News

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman passed legislation belonging to a comprehensive housing package through the Senate that includes multiple consumer provisions. One key provision protects renters from unfair housing costs by prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to pay broker and leasing agent fees for services hired by the property owner.

“Finding a place to live is expensive enough without being charged for services you never asked for,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “If a landlord hires a broker to market a property and manage the leasing process, that cost should remain with the landlord – not be added to a renter’s bill.”

Broker and leasing agent fees are common in the rental housing market to compensate agents for marketing properties, showing units, screening applicants and facilitating lease agreements. These fees are often structured as either flat fees or percentages of annual rent and can add thousands of dollars to the cost of securing housing. In many cases, landlords hire brokers to manage rental transactions but require prospective tenants to pay the broker’s commission in addition to application and screening fees.

SPRINGFIELD – To protect consumers and ensure a fairer, more transparent ticket resale market, State Senator Steve Stadelman advanced legislation to ban speculative ticket sales in Illinois.

“Selling tickets you don’t own is a gamble with someone else’s money,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “Fans deserve confidence that when they buy a ticket, the seller actually has it and can deliver it.”

House Bill 4984 prohibits ticket resellers from selling, listing or advertising tickets unless they have actual or constructive possession of the tickets at the time they are offered for sale.

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Steve Stadelman advanced legislation to strengthen protections for older adults by allowing courts to issue temporary restraining orders in cases involving abuse, neglect or financial exploitation.

“Older adults and vulnerable individuals are too often targeted by scammers and bad actors looking to take advantage of them financially,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “This measure gives courts and law enforcement stronger tools to step in quickly, stop exploitation and protect victims before even more harm is done.”

House Bill 4649 would create a new mechanism to protect the assets of eligible adults who have been reported or found to be victims of abuse, abandonment, neglect, financial exploitation or self-neglect. The measure, supported by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, aims to make it easier to intervene in exploitation cases involving scammers who may only communicate through apps or other indirect methods.

SPRINGFIELD – To protect renters from unfair and excessive housing costs, State Senator Steve Stadelman is spearheading legislation that would prevent landlords from passing broker and leasing agent fees onto tenants.

“Renters are already facing significant upfront housing costs, and they should not be forced to pay broker fees for services hired by a landlord or property owner,” said Stadelman (D-Rockford). “This legislation creates a fairer and more transparent rental process by ensuring the party who hires the broker is responsible for paying that fee.”

Broker and leasing agent fees are common in the rental housing market to compensate agents for marketing properties, showing units, screening applicants and facilitating lease agreements. These fees are often structured as either flat fees or percentages of annual rent and can add thousands of dollars to the cost of securing housing. In many cases, landlords hire brokers to manage rental transactions but require prospective tenants to pay the broker’s commission in addition to application and screening fees.