Sec. 42-813 - Prohibition against lockouts
[Effective now, already, early 2021]
A. The landlord, or any person acting at the direction of the landlord, shall not oust or dispossess, or threaten or attempt to oust or dispossess, any tenant from a dwelling unit without authority of law, by plugging, changing, adding or removing any lock or latching device; or by blocking any entrance into said dwelling unit; or by removing any door or window from said dwelling unit; or by interfering with the services to the dwelling unit, including but not limited to electricity, gas, hot or cold water, plumbing, heat, telephone service, or internet; or by removing a tenant's personal property from said dwelling unit; or by the removal or incapacitating of appliances or fixtures, except for the purpose of making necessary repairs; or by the use or threat of force, violence or injury to a tenant's person or property; or by any act rendering a dwelling unit or any part thereof, or any personal property located therein, inaccessible or uninhabitable. The foregoing shall not apply where:
1. A landlord acts in compliance with the eviction laws of Illinois pertaining to forcible entry and detainer and engages the Sheriff of Cook County to forcibly evict a tenant or their personal property; or
2. A landlord interferes temporarily with possession only as necessary to make needed repairs or inspection and only as provided by law; or
3. The landlord acts in compliance with the laws of Illinois pertaining to distress for rent (735 ILCS 5/9-301 et. seq.) for the removal of personal property; or
4. The tenant has abandoned the dwelling unit, as prescribed in section 42-809(B)(2).
B. If a tenant, in a civil legal proceeding against the landlord, establishes that the landlord has violated section 42-813, the tenant shall be entitled to recover possession of the dwelling unit and personal property. In addition, the tenant shall recover an amount equal to not more than two (2) months' rent or twice the actual damages sustained by the tenant, whichever is greater, and reasonable attorney’s fees.
Netflix till the sheriff comes Cook County
The landlord can't even turn the internet off because the tenant stopped paying rent now.