(The Center Square) – Of the 320 new Illinois laws on the books starting in 2024, several affect landlords throughout the state.
One of the measures taking effect Jan. 1 is House Bill 1541, which will prevent utility company shutoffs when the weather is warmer than 85 degrees rather than 95.
Senate Bill 1741 is the Security Deposit Return Act, which requires landlords to provide tenants with itemized bills.
Another law going into effect has to do with electronic payments, according to Paul Arena with the Illinois Rental Property Owners Association.
“What it says is that a landlord cannot require a tenant to pay electronically,” Arena said. “I use electronic payments in my business and encourage my tenants to use it, but the reality is some older tenants are sometimes not tech savvy and don’t feel comfortable conducting business online.”
Another of the measures taking effect on Jan. 1. is House Bill 2562, which requires landlords to keep the temperature of all common areas between 67 and 73 degrees.
“That bill affects the utility companies, so Nicor or ComEd cannot shut off someone’s power or gas supply for air conditioning when the temperature is extremely hot,” Arenas told The Center Square, “It’s so you do not have people die of heat stroke in high rise buildings.”
Senate Bill 40 was approved earlier this year, and starting in the new year, the law requires single-family homes and newly constructed residential buildings with parking spaces to provide a conduit allowing EV charging if needed.
“It will increase the construction cost but not to the point where we felt it would be a deterrent,” Arena said. “Our concern was mostly around renovation and what activities the tenants were permitted to do.”
