Reference Guide for Renters

See this information to answer common questions from renters in Riverside

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What are responsibilities of the tenant?

A rental tenant is required to fulfill any obligations in the lease. The tenant is also responsible for permitting inspections to take place, keeping the unit in a clean and sanitary condition and taking responsibility for their actions and the actions of any guest. If concerns are identified during unit inspections, the tenant should cooperate with the landlord to ensure work to improve or repair the unit can be performed and make it comply with code standards.

What are responsibilities of the landlord?

The Village of Riverside's Municipal Code requires a certain level of tenant service, including but not limited to, providing adequate heat, maintaining the property and paying applicable water service charges. Owners of all rental properties must furnish heat from September 15th of each year to June 1st of the succeeding year. The required minimum temperatures must be able to maintain 65 degrees by 7:30 a.m., 68 degrees between 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; 63 degrees between 10:30 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.

Read and Sign Your New Lease

If you read the lease and feel uncomfortable or unsure about a certain part of the lease, ask the landlord for clarification or seek assistance from a third party. Until you have read and understood the lease, you should not sign any lease. Here are some common questions that should be answered with the content in the lease agreement:

How and when is rent paid?	How are maintenance requests submitted?
Which utilities are included with rent?	Are you able to make alterations or paint?
Is the rental unit furnished?	Is a parking space included or does it cost an additional fee?

Are other fees or deposits required? Listed below are common deposits and fees, which may be included in your lease:

Application/screening fee	Parking fee	Trash collection fee
Cleaning deposit and/or fee	Pet Deposit and/or fees	Damage/repair fees
Security deposit (not to exceed 2 months rent)	Utilities security deposit	Utilities (the landlord may or may not cover any/all utilities)

Protections for Cook County Residents

Many issues are private property issues that should be resolved between the tenant and landlord but sometimes help is needed. Cook County's recent adoption of the Residential Tenant Landlord Ordinance provides renters' rights and landlord protections to Cook County suburban residents. You can download a summary of the ordinance and support resources on the Cook County website https://www.cookcountyil.gov/rtlo.

Tenant Protections under the Rental Registration Program

The Multi-Family Residential Rental Registry Ordinance helps protect residents and property owners from undesirable and adverse effects from the presence of substandard, unsafe and/or non-code compliant rental housing properties. The program also helps the Village, property owners and managers, and tenants effectively and efficiently communicate important or urgent information.

Learn more about the Rental Registration Program

How do I submit a complaint?

If you are experiencing a property maintenance concern inside your unit or at the building, contact your landlord first. If they are not responsive, please use the “Riverside Responds” app or visit https://www.riverside.il.us/415/Report-a-Concern to ask the Village to take action.

How do I stay informed?

Riverside is full of activity! The Village shares vital information on the website, on social media, and through an emergency notification system. Make sure that you sign up for messages that are important to you.
Sign Up for text messages or emails here

Parking Information

Riverside requires all vehicles that are housed or registered to a Riverside address have a current vehicle sticker displayed in the front windshield. View more information about vehicle stickers

Overnight Parking

Overnight (2 a.m. to 6 a.m.) parking is prohibited on any Village street or public property.

Guest overnight parking is allowed in Village Parking Lot Number 1 which is located on the north side of the intersection of Barrypoint Road and Bloomingbank Road. Lot Number 1 is directly west of the Riverside Train Station. Parking in the brown numbered spaces is prohibited. Blue numbered parking spaces are available to the public. The hourly fee for parking in the blue numbered spaces is $0.25 for every hour.

To pay for parking online, visit the Passport Parking website (https://www.passportparking.com/). You may also pay by phone at 708-716-0716. Riverside is Zone 60546. To register your vehicle for an online overnight parking pass, visit the Frontline PSS portal (www.frontlinepss.com/riverside)

More information on resident, commuter, and visitor parking in Riverside