(A) (1) It is unlawful for any landlord or any person acting at his or her direction knowingly to oust or dispossess or threaten or attempt to oust or dispossess any tenant from a dwelling unit without authority of law:
(a) By plugging, changing, adding or removing any lock or latching device;
(b) By blocking any entrance into the unit;
(c) By removing any door or window from the unit;
(d) By interfering with the services to said unit; including but not limited to electricity, gas, hot or cold water, plumbing, heat or telephone service; or by removing a tenant's personal property from the unit;
(e) By the removal or incapacitating of appliances or fixtures, except for the purpose of making necessary repairs;
(f) By the use or threat of force, violence or injury to a tenant's person or property; or
(g) By any act rendering a dwelling unit or any part thereof or any personal property located therein inaccessible or uninhabitable.
(2) The foregoing shall not apply where:
(a) A landlord acts in compliance with the laws of Illinois pertaining to forcible entry and detainer and engages the Sheriff of Cook County to forcibly evict a tenant or his or her personal property;
(b) A landlord acts in compliance with the laws of Illinois pertaining to distress for rent;
(c) A landlord interferes temporarily with possession only as necessary to make needed repairs or inspection and only as provided by law; or
(d) The tenant has abandoned the dwelling unit.
(B) If a tenant in a civil legal proceeding against his or her landlord establishes that a violation of this section has occurred he or she shall be entitled to recover possession of his or her dwelling unit or personal property and shall recover an amount equal to not more than two-months' rent or twice the actual damages sustained by him or her, whichever is greater.
(C) A tenant may pursue any civil remedy for violation of this section regardless of whether a fine has been entered against the landlord pursuant to this section.
(Ord. 07-939, passed 6-14-2007) Penalty, see § 154.99