumulations of snow and ice
• Broken or missing locks
• Negligent security 

What Is My Personal Injury Lawsuit Worth?

The value of a personal injury lawsuit depends on factors like amount of medical expenses, income loss due to inability to work, property damage, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of life quality.

As renters, may receive compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and property damage.

 How Can a Personal Injury Attorney Help?

A personal injury attorney can guide you through the legal process, helping you gather necessary evidence, negotiating with insurance companies, representing you in court, and working for the maximum compensation that you deserve for your injuries and suffering.

At our law firm, The Kryder Law Group, LLC Accident and Injury Lawyers, our skilled lawyers help apartment accident victims obtain the justice and compensation they deserve.

Call Us for a Free Consultation

During your free consultation, we evaluate your case, discuss legal strategies, and answer your questions. Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay only after we win your case.