A Lease Clause That Is Void
765 ILCS 705/1 — a lease cannot excuse the landlord from liability for its own negligence
Any term in or connected to a lease that exempts the landlord from liability for injuries to people or property caused by the negligence of the landlord or its agents or employees, in operating or maintaining the premises or the building, is void as against public policy and wholly unenforceable.
Who handles this in Illinois: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the Illinois directory.
The one exception is a provision in a non-residential lease that exempts the landlord from liability for property damage.
Sources for this section (1)
- 765 ILCS 705/1 — Liability exemptions
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Illinois attorney.