Can a tenant repair and deduct from rent in Illinois?
Yes, within limits. In Illinois, if a required repair costs no more than $500 or half a month’s rent, whichever is less, and the landlord does not make it within 14 days after the tenant’s notice by registered or certified mail (sooner in an emergency), the tenant may have it made in a workmanlike manner and deduct the amount of a paid bill from a tradesman or supplier unrelated to the tenant. Each step has to be followed as the statute sets it out, including the written notice and the waiting period, or the deduction can be treated as unpaid rent. This is 765 ILCS 742/5.
| What | Illinois |
|---|---|
| Repair and deduct | Allowed by statute, within a cap |
| Limit | Up to $500 or half a month’s rent, whichever is less |
Source
765 ILCS 742/5
Read the statute in the Illinois Compiled Statutes (Illinois General Assembly): ilga.gov.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
Every deadline on this page runs from the tenant’s notice. A repair request filed in Seayora keeps the date it was made and every update after it, on the website and both phone apps, so owner and tenant are working from the same date.
Guides on this rule
- How Long Does a Landlord Have to Make Repairs? Deadlines by State — Repair deadlines after a tenant’s notice in Washington, Texas, Arizona, Oregon, California and Florida, and what a tenant may do if the landlord misses one.
Compare this rule in every state
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