- Sherry, a young single woman living alone in a
first floor apartment, came to the ITU with numerous
maintenance problems, which her management company
refused to address. She was particularly concerned
about the bedroom windows, which opened directly
onto an alley, which also were not weather tight,
did not close properly, and did not lock at all, a
major security issue.
The ITU inspected her apartment and discovered
dozens of Building Code violations. With our
assistance, Sherry began paying a legally reduced
rent reflecting the reduced value of the apartment.
Sherry's landlord made a few repairs, but did not
address her main security concerns. Instead, he sued
her in an attempt to evict her, claiming Sherry owed
rent because she was paying the legally reduced
rent.
The ITU provided her with a free attorney, who
assisted her in defeating the landlord in court. The
Court ruled that the landlord had acted in an
illegal, retaliatory fashion by suing to evict
Sherry. The Court also ordered the landlord to
finish the needed repairs, which he did. Sherry also
got brand new, secure windows throughout her
apartment!
- Jerry, an attorney, and his family moved to
Chicago. Being fairly well-off, but not knowing how
long they would be staying in town, they rented an
expensive, three story single family house in
Lincoln Park. The house had a whopping 6,500 square
feet; the rent being charged was a nearly
unbelievable $7,000 per month!
At that rent, most people would assume that this
house would be a palace. However, Jerry experienced
one maintenance problem after another. The water
pressure was low, and the forced air furnace was
extremely loud and was unable to heat the entire
house.
ITU inspected Jerry's house and discovered over 100
Building Code violations. With our assistance, Jerry
was able to legally pay reduced rent. ITU was
reminded by Jerry's case that any property can be
poorly maintained by a bad landlord -- even a house
with a $7,000 rent!
If you have any
questions or would like more information, or to discuss your
rights please contact us (773) 478-1133,
email us, or use our
online
request form. |
