Chicago tenants shall be awarded damages equal to two (2) times the amount of the security deposit (including refundable key, pet, and parking security deposits), plus reasonable attorneys fees and costs, if a Chicago landlord fails to comply with the numerous guidelines of Chicago RLTO Sections 5-12-080. As ridiculous as this “penalty” may seem, the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision in Lawrence v Regent Realty (2003) confirms that a landlord need not acted willfully to have been found in violation of Section 5-12-080 and thus liable to the tenant for two (2) times the amount of security deposit. In other words, this security deposit law in Chicago equates to strict liability.