Move-out inspections in Illinois and bad faith

movingvan“Moving Week” ends today with a final installment about move-out.  If you have ever seen me at a speaking engagement on landlord-tenant law, you have probably heard me opine about what I think is a great way to manage risk when a tenant moves out.  I think landlords should go out of their way to make sure that they have an opportunity to conduct an in-person move-out inspection walk-through with a tenant.  Personal contact is the key.  The landlord is there.  The tenant is there.  Any damage or lack of damage is mostly obvious and it is pretty darn difficult for a tenant to claim that the door is not broken when both the landlord and the tenant are standing in front of the broken door!

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Illinois Security Deposit Return Act amendment awaits Gov’s signature

UPDATE: The law was signed 8/17/12 and goes into effect on 1/1/13

The Illinois House of Representatives and Senate have voted to approve an amendment to the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act.  The law, currently awaiting the Governor’s signature to become law, will amend the state law governing the return of certain security deposits to allow a landlord to send the required itemized statement of damages and paid receipts to a tenant via “electronic mail to a verified electronic mail address provided by the lessee”. 

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