IMPORTANT ALERT FOR ILLINOIS LANDLORDS

Please voice your opinion... Remember the HB 3067 "Illinois Residential Renters Rights Act" we fought last spring? It's up for hearing again before the subcommittee on Monday, 8/11 at 10 a.m. at the Thompson Center. We need as many calls and faxes as possible to members of the subcommittee regarding the inequity of this bill. If any of you are able to go to the hearing and testify, or appear, please do so. Residential Renters' Rights and Responsibilities Act - House Bill 3067 Sponsor: Rep. William Delgado (D-3rd) Introduced in Illinois House on February 26, 2003 HB 3067 would standardize the landlord/tenant relationship throughout the state, including standard definitions for tenancy, setting limits for security deposits and other fees, and providing redress for tenants. A standardized landlord/tenant relationship would provide protection for both parties and facilitate outreach efforts to educate people on their rights and responsibilities. This would then allow tenants to challenge substandard housing and slum landlords more easily, and thereby lead to increased stability in communities. IMPORTANT ALERT FOR ILLINOIS LANDLORDS We need your help - see telephone numbers to call at bottom of page. Here are some of the lowlights of this bill that has been introduced by some very powerful tenant's rights activists. House Bill 3067 - Residential Renters Rights Act Points of interest within H.B. 3067 * Notice of Termination must be sent by Registered Mail in addition to any current required methods. * The landlord shall not charge any application fee. * Credit Check - The landlord shall provide the prospective leaseholder with a copy of the full report. * Credit Check - The landlord shall not charge for a credit report if the prospective leaseholder presents an unaltered copy of the prospective leaseholder's credit report to the landlord and the report is less than 60 days old. * If your lease is in violation of this Act, you have 10 days to an amended lease. If you fail to do so, you will be subject to a fine of 2 months rent per tenant. * It is insufficient notice to provide a post office box address as an address of the landlord, the person who makes repairs, the person who collects the rent, and for receipt of process. * If the landlord fails to provide this notice, (physical address) the leaseholder may withhold rent until such time as the notice is provided. * A landlord shall neither demand or receive a security deposit in excess of one months rent. * All security deposits shall be held in a federally insured interest bearing account ... in this State. * A security deposit and all interest earned on the security deposit remain the property of the leaseholder. * The security deposit may not be commingled with the assets of the landlord. * Within 30 days of the end of each 12 month rental period, the landlord shall pay directly to the leaseholder all interest earned on the leaseholder's deposit for that period. * The landlord shall create an inventory checklist detailing the condition of the dwelling. * The landlord shall give the new tenant a copy of the checklist from the previous tenant. * The tenant may change the locks and refuse to give the landlord the new keys until after move out. * A landlord may not charge a tenant any fee in addition to rent unless the fee is disclosed on the lease and separately initialed by the tenant. * A lease cannot include a leaseholder paid fee for late payment of rent or discount for early payment of rent in excess of $10 per month for the first $500 plus 5% per month for any amount of rent in excess of $500. * For rent increases of 5% or less, the landlord must provide 30 days written notice. * For rent increases of greater than 5% and up to 10% of the rental rate, the landlord must provide 60 days written notice. * For rent increases of more than 10% of the rental rate, the landlord must provide a 90 day written notice.. * Landlords must accept all reasonable subleases offered by the leaseholder. * Return of security deposits. The security deposit and all interest earned thereon shall be returned to the leaseholder within 10 days of the date on which the leaseholder gave notice that the tenant vacated the unit. * Abandonment of the dwelling unit shall be deemed to have occurred only when: ... all tenants have been absent from the unit for a period of 21 days, or for one rental period, which ever is greater, the tenants have removed their personal property from the premises, and the rent for the period is unpaid... * Right to terminate lease. After giving 2 months written notice, a leaseholder may terminate a lease if the reason for the termination is: (a) The purchase of residential property that will become the leaseholder's primary residence. (b) The need to relocate when either the leaseholder or a member of the leaseholder's family accepts employment located more than 50 miles from the dwelling place. (c) The consolidation of households because of a marriage. Below are members of the Housing and Urban Development Committee ROLE Representative District Office Phone Fax Party Chairperson - Julie Hamos - Evanston - 217-782-8052 - 217-557-7204 -D Member - Patricia Bailey - Chicago - 217-782-5971 - 217-558-6370 -D Member - Bob A. Biggins - Elmhurst - 217-782-6578 - 217-782-5257 - R Member - Sara Feigenholtz - Chicago - 217-782-8062 - 217-557-7203 - D Member - Paul D. Froehlich - Schaumburg - 217-782-3725 - 217-782-1336 - R Member - Deborah L. Graham - Oak Park - 217-782-6400 - 217-782-6400 - D Member - Charles E. Jeffereson - Rockford - 217-782-3167 - 217-557-7654 - D Member - Robin Kelly - Hazelcrest - 217-558-1007 - 217-557-7203 - D Republican Spokesperson - David R. Leitch - Peoria - 217-782-8108 - 217-557-3047 -R Vice-Chairperson - Larry McKeon - Chicago - 217-782-3835 - 217-557-6470 - D Member - Ruth Monson - Elgin - 217-782-8020 - 217-782-8020 - R Member - Elaine Nekritz - Des Plaines - 217-558-1004 - 217-558-3443 - D Member - Harry Osterman - Chicago - 217-782-8088 - 217-782-6592 - D Member - Raymond Poe - Springfield - 217-782-0044 - 217-782-0897 - R Member - Chapin Rose - Charleston - 217-558-1006 - 217-782-1275 - R Member - Kathleen A. Ryg - Vernon Hills - 217-782-0499 - 217-557-1934 - D Member - Ricca Slone - Peoria - 217-782-3186 - 217-782-3186 - D Member - Keith P. Sommer - Morton - 217-782-0221 - 217-782-1275 - R Member - Ron Stephens - Troy - 217-782-6401 - 217-557-3047 - R Member - Dave Winters - Rockford - 217-782-0455 - 217-782-1139 - R Illinois Rental Property Owners is launching a grassroots effort to fight this bill. Please make the calls and help make Illinois a safe state for good landlords. Thank you for your time, Clif :mad: [addsig]