Radon Mitigation and Renters – Know Your Rights!

Rental housing seems to be popping up all over, whether it’s single-family homes for rent or multi-unit properties. Radon is everywhere, and when it comes to renting, you should know what the radon levels are and what your rights as a tenant are when it comes to radon mitigation.

New Illinois Laws Regarding Radon & Renter’s Rights

New Illinois laws were enacted on January 1, 2024 (Public Act 103-0298, A Change to 420 IL/CS 46).

The new law states the following….

1.) Landlords must give a radon awareness piece to potential tenants and renewing tenants. 

2.) The landlord must give a disclosure form about known radon levels in the unit and any test records. 

3.) Tenant can test dwelling during the first 90 days of the lease, or renewal, using a professional or DIY test, and send results to Landlord within 10 days. If the said property is at or above 4.0 pCi/l, they may request the landlord mitigate the radon.

4.) The landlord can choose whether to mitigate the radon or not, if they choose within 30 days, using a professional tester. **No further action is required if this professional test does NOT show high radon. This test supersedes the results from the tenant’s test.

5.)Landlord can mitigate high levels of radon, to below 4.0 pCi/l.

6.) Tenant can mitigate if the landlord does not within 60 days:

A. Leave the lease, without penalty OR

B. Have a mitigation system installed, with the Landlord’s permission, by a professional; the costs of said work would be subtracted from the rent in equal portions across the rest of the lease period. 

*Radon code information courtesy of Illinois Radon Task Force

Your Next Steps

Whether or not the landlord decides to have a mitigation system installed, or you’re taking care of it within 60 days, it’s important to stay informed about the dangers of radon and to keep the air you breathe clean. Radon can be managed and kept in check with regular testing.

Guardian Radon Mitigation is the team to trust in the Chicagoland area. For over 18 years, our licensed and insured team has been protecting homes in Oswego, Naperville, Aurora, Yorkville, Plainfield, and surrounding Illinois towns from the dangers of radon. If you have any questions or concerns about radon mitigation, repairs to a radon mitigation system or your right as a renter when it comes to radon, give our office a call at (630) 768-9836.