Landlord kept your deposit in Illinois? Find your next step.
No refund, only part of your money back, or charges you disagree with? Start with what you received, then build a response using your records and Illinois law.
Analysis free · Full case package $29-$49, one time · mailing optional
The deadline check is optional. See what you get
What do you need help with?
Open the situation that fits. Each route gives you something to check, something to keep, and a next step.
I received nothingNo refund and no list of deductions.
Check the trigger, then the date. For damage deductions, the itemized statement is due within 30 days after the tenant vacates or the right of possession ends, whichever is later. If the required statement and receipts are not furnished, the full deposit is due within 45 days after vacating.
Keep: your deposit payment, move-out or key-return record, forwarding-address notice and any earlier written request. These establish the timeline behind your demand.
Analyze my missing refund - free →I received part of my depositSome money came back. Find out what explains the difference.
Reconcile the refund. Compare the original deposit, what was returned and each deduction. Separate charges you accept from charges you dispute.
Check the amount they kept - free →Enter the refund and deductions in the case builder. You do not need a separate worksheet first.
The Illinois accounting rule: Itemize property damage and estimated or actual repair costs within 30 days after vacating or the end of the right of possession, whichever is later. Paid receipts must follow estimates within 30 more days; statutory lease-cost and unavailable-receipt exceptions may apply.
Check interest too. Buildings of 25+ units when the deposit is held 6+ months, under the separate Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 715); Chicago RLTO imposes its own interest rule.
Keep: the refund record, deduction list and notice envelope or delivery record. If money is still unexplained, identify that gap in your written request.
I disagree with the deductionsYou have a charge list, whether or not a refund arrived.
Respond to the specific charges. Note each amount, why you dispute it, and which photo, message or record supports your position. Check the notice instructions above before choosing how and when to reply.
Check my deductions - free →The records rule in Illinois: Paid receipts (or copies) must accompany the itemized statement; if estimates were given, paid receipts must follow within 30 days. If receipts are unavailable through no fault of the landlord, an itemized cost list plus a verified explanation is required instead (765 ILCS 710/1(b)). The landlord's own labor must be charged at reasonable cost.
No move-in photos? Use an inventory checklist, inspection report, dated repair request, messages or witness accounts to explain the condition.
I already sent a demandThe landlord has not paid, or the dispute is still unresolved.
Estimates generally require paid receipts within 30 more days. Check the Act's 45-day full-return rule where the required statement and receipts are not supplied, plus any applicable local ordinance.
See the Illinois court route →Keep: your sent demand, delivery record and any reply. Use the court guide to check where to file, which forms to use, and the filing and service costs.
Turn the dispute into a documented demand
- Free: understand your dispute
- Add your refund, charges and records. Get a charge-by-charge analysis of the deposit rules and potential remedies under 765 ILCS 710/1.
- Optional: your case documents, $29-$49
- Your demand letter, damages summary and evidence checklist, ready to review and send with your records. Mailing is optional and costs extra.
One charge, backed by a reason and records
Fictional Illinois example. Assumes coverage under the cited law; not a customer outcome.
- The charge
- Repainting ordinary wall scuffs: $900
- Records to attach
- move-in photos and move-out photos
Open PDF ↗In the generated letter
Ordinary wear and tear - not deductible. Repainting after a tenancy is ordinary wear and tear unless the walls were damaged beyond normal use (large holes, unauthorized colors). Dated move-in and move-out photos help distinguish ordinary wear from tenant-caused damage.
Prefer to write it yourself? Use the free Illinois letter template.
Before you call the refund late
For damage deductions, the itemized statement is due within 30 days after the tenant vacates or the right of possession ends, whichever is later. If the required statement and receipts are not furnished, the full deposit is due within 45 days after vacating.
Check coverage: The statewide Return Act applies without a five-unit minimum from January 1, 2024. Deposit interest has separate coverage rules; Chicago and suburban Cook County may provide additional protections. Give the landlord a mailing or email address for the accounting.
765 ILCS 710/1 (Security Deposit Return Act) ↗Deposit statute reviewed July 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules.
Check the return timeline
Optional date estimate. Read the start conditions above; a passed date alone does not establish a violation. Your date and deposit amount carry into the free analysis.
Already know the dates? Go straight to the refund and charges.
Continue to my free analysis →Questions before your next step
What should I do first if my landlord kept my deposit in Illinois?
Check the statutory deadline. For damage deductions, the itemized statement is due within 30 days after the tenant vacates or the right of possession ends, whichever is later. If the required statement and receipts are not furnished, the full deposit is due within 45 days after vacating. Save your move-out records, any refund and the itemized statement. Compare them with the deadline and deduction rules below.
Do I need a lawyer to get my deposit back in Illinois?
You can write a demand yourself. If you consider a court claim, small claims court (limit: $10,000) is designed for self-represented tenants - filing fees run about $287-$379 in Cook County, lower elsewhere.
What happens if my landlord doesn't return my security deposit in 30 or 45 days in Illinois?
Failure to provide the statement/receipts on time means the landlord must return the deposit in full within 45 days.
Am I owed interest on my deposit in Illinois?
In at least some cases, yes. Buildings of 25+ units when the deposit is held 6+ months, under the separate Security Deposit Interest Act (765 ILCS 715); Chicago RLTO imposes its own interest rule.
What can I ask to recover in a Illinois deposit dispute?
If the landlord both refused to supply the itemized statement (or supplied it in bad faith) and failed to return the deposit due on time, they owe twice the security deposit due plus court costs and attorney's fees (765 ILCS 710/1(c)). Chicago RLTO: two times the deposit plus interest, with fees (§§ 5-12-080(f), 5-12-180).
Read the full Illinois deposit-law guide for the return, deduction and remedy rules.