Chicago Lease Agreement Checklist: Required Disclosures

A Chicago lease packet needs more than the rent, term and signatures. Start with the Illinois Summary of Rights for Safer Homes, then check which city, state and federal disclosures apply to the property. Many documents must reach the tenant before signing. Some must arrive before the landlord accepts application money. Renewals can trigger a fresh delivery duty even when the tenant stays in the same apartment.

This checklist covers common private residential rentals in Chicago, including two-flats, three-flats and condos. It helps you organize the file; it is not a complete lease template. Have a Chicago landlord-tenant attorney review the agreement, coverage decisions and any unusual property or subsidy terms.

Rules were checked October 19, 2026. Use the printable Chicago lease agreement checklist to record the documents, delivery dates and signatures for each unit. Keep the actual official disclosures with the signed lease.

Start with the property’s coverage and facts

Before choosing a lease form, record the address, legal unit, building age, floor, ownership and whether an owner lives on the premises. Also record the heat source, utility meters, flood history, deposit policy and any rental assistance. Those facts decide which parts of the packet apply.

Under Chicago RLTO Section 5-12-020, units in owner-occupied premises with six or fewer units are generally excluded from most of that chapter. Fair Notice and anti-lockout protections still apply to those rentals. Other exclusions have their own terms. Do not decide coverage from unit count alone or assume that living nearby counts as occupying the premises.

That city exception does not cancel Illinois or federal law. A landlord living in a two-flat may still need Safe Homes, lead, radon, flood and heating-cost documents. Review each rule separately. Our Chicago RLTO compliance guide explains how the city duties fit together.

For a suburban address, start again with that jurisdiction. A Chicago lease packet is not automatically a Cook County or municipal lease packet. The suburban rental inspection and licensing guide helps separate those location checks.

Build the packet around delivery deadlines

This working table is a routing checklist. The sections below explain the triggers and exceptions.

Document or review	Main trigger	Timing to plan for
Safe Homes rights summary	New or renewed written Illinois residential lease	First in the packet; obtain required page signatures
City RLTO and interest summaries	Covered Chicago rental agreement	With the first written lease offer, including renewal
Owner and agent contacts	RLTO-covered tenancy	At or before tenancy begins; keep current
Code and utility notices	RLTO-covered tenancy and relevant conditions	Before new lease or renewal; some duties continue
Bedbug brochure	RLTO-covered new lease or renewal	Before entering or renewing the agreement
Federal lead package	Covered housing built before 1978	Before the tenant becomes obligated
Illinois radon package	Covered unit below the third story	Application/pre-lease review; renewal and request rules apply
Illinois flood disclosure	Rental subject to the state law	Before signing; include signed disclosure in lease or renewal
Heating-cost disclosure	Individually metered heat paid directly by tenant	Before lease commitment or application payment
Shared-meter disclosures	Tenant’s utility account also serves other areas	Before lease offer, renewal offer or deposit acceptance

Assign a person to each task. If a manager prepares the packet, the owner still needs a way to confirm delivery. A single checkbox saying “all disclosures provided” does not establish which version was sent or when.

Put the Safe Homes summary first

Beginning January 1, 2026, Illinois requires the official Summary of Rights for Safer Homes at the front of new and renewed written residential leases. The Illinois Department of Human Rights FAQ explains the placement and acknowledgment rules. Each tenant must sign the receipt section on every page of the summary. The agency currently describes a four-page document.

Download the current official version through IDHR. Include the whole document rather than creating a shorter version or attaching only its signature page. Check all named tenants, including additional tenants beyond the form’s first two signature lines. IDHR explains where those additional signatures may go.

In an electronic packet, inspect the final page order and signature fields before sending it. A software cover sheet can accidentally move the required summary away from the front. At renewal, do not rely solely on the copy signed with last year’s lease. Keep the new packet’s acknowledgment pages in the renewal file.

The summary explains rights connected with domestic or sexual violence, stalking and related safety concerns. Providing it does not require asking an applicant to disclose a personal history. Keep the ordinary leasing process separate from later requests to exercise those rights.

Attach current city summaries at the first offer

Section 5-12-170 addresses the city ordinance summary and the separate security-deposit interest summary. For covered written rental agreements, the required summary material belongs with the agreement when it is initially offered. That includes renewal offers. The provision also requires a summary for an oral agreement.

Use current official city materials, with the applicable interest information, rather than a screenshot saved from an old listing. The City Clerk’s 2026 landlord-tenant publication supplies the ordinance text for checking the requirements. An article explaining the RLTO does not replace the city’s required summary.

Keep the version supplied with the first offer as well as the final signed packet. If the first document sent for review lacks an attachment, adding it only after signature leaves a timing issue to resolve. Have the reviewer check that point before the offer goes out.

Identify the people responsible and disclose building conditions

For covered tenancies, Section 5-12-090 requires written names, addresses and telephone numbers at or before tenancy begins. Identify the owner or person authorized to manage, plus the person authorized to receive legal process, notices and demands. Keep that information current after a sale or management change. An emergency repair number alone does not fill every role.

Section 5-12-100 requires disclosures before a tenant enters into or renews a covered agreement. Disclose city code violations cited during the preceding twelve months for the unit and common areas. Include pending enforcement cases or administrative proceedings, their identifying numbers and the cited violations. A repaired item can still be a citation issued within that period.

Also disclose notices to terminate utility service affecting the unit or common areas. State the service, intended termination date and affected areas. This utility-notice duty continues during the tenancy. Search the actual records and request missing documents from the prior owner. The Chicago building-violations guide explains the acquisition review that feeds this file.

If foreclosure is involved, Section 5-12-095 has its own notice rules. Covered owners must disclose the case before an initial rental agreement. Service of a foreclosure complaint also triggers a seven-day notice duty to existing tenants and certain third-party rent payers. Use the required case details and statutory wording; a notice of foreclosure is not an instruction to move out.

Give the bedbug brochure before the agreement

For covered rentals, Section 5-12-101 requires the health department’s bedbug prevention and treatment brochure before a new agreement or renewal. Provide the city brochure itself. A custom pest addendum assigning responsibilities is a different document.

Record the delivery with the other pre-signing items. A tenant who has lived in the building for years is still part of the renewal process. If the owner claims an RLTO exclusion, document that review rather than silently dropping the brochure from every small-building packet. Separate pest-control and building duties may still apply.

Prepare the federal lead package for covered older housing

The federal disclosure rule generally covers most housing built before 1978, subject to defined exceptions. Before the tenant becomes obligated, supply the lead warning and acknowledgment language, known lead information, available records and the EPA pamphlet. The EPA’s landlord guidance lists the package and requires signed acknowledgments to be retained for three years.

For multi-unit properties, relevant records can include common-area findings and other-unit reports from a building-wide evaluation. Do not check “no knowledge” without reviewing the documents you received when buying or managing the building. A newly painted apartment is not proof that the building has no lead-based paint.

Renewals require a more careful answer than “always resend” or “never resend.” 40 CFR 745.101(d) exempts a renewal when the lessor already disclosed everything required and has received no new relevant information. If relying on that exception, retain the earlier completed package and evidence of the new-information review.

Electronic delivery also needs proper handling. The EPA disclosure fact sheet describes consent, paper-copy rights and access to electronic records. A link buried in an email is not a substitute for a reviewed delivery process.

Check the unit’s floor for Illinois radon documents

The IEMA-OHS guidance for lessors and tenants identifies units below the third story as subject to the rental disclosure package. It includes the Radon Guide for Tenants, the statutory disclosure form and available records indicating a radon hazard. The agency addresses prospective tenants and renewing tenants.

Read 420 ILCS 46/26 with the Act’s exemptions. Its delivery language addresses the application stage, before lease entry, and requests during the lease. Put the check into the application process so it is not left until move-in day.

Use the facts for the actual apartment. A garden unit and a third-story unit in the same building can have different coverage. “No known elevated levels” is a statement about the owner’s knowledge, not proof that testing found the unit safe. Retain reports and update disclosures when new information arrives.

The disclosure provision does not itself impose a blanket duty to test or mitigate every rental. It does create testing and lease-rights procedures. Avoid adding promises about test results or mitigation that the owner cannot support.

Review flood history beyond the basement

Illinois Landlord and Tenant Act Section 25 has both a general rule and an added lower-level rule. The general provision addresses FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area status and actual knowledge of flooding of the rental property or its parking areas, including frequency. Required information must be disclosed in writing before signing. It must also be included in the written lease or renewal and signed by both parties.

For a lower-level unit, review flooding of the unit or any part of the property over the previous ten years, including its frequency. The statute defines lower-level to include garden, basement and first-floor units. A first-floor apartment is not outside the rule merely because it sits above a raised basement.

Use a disclosure substantially similar to the statutory form, with truthful answers based on the records and facts. Search flood-zone information, inspect past repair records and ask about water events when buying. Do not treat an address outside a mapped floodplain as proof that rainfall has never caused flooding.

The statute’s defined flooding, required language and listed exemptions matter. It also says the disclosure does not legalize a unit that the municipality does not allow to be rented. A signed flood form therefore cannot resolve an illegal garden apartment’s zoning or occupancy problem.

Resolve heating costs and shared meters early

Chicago’s Section 5-16-010 applies when heat is individually metered and the tenant pays the utility company directly. Disclose that payment duty and the annual utility cost for the primary heat source, based on the previous twelve months’ energy use. Obtain the tenant’s written receipt.

The deadline comes before executing a lease, contracting to lease or accepting money or other value in a lease application. An application fee can therefore arrive too early if this step is unfinished. This chapter has its own exceptions; the RLTO’s owner-occupied exception does not automatically settle the question.

A continuing tenant who directly paid heating costs during the prior term has a specific renewal exception. There is also an exception for certain centrally heated units with shared, indirect billing. Under Section 5-16-030, utility information obtained through the authorized process remains valid for disclosure for six months. Record when you obtained it and avoid promising that future bills will match the history.

Shared meters require another check. Under 765 ILCS 735/1.2, a tenant-paid account serving other areas needs specified disclosures before the lease offer, renewal offer or deposit acceptance. Describe the areas and uses. Provide the previous twelve months’ bills unless the tenant waives those copies in writing. State any proposed rent reduction, and do not require the tenant to collect utility money from neighbors.

Write down who pays gas, electricity, water and any allocated charge. A simple “tenant pays utilities” clause can conceal the exact issue this review should uncover.

Match deposits, fees and lease clauses to the actual policy

If collecting a covered security deposit, complete the bank information before signing. RLTO Section 5-12-080 requires the financial institution’s name and address in the written agreement. Receipt and account duties also apply when money is accepted. A signed lease does not replace the deposit receipt.

List each payment by purpose, amount and timing. Distinguish rent, refundable security, an optional service and a move-in charge. Our security deposits and move-in fees guide explains why calling money a “fee” does not determine its legal treatment.

Check the actual clauses as closely as the attachments. Section 5-12-140 prohibits certain waivers, notice shortcuts and other terms in covered leases. It limits late charges and treats unequal termination periods as a separate-notice issue. A generic internet form can contain provisions that do not work in Chicago.

For a hypothetical covered lease at $1,750 monthly rent, the ordinance’s maximum monthly late charge is $72.50: $10 plus 5% of $1,250. That is a cap, not a required fee. The contract should state the lawful charge the parties actually agreed to use. Do not copy a generic 10% late-fee clause.

Add documents tied to the building or housing program

Include written smoke and carbon monoxide alarm instructions in the move-in materials. Chicago Section 14X-1-103.2 requires owners to explain occupants’ testing and maintenance duties, if any, in writing. Match the instructions to the installed devices and who must maintain them. A signed acknowledgment does not replace working alarms or the owner’s own duties.

For a high-rise condo, also ask the association about the building’s life-safety compliance status. If the building does not comply with Section 14X-5-506.1, Section 14X-5-506.4 requires written disclosure to every prospective occupant. The owner must retain each disclosure’s date and recipient. Do not assume that a clean individual unit resolves a building-wide issue.

Check recycling instructions as part of the move-in and renewal packet. Section 11-5-140 requires covered refuse collection customers to provide an education flyer when an agreement is signed, renewed or extended. The flyer addresses materials, preparation, bin locations, collection details and a contact person. Confirm how the building’s collection program and exemptions apply.

Condo rules, parking terms and pet policies should match what the owner can grant. Separate ordinary pet rules from accommodation requests. The Chicago tenant-screening checklist explains the earlier applicant review and record handoff.

For Housing Choice Voucher rentals, review the housing agency’s approved lease process and the HUD tenancy addendum. The addendum controls if it conflicts with another lease provision. Do not improvise side charges or promise occupancy before required approvals. Our Chicago Section 8 landlord guide connects the lease with rent approval, inspections and the HAP contract.

Worked example: a new tenant in a Chicago two-flat

Assume a hypothetical non-owner-occupied two-flat built in 1925. The new tenant will rent the first-floor unit, pay separately metered gas heat and provide a security deposit. Both the age and the utility arrangement matter before anyone signs.

The manager first verifies RLTO coverage and gathers the required city material. The Safe Homes summary goes first in the packet. Lead and radon documents receive their own checks. The first-floor location also triggers the lower-level flood-history review. The manager collects prior twelve-month city citations and current enforcement information instead of relying on the owner’s memory.

Before accepting application money, the manager completes the applicable heating-cost disclosure and receipt. The lease names the deposit institution and gives the required contacts. The tenant receives the bedbug brochure before agreeing. The owner then reviews the complete package, including signatures on each Safe Homes page and both signatures on the flood disclosure.

Now change one fact: the owner lives in the other unit. Most RLTO duties may fall outside coverage, but the state and federal checks remain. Reusing the non-owner packet without review can add conflicting terms; deleting all attachments because the building is small creates the opposite problem.

Treat renewal as a new document review

A renewal file should start with the existing lease, original occupancy date and any changes in ownership, utilities, fees or building conditions. Do not reset the tenant’s tenure when a buyer takes ownership. Our Chicago rent-increase notice guide explains the separate notice calendar and address-specific rules.

For a hypothetical returning tenant, recheck the city summaries, bedbug brochure, current Safe Homes acknowledgments, flood disclosure and radon package. Update contacts and review the latest twelve-month citation period. Determine whether the lead renewal exception applies. Check the heating-cost exception against who actually paid the utility during the prior term.

Keep the renewal offer date, notice date, signature date and effective date as distinct entries. They do different jobs. A new signature does not by itself prove that a rent increase received proper advance notice. For RLTO-covered agreements, Section 5-12-130(i) also limits requiring renewal more than ninety days before termination.

If a manager handles renewals, specify these tasks in the service agreement. The Chicago property-management fee guide helps distinguish a renewal charge from the actual work the contract promises.

Keep January 2027 fee changes separate from current duties

Illinois enacted new rental fee rules in Public Act 104-0479. Public Act 104-0514 moved their effective date to January 1, 2027. They are not already an October 2026 requirement merely because an older bill page shows July 2026.

For agreements within its scope, the new law requires non-optional fees on the first lease page and addresses listing disclosures and utility inclusion. It also bans specified charges. The provision applies to agreements entered into after its effective date and excludes owner-occupied premises with six or fewer units. Review the final enacted text rather than copying an early proposal’s fee list.

The upcoming fee placement rule and the existing Safe Homes placement rule both deserve attention when preparing a 2027 packet. Have counsel review the layout to satisfy both. Do not silently remove the Safe Homes document or assume a fee buried in an addendum meets the new rule.

Likewise, a proposed Protecting Renters Ordinance provision is not proof of an enacted lease requirement. Use the current code and effective legislation for the signing date. Our Chicago PRO status guide separates that discussion from existing duties.

Finish with a file someone else can verify

Before sending the packet, confirm the legal unit, tenant names, owner identity, term, rent and utility allocation against the application and approved offer. Make each required attachment visible in the contents list. Check dates and signatures inside the attachments, not just on the lease’s final page.

After signing, give the parties the completed packet and retain the delivered files and signing record. Keep a separate record of earlier disclosures whose deadlines came before signing. Preserve the original versions when later amendments are made. Never backdate a missing acknowledgment to make the file appear complete.

Use the downloadable lease checklist for the final review. Mark each item applicable, not applicable or needing review, with a reason for any exclusion. Record who checked it and when. That makes the packet easier to hand to a new manager, an attorney reviewing a dispute, or a buyer reviewing the building’s leases.