Rent receipt (Chicago landlord)
Legal advice recommended before use.
Illinois law doesn't set a single statewide rule requiring a receipt for every rent payment, but giving one — especially for cash — protects both sides if a payment is ever disputed. Keep a copy of every receipt you issue; accurate payment records also matter if a security-deposit dispute later heads to court, since the RLTO's security-deposit rules (Municipal Code of Chicago § 5-12-080) turn on exact dates and amounts.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a Chicago landlord required to give a rent receipt?
Illinois law does not set a single statewide requirement that a landlord issue a receipt for every rent payment. It is nonetheless good practice, and especially important for cash payments, which otherwise leave no independent record.
Does a text message or app confirmation count as a receipt?
A dated electronic confirmation can serve the same purpose as a paper receipt, as long as it clearly shows the date, amount, payer, unit, and the period the payment covers.
Why does this matter if there's a dispute later?
Accurate payment records help establish whether rent was actually owed if a 5-day notice under 735 ILCS 5/9-209 is ever served, and support either side's position in a security-deposit dispute under the RLTO (MCC § 5-12-080).
Does this apply the same way outside the RLTO's coverage?
Rent receipts aren't governed by the RLTO or by a specific statewide statute either way — this is general good practice, not a citation to a specific requirement, whether or not your building is RLTO-covered.
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