Does Chicago's tenant law cover me?
Most Chicago renters are covered by the Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (RLTO). A few kinds of housing are not.
The RLTO does not cover
- Units in owner-occupied buildings with six or fewer units.
- Hotel, motel, and rooming house units, unless you pay rent monthly and have stayed more than 32 days in a row.
- School dorms, hospitals, shelters, and housing that comes with a job.
- Owner-occupied co-ops and condos.
Even if you aren't covered
- Lockouts are illegal for every renter in Chicago (see Lockouts).
- The Fair Notice rules for rent increases and non-renewals apply to every tenant.
- Your building still has to meet the City's building and housing code, and you can report violations to 311.
Source: Chicago Municipal Code 5-12-020