Frequently Asked Questions
1. If a landlord has a large number of complaints, is that because it's a big company?
NO. Among the largest companies are landlords who have no complaints. Several of the largest companies have fewer than 5 complaints in five years. Among all landlords, only 10 companies have more than 10 complaints in five years.
2. When is the best time to start looking for an apartment for next year?
The answer depends on what type of housing you want.
A mile or more from the U of I campus, most apartments go on the market between March and June for August leasing. These are almost exclusively unfurnished apartments and houses.
Most three, four and five bedroom furnished apartments near the U of I campus go on the market in October for August leasing. By the end of December, many of these larger apartments are already leased. However, in March 2008 there were still good choices available for August in high-rise buildings close to campus, especially the higher-priced, four bedroom apartments.
Efficiency, one and two bedroom apartments near the U of I campus go on the market at different times and many good choices remain on the market during spring semester and summer for August leasing.
3. Where do I find a listing of all the apartments for rent?
The best, most up to date and complete listing of available housing is in the classified section of the local newspapers. For housing near campus, check The Daily Illini. (Click "classifieds" and you'll find many more options than if you click "apartment search"). If you would be interested in housing that is a mile or more from campus, check The News-Gazette. (Some advertisements do not appear on the Gazette's web site and can only be found in the actual newspaper). Some landlords also advertise on www.craigslist.org.
If you are a University of Illinois student, or incoming student, contact Tenant Union for help developing a list of places that meet your individual criteria. If you tell us the number of bedrooms, whether furnished or unfurnished and whether on-campus or off-campus, we will help you create a list of options.
Be sure to check landlords' complaint histories at the Tenant Union, 326 Illini Union, 217-333-0112 or e-mail the landlord names to tenant@uiuc.edu. If you are not a U of I student or incoming student, please call 217-352-6220 for complaint histories.
4. How long is the grace period to cancel a lease after you've signed it?
There is no grace period to cancel a lease. The moment you sign the contract, it is binding and you are responsible for paying the full amount of rent due for the entire term.
5. How does the cost of renting an apartment compare to the cost of University residence halls?
For 2008-2009, a double room in a University of Illinois undergraduate residence hall with the 20 meal plan will cost $8,760. If you rent an apartment and your monthly payment (for your share) on a 12-month lease is less than $415 plus utilities, the apartment will probably be cheaper. The University Housing Division also offers cheaper room rates for 14 meal plan ($8,214) and if you would be in a triple room, your cost would be $7752 - $8302 depending on the meal plan. For rent to be comparable, you'd need to lease a place where your share of rent is $350 - $400 plus utilities.
6. How do I find a place where all utilities are included in the rent?
Very few landlords pay all utilities. Even a few companies that advertise "all utilities included" are lying and you'll find that out as soon as you read the lease contract. Several new companies that lease apartments by the bedroom keep the bills in the landlord's name and then bill each tenant for any cost of utility service above a certain "cap" amount such as $30. Do not believe any sales representative's claim that the bills never go over the cap. Tenant Union has seen students charged more than $100 over the cap. In most cases where any utilities are included in the rent, the rent is higher. Therefore, limiting your selections to places where the landlord pays some utilities is not very wise.
7. How much do University of Illinois students pay for rent and utilities?
RENT: $280 - $775 per person, per month, for a 12-month lease is the range of rent most students will pay to live near campus in a furnished apartment with at least one roommate. Most students sharing an apartment are probably paying $350-$450 per month for their share of rent, plus utilities. Students who live alone will find that most efficiency apartments rent for $350-$450 per month plus utilities. Most one-bedroom, furnished apartments near campus rent for $450 - $650 per month plus utilities.
UTILITIES: $75 - $150 per person, per month for 12 months is the range of most students' share of the costs for electricity, gas, water, cable television, internet access and fees passed along by landlords such as sanitary and sewer tax. In a 4-person apartment, the monthly share per person will be closer to $75 if you are careful about energy conservation. In a 2-person apartment, the monthly share per person will be closer to $150. A student living alone could find that the monthly cost for utilities, cable television and internet access, adds up to $150-$200. Be careful about any place where you think utilities are included in the rent. Tenants who are told utilities are included often find that the lease states otherwise.
8. Who are the best and worst landlords?
More than 1,000 companies and individuals rent apartments and houses in Champaign-Urbana. HUNDREDS OF LANDLORDS HAVE NO COMPLAINTS. Many landlords have a few complaints and some have as many as 5 -10 or more each year.
Knowing the nature of any complaints, as well as how, if at all, each was resolved, is the best way for you to evaluate a prospective landlord. Numbers don't tell the whole story. Contact the Tenant Union while you are shopping for apartments to compare the complaint records of the different landlords whose properties you are considering.
9. If my landlord isn't doing repairs, do I have to pay rent?
YES. You are paying rent for possession of the premises. As long as you have possession, you owe rent even if the landlord has failed to live up to some other terms of the lease. Contact Tenant Union for help with repair problems and NEVER withhold rent unless you have been advised to do so by THE ATTORNEY AT LAW who will represent you in court when the landlord sues to evict you for non-payment of rent. A new law provides some remedies if your landlord will not perform repairs. To find out more, go to the section of the Tenant Handbook entitled "Repairs."
10. How do I break my lease?
In almost all cases, you can't break a lease. It is rare for landlords in Champaign-Urbana to allow you to just pay a penalty and walk away from your contractual obligation. If you move out and stop paying rent, expect the landlord to sue you and win a judgment against you for the balance of rent due until the end of the lease, plus court costs and attorney fees. This will go on your credit record for 7 years.
If you want to break your lease because you are having a problem with the landlord, contact the Tenant Union for help resolving the problem. If you think you have legal grounds to get out of your lease, consult with THE ATTORNEY AT LAW who will represent you in court when the landlord sues you.
The only circumstances that might get you out of your lease are: 1) when the
property has been condemned; 2) when your utility service has been terminated
because of the landlord's non-payment 
or;
3) if a member of your household is a victim of domestic violence or sexual
violence on the leased premises and you have given the notice required and have
the evidence required by the
.
In all other instances, ask the landlord to release you from the lease. If the landlord agrees, get the promise in writing. On the home page, under "Forms and Checklists" you will find a "Lease Release Form" for this purpose.
11. How long do I have to renew my lease?
A tenant has no automatic right to renew. Unless the lease includes a renewal clause, your landlord could rent the place to someone else for the next year without ever giving you a chance to sign for it yourself. Close to campus, many landlords will start signing leases 10 months before they start. Even far from campus, many landlords sign leases 4 - 6 months in advance. Including a renewal clause in your lease is wise if you'll want the option of staying for another year.
12. Where can I find a list of landlords who will rent to me for fall semester only?
Landlords try first to rent their places for 12 months and will not agree to fall semester-only leases until it's clear they won't rent all of their apartments. A few landlords who have properties more than a mile from campus might agree to a fall-only lease if they know they won't fill up with year-long tenants. If you are willing to live in Rantoul, Mahomet or some other neighboring city, you might find a landlord there who will agree to a short-term lease.
In the last few years, most landlords with properties close to campus have told students asking about fall-only leases to call after May 15. Most landlords will NOT advertise fall semester leases. Call everyone who advertises for a year, and ask if they'll rent for one semester. Don't be surprised if they say "no" or ask you to call back in July.
Your best chance for finding a fall-only lease might be if you are in a larger group. Four bedroom apartments are in greater supply than the demand. That does not appear to be the case for furnished one-bedroom and efficiency apartments close to campus. A landlord who has not rented out 4 bedroom apartments by February or March is more likely to agree to a short term lease for August to December than a landlord with 1 bedroom apartments that have not rented out.
13. What happens if my roommate doesn't pay rent?
If two or more of you signed the lease together, you are each responsible for making sure the total rent is paid. If your roommate doesn't pay his/her rent, you must pay that rent or risk being sued for eviction by the landlord. Once you are evicted, you will probably still have to pay the balance of rent due on the lease, unless the landlord re-rents the place. When sued, you usually also owe attorney's fees and court costs. The total owed will show up on your credit record for the next 7 years. So it's best to pay the landlord and then try to collect from your roommate.
14. What comes with an apartment that is "furnished?"
The answer is different at every apartment. Neither an advertisement nor any oral statement by a landlord will guarantee that you get certain furniture or appliances. The only way to be sure about exactly what comes with the apartment is to include in the lease a list of every piece of furniture and every appliance that you think you will be getting with that apartment. Don't forget about items like blinds for windows or air conditioning units. In most cases, a furnished apartment will include a bed, a dresser, a sofa or couch and a table with chairs, but do not assume anything. Get a list in writing in the lease.
15. Don't landlords have to give notice before entering an apartment to show the place?
Only 5 cities in Illinois have local laws requiring landlords to give notice of entry. In Urbana and Mt. Prospect, landlords are required to give 24 hours' notice. In Chicago and Evanston a landlord must give 48 hours' notice. DeKalb city ordinance requires 1 hour notice. Everywhere else, including Champaign and Savoy, you need to include a privacy clause in your lease that states specific requirements for notice; otherwise, in most cases, your lease will probably say you give the landlord "free access" to the premises. That means the landlord can enter without notice.
16. Can I use my deposit for my last month's rent?
NO. In your lease, you agreed to pay all of the rent when due. The purpose of your damage deposit is to leave the landlord holding some money to cover damage you may have done, including failure to clean when you move out. Unless the landlord agrees, IN WRITING, to apply your deposit to your last month's rent, you must pay the last month's rent and wait for refund of your deposit. Taking photographs of the move-out condition (walls, floors, insides of oven, fridge, cabinets, toilet, tub, sink, etc.) is the best way to protect your deposit. Not paying your last month's rent is likely to result in a lawsuit against you which the landlord will win.
17. How long does my landlord have to refund my damage deposit?
If you lived at a property with 5 or more units, the Illinois Security Deposit Return Act requires your landlord to send you an itemized statement of damages within 30 days after you move out or to refund your deposit in full within 45 days after you vacate. If you rented a house or at a property with fewer than 5 units, the Act does not apply to you. This doesn't mean the landlord can keep your deposit forever, but there is no penalty for taking more than 45 days to make refund unless the housing was located in the City of Urbana.
If you lived in Urbana, the city code is identical to the state law EXCEPT Urbana city code applies to ALL properties, regardless of the number of units, including houses and duplexes.
18. Does my landlord owe me interest on my deposit?
In Urbana, interest law applies to all properties, regardless of size, as long as the deposit was $100 or more. In Champaign, Savoy and everywhere else in central Illinois, the state interest on deposit law applies regardless of the amount of the deposit, but only if the property at which you were renting had 25 or more units in one building or in a complex of buildings on contiguous parcels of property. Both laws apply only if you did not default on the lease and the deposit was held for at least 6 months.
PENALTY: If your landlord fails or refuses to pay the interest due, you can sue the landlord for an amount equal to the deposit itself, plus court costs and reasonable attorney's fees.
The rates are different for Urbana and for the rest of the state and are set by law, based on minimum deposit passbook savings account rates.
Note: If the interest rate is .5% multiply by .005.
In Champaign, Savoy and anywhere else in central Illinois other than Urbana use these rates. Keep scrolling down for Urbana rates.
Lease started in: Interest rate is:
1977-93: 5%
1994: 2.5%
1995-97: 2.75%
1998: 2.5%
1999: 1.88%
2000-01: 1.73%
2002: .45%
2003: .40%
2004: .30%
2005: .40%
2006: .55%
2007: .50%
2008: .35%
In Urbana, if the deposit was $100 or more, interest must be paid by the landlord at all properties regardless of the number of units (including houses).
Rates for Urbana
Lease started after June 30:
1983-1994: 5%
1995: 2.15%
1996-2000: 2%
2001: 1.49%
2002: .85%
2003: .50%
2004: .25%
2005: .25%
2006: .50%
2007: .50%
Interest is calculated from the date you paid the deposit, for the entire time it was held, and is due within 30 days of the end of each 12 month lease period.
If your landlord held your deposit for several years and did not pay interest each year, you will need to compute the amount for each 12 month period the deposit was held, using the appropriate interest rate for each year.
EXEMPTION: Damage deposits paid for publicly-owned housing (including University-owned housing) are exempt under the state law requiring interest to be paid on deposits.
The Tenant Union does not provide legal services of any kind. All information provided in this publication is intended to help the average person prevent problems and deal with common concerns of renting. When legal help is needed, always consult with an attorney at law.
