Lake Villa CHAPTER 3A RENTAL UNITS § 8-3A-3
CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY REQUIRED
Operative Text
For each dwelling unit which is to be occupied by a tenant pursuant to a written or oral lease, prior to the dwelling unit being occupied by said tenant, the owner shall request and obtain an inspection from the Lake Villa building department and thereafter obtain a certificate of occupancy. (Ord. 99-7-1, 7-14-1999)
Under Lake Villa § 8-3A-3, every dwelling unit intended for tenant occupancy—whether under a written or oral lease—must be inspected by the Lake Villa building department and receive a certificate of occupancy before any tenant moves in. This requirement applies regardless of the type of lease arrangement. The rule is designed to ensure that rental units meet applicable standards before they are inhabited.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 8-3A-3, compliant property owners in Lake Villa contact the building department to schedule an inspection and secure a certificate of occupancy for each rental unit before a new tenant takes possession. This process applies to both written and oral lease arrangements, so operators generally initiate the inspection request well in advance of a planned move-in date. Maintaining records of each certificate of occupancy for every unit is a common practice among operators seeking to demonstrate ongoing compliance.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Lake Villa § 8-3A-3 establishes that a tenant has the right to occupy a unit only after the owner has obtained a certificate of occupancy from the building department. If a tenant believes a unit was occupied without this certificate being issued, that fact may be relevant to a housing complaint or could potentially be raised as a defense in certain legal proceedings. Tenants who have questions about whether a certificate of occupancy was obtained for their unit can contact the Lake Villa building department directly or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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