Benefits of Mediating Landlord/Tenant Disputes in Chicago IL – by Brian James

Landlord/tenant disputes in Chicago Illinois are quite common, often landing both parties in a lengthy and contentious court battle.  Landlord/tenant disputes in Chicago Illinois may arise for a variety of reasons, including allegations of lease violations, non-payment of rent, issues concerning unreturned security deposits and problems that concern the enjoyment or living situation that have not been resolved by the landlord.  Regardless of the underlying cause for the conflict, many of these cases are better served through mediation.

Mediation is a private way to resolve conflicts, unlike the public courtrooms in which colorful allegations may be flung back and forth.  Additionally, mediation is a confidential process, so the parties can actively engage in the process without the landlord developing a negative reputation or the tenant feeling like he or she will be misrepresented.

Many people turn to mediation because it is an affordable option to resolve conflict.  When housing concerns are at issue, they can often be resolved much more quickly through mediation than having to wait for the backlog of cases in the court system in Cook County.  Additionally, many tenants do not anticipate the need to hire an attorney when securing a lease and may not be able to deal with this additional expense, plus court filing fees and costs.  Landlords are often disenchanted by the long waiting time of dealing with problem tenants and may find their unit occupied without receiving rent.

Mediation helps solve these dilemmas by providing a more accessible and efficient process.

Many problems arise when landlords and tenants have lost the ability to communicate in a productive manner.  The parties may think the other is acting in bad faith when they may not be doing so.  Mediators help parties see the problem from another angle so that they can work toward a resolution.