SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — A proposal to ban some rental junk fees passed the Illinois Senate Executive committee on Wednesday.
Junk fees that would be banned include fees that are put alongside an application fee, a lease renewal fee, eviction notice or eviction fee, routine or after hours maintenance fee, contacting a landlord fee, a maintenance hotline fee, a fee to inspect a unit and a fee to setup an online utility account.Â
Advocates say they've listed these specific junk fees because they've heard some Illinoisans have experienced at least one of these fees.
Originally the bill would ban move-in fees, but changed after behind the scenes negotiations. Now the proposal would not allow a landlord to charge a security deposit and move-in fee. However, when a landlord chooses the latter, the move in fee must not be more than 20% of the first full month of rent.
Opponents to the bill said they need more time to find a bill they could agree alongside renters, but with session ending on May 31, state Sen. Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) said it's time to pass the bill out of committee.
"Now to the realtors the excuse of I'd like to do this over the summer is not an excuse, you will work with Senator Simmons on this bill," Castro said.
An advocate for the rental junk fee ban said he's heard some people have had to pay $5,000 on the first month of rent to move in.
The bill passed out of the Illinois Senate Executive committee on a partisan 9-4 vote. Now this plan will head to the Senate floor where lawmakers could talk about it before the end of session.
Copyright 2025. WAND TV. All rights reserved.
