In Chicago, a landlord must return your security deposit within 45 days of you vacating, and must deliver an itemized statement of damages with receipts within 30 days if anything is deducted. Normal wear and tear is not deductible. The four items most often charged for are the oven interior, kitchen cabinet interiors, window tracks, and the balcony.
Most deposit disputes are not about damage. They are about cleaning: a landlord deducts a few hundred dollars for “cleaning fees” and the tenant has no record to argue with. Here is how to avoid ending up in that position.
What are the Chicago security deposit rules?
Chicago renters are covered by the Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO), section 5-12-080, which is stricter than Illinois state law. Three provisions matter most at move-out.
- 45 days. Your landlord must return your security deposit, plus any interest owed, within 45 days of you vacating.
- 30 days for an itemized statement. If they intend to deduct anything, they must deliver or mail an itemized statement of damages within 30 days of your move-out, with paid receipts or estimates attached.
- Normal wear and tear is not deductible. Faded paint, minor scuffs, and carpet that has simply aged are the cost of doing business, not damage.
Failure to comply with the deposit provisions can entitle a tenant to damages of twice the deposit plus interest and attorney’s fees. That is a real deterrent, and most landlords know it.
This is general information rather than legal advice. If a landlord withholds your deposit improperly, contact a tenant rights organisation or a lawyer.
Should you photograph the unit before cleaning?
Do this first, not last. Date-stamped photos of every room, every appliance interior, and every wall before and after cleaning are the single most useful thing you can have if there is a dispute. Include the meter readings and the empty closets.
What is on a move-out cleaning checklist?
Kitchen
- Inside the oven, including the racks and the glass door
- Inside and behind the fridge, plus the seals and the drip tray
- Inside every cabinet and drawer, the most commonly skipped item and the most commonly charged for
- Range hood filter, which is usually thick with grease
- Backsplash, countertops, and the gap between counter and wall
- Dishwasher filter and door edge
Bathrooms
- Grout and tile, scrubbed rather than wiped
- Shower glass, including the hard-water film Chicago tap water leaves
- Behind and around the base of the toilet
- Exhaust fan cover
- Under-sink cabinet, checked for leaks as well as cleaned
Living areas and bedrooms
- Baseboards and door frames
- Inside all closets, including the shelving
- Light fixtures and ceiling fan blades
- Interior windows, sills, and tracks, where window tracks are a classic deduction
- Blinds, slat by slat
- Wall marks, spot-cleaned rather than scrubbed, which can strip paint
Everywhere else
- Radiators and vent covers
- Floors vacuumed then mopped, edges included
- Balcony or patio swept, if you have one
- Storage locker and any assigned basement space emptied
- All nail holes filled if your lease requires it, but check, because some leases do not
What do landlords charge cleaning fees for?
In our experience turning over Chicago apartments, the deductions that show up again and again are the inside of the oven, the inside of kitchen cabinets, window tracks, and the balcony. All four are easy to forget because you never look at them while you live there.
When should you do the move-out clean?
Clean after the furniture is out and before you hand back the keys. An empty unit cleans faster, costs less, and photographs better. If your building requires elevator reservations for move-out, and most Chicago high-rises do, book the clean for the day after your freight elevator slot, not the same day.
Should you do a move-out clean yourself?
A thorough move-out clean on a two-bedroom takes most people a full weekend, and the oven alone will eat an evening. Our Move-In/Move-Out service is a twenty-eight-point clean built for exactly this handover, starting at $279. Whether you book it or do it yourself, work from a list and photograph the result.
Common questions
How long does a Chicago landlord have to return a security deposit?
45 days from the date you vacate. If deductions are being made, an itemized statement with paid receipts or estimates must be delivered within 30 days, under RLTO section 5-12-080.
Can a landlord charge you for normal wear and tear?
No. Faded paint, minor scuffs and carpet that has simply aged are not deductible under the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance.
What happens if a landlord does not follow the deposit rules?
A tenant may be entitled to damages of twice the deposit plus interest and attorney's fees. This is general information rather than legal advice.