Urbana — Ch. 12.5 Landlord-Tenant Relationships § 12.5-26
Retaliatory conduct
Operative Text
(a) Except as provided in this article, a landlord may not retaliate by decreasing services or by bringing or threatening to bring action for possession or by refusing to renew a rental agreement because the tenant has: (1) Complained in good faith of a code violation to a government agency charged with the responsibility for the enforcement of such code; (2) Complained to the landlord of a violation of any of the provisions of this article; (3) Organized a tenant association or complained to the Tenant Union, Student Legal Service, or similar private or governmental organization about a violation of the provisions of this article or a violation of the rental agreement; (4) Exercised or attempted to exercise any right or enforce any remedy granted to the tenant under this article. (b) If the landlord acts in violation of subsection (a), the tenant has a defense in any retaliatory action against him or her for possession and shall be entitled to recover possession, an amount equal to two (2) months rent and reasonable attorney's fees.
Urbana Ch. 12.5 § 12.5-26 prohibits landlords from taking retaliatory actions — such as cutting services, threatening eviction, or refusing to renew a lease — against tenants who have reported code violations, complained about lease or ordinance violations, organized with other tenants, or exercised legal rights under the ordinance. The rule applies regardless of whether the tenant's complaint was made to a government agency, directly to the landlord, or to an organization like the Tenant Union. When a landlord does retaliate, the ordinance provides the affected tenant with a legal defense against eviction and a right to recover two months' rent plus reasonable attorney's fees.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Urbana Ch. 12.5 § 12.5-26, compliant property owners and managers take care to ensure that decisions about lease renewals, service levels, and possession actions are grounded in legitimate, documented reasons unrelated to any protected tenant activity. Operators generally maintain clear records showing that any change in tenancy terms or services was driven by factors such as nonpayment, lease violations, or business necessity — not by a tenant's complaints or organizing activity. Because a finding of retaliation can expose a landlord to liability for two months' rent and attorney's fees, consistent documentation practices are a standard part of compliant property management in Urbana.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Urbana Ch. 12.5 § 12.5-26 protects tenants who report code violations, raise concerns about the ordinance or their lease, join or organize tenant groups, or assert their legal rights — shielding them from landlord retaliation in the form of reduced services, eviction threats, or non-renewal of their rental agreement. If a landlord takes such action anyway, the ordinance gives tenants an affirmative defense in any eviction proceeding and the right to seek two months' rent plus reasonable attorney's fees. Tenants who believe they are experiencing retaliation may consider documenting the timeline of their protected activity and the landlord's response, and can reach out to organizations like the Tenant Union or a local tenant-rights group for general information about their options under § 12.5-26.
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 6, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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