Went with a tenant lawyer over a landlord lawyer for my security deposit case and it made all the difference

So I moved out of my old place in Logan Square back in March and my landlord tried to keep my whole $1800 deposit for 'paint and carpet cleaning'. I almost hired a lawyer who works with landlords cause they were cheaper but my buddy told me to go with someone who does tenant side work. The tenant lawyer I found knew every loophole in Chicago's RLTO. She got me my full deposit back plus $500 in court costs in like 6 weeks. The landlord lawyer I talked to first just wanted me to settle for half. Anyone else have better luck with a specific type of lawyer for Chicago renter stuff?

3 comments

3 Comments

cole_murphy8d ago

My buddy had almost the exact same thing happen with a place in Wicker Park last year, landlord kept $2200 for 'cleaning and repainting' even though we cleaned the place spotless. He went with a tenant lawyer named Elaine Kowalski who specializes in the Chicago RLTO and she shredded their itemized deduction list in court. Got him the full deposit back plus punitive damages because the landlord didn't even provide the itemized list within 30 days. Ngl tenant lawyers just know all the little ways landlords screw up and they actually care about getting you paid, not just settling quick.

maxl937d ago

Christ, $2200 for cleaning and repainting? That's highway robbery right there. I swear some of these landlords think they're running a hotel or something, charging people for normal wear and tear like it's some kind of crime. My old landlord tried to charge me for 'carpet shampooing' after I lived there for three years and the carpet was already beat up when I moved in. Tenant lawyers are beasts though, they know exactly which documents to ask for and how to make the landlord look stupid in front of a judge. Your buddy made the right call with Kowalski, that's who I need to remember if I ever end up in that mess again.

wesleyflores7d ago

My buddy got the same runaround and having a tenant lawyer is the only thing that got his money back.