IL HB4778

Adds Section 17 to the Landlord and Tenant Act regulating application fees charged by landlords to prospective tenants.

Limits application fees to the lessor's actual out-of-pocket costs for evaluating a prospective lessee's application.

Requires lessors to provide prospective lessees with a written receipt stating the fee amount and a decision date, and must return any unexpended portion of the fee by that date.

Requires lessors to notify prospective lessees in writing of their decision and provide copies of third-party information obtained during the evaluation, subject to privacy laws.

Prohibits lessors from making misrepresentations about unit availability and makes violations punishable by damages up to double the application fee plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs.