Public Act 097-0999
 
HB5314 EnrolledLRB097 16202 AJO 61355 b

    AN ACT concerning civil law.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 5. The Security Deposit Return Act is amended by
changing Section 1 as follows:
 
    (765 ILCS 710/1)  (from Ch. 80, par. 101)
    Sec. 1. A lessor of residential real property, containing 5
or more units, who has received a security deposit from a
lessee to secure the payment of rent or to compensate for
damage to the leased property may not withhold any part of that
deposit as compensation for property damage unless he has,
within 30 days of the date that the lessee vacated the
premises, furnished to the lessee, delivered in person, or by
mail directed to his last known address, or by electronic mail
to a verified electronic mail address provided by the lessee,
an itemized statement of the damage allegedly caused to the
premises and the estimated or actual cost for repairing or
replacing each item on that statement, attaching the paid
receipts, or copies thereof, for the repair or replacement. If
the lessor utilizes his or her own labor to repair any damage
caused by the lessee, the lessor may include the reasonable
cost of his or her labor to repair such damage. If estimated
cost is given, the lessor shall furnish the lessee with paid
receipts, or copies thereof, within 30 days from the date the
statement showing estimated cost was furnished to the lessee,
as required by this Section. If no such statement and receipts,
or copies thereof, are furnished to the lessee as required by
this Section, the lessor shall return the security deposit in
full within 45 days of the date that the lessee vacated the
premises.
    Upon a finding by a circuit court that a lessor has refused
to supply the itemized statement required by this Section, or
has supplied such statement in bad faith, and has failed or
refused to return the amount of the security deposit due within
the time limits provided, the lessor shall be liable for an
amount equal to twice the amount of the security deposit due,
together with court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
(Source: P.A. 86-1302.)