# Illinois Renters: Who Pays for Repairs? (Landlord vs Tenant) | Who Pays the Repair?

> Illinois' Residential Tenants' Right to Repair Act lets tenants repair and deduct up to the lesser of $500 or half a month's rent if the landlord doesn't fix a problem within 14 days.

**Who pays:** landlord

In Illinois, the landlord's repair duty comes from the lease, code, or local ordinance, and state law (765 ILCS 742/5) lets the tenant get the repair done and deduct the paid bill from rent, up to the lesser of $500 or half a month's rent, if the landlord doesn't fix it within 14 days of written notice.

**Boundary:** The landlord's underlying repair duty in Illinois comes from the lease, applicable building code, or local ordinance; the Residential Tenants' Right to Repair Act (765 ILCS 742/5) gives the tenant a repair-and-deduct remedy if the landlord doesn't act within 14 days of written notice.

**Exceptions:** 765 ILCS 742 is a remedy statute, not a freestanding habitability-duty statute; the repair duty itself must come from the lease, law, administrative rule, or local ordinance.

## Sources
- [765 ILCS 742/5 - Residential Tenants' Right to Repair Act, "Repair; deduction from rent"](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/076507420K5.htm) — "If the landlord fails to make the repair within 14 days after being notified by the tenant as provided above or more promptly as conditions require in the case of an emergency, the tenant may have the repair made in a workmanlike manner and in compliance with the appropriate law, administrative rule, or local ordinance or regulation." (accessed 2026-10-22)
- [765 ILCS 742/5 - Repair; deduction from rent](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/076507420K5.htm) — "If a repair is required under a residential lease agreement or required under a law, administrative rule, or local ordinance or regulation, and the reasonable cost of the repair does not exceed the lesser of $500 or one-half of the monthly rent, the tenant may notify the landlord in writing" (accessed 2026-10-22)
- [765 ILCS 742/5 - Residential Tenants' Right to Repair Act, "Repair; deduction from rent"](https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/ilcs/documents/076507420K5.htm) — "After submitting to the landlord a paid bill from an appropriate tradesman or supplier unrelated to the tenant, the tenant may deduct from his or her rent the amount of the bill, not to exceed the limits specified by this Section and not to exceed the reasonable price then customarily charged for the repair." (accessed 2026-10-22)

_Last verified 2026-10-22. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/illinois-landlord-tenant-repair-responsibility/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._