Lease agreements have a beginning date and an end date, and even month-to-month lease agreements have an end date that is, by definition, renewed at the end of each month. However, there may be an instance when either the landlord or the tenant chooses to terminate the agreement before its end date. Both the landlord and the tenant have certain rights to early termination of a rental agreement in Illinois.

Termination By Landlord

The landlord may terminate a rental agreement for the following reasons:

  1. Tenant or tenant’s guests or invitees do not comply with any term of the rental agreement;
  2. Tenant misrepresents any material fact on their rental application; or
  3. Tenant or an occupant is charged with having committed an offense on the property constituting a Class X felony under the laws of Illinois, and a grand jury found probable cause at a preliminary hearing per 765 ILCS 705/5.

Termination By Tenant

The tenant also has some allowable reasons to terminate the agreement early:

  1. Tenant (or any member of the tenant’s family who resides with tenant at the premises) is a military service member that has entered military service for a period greater than 29 consecutive days, and while in military service, receives military orders for a permanent change of station or to deploy with a military unit or as an individual in support of a military operation for a period of not less than 90 days, per 765 ILCS 705/16; or
  2. Landlord does not pay for utility services obligated to landlord by the rental agreement, per 765 ILCS 735/1.