Midlothian CHAPTER 19 RESIDENTIAL RENTAL HOUSING § 4-19-2
INTERPRETATION; SCOPE; RESPONSIBILITY; LICENSING REGISTRATION
Operative Text
(A) Interpretation: In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this chapter shall be held to be minimum requirements adopted for the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare. This chapter and chapter 18 of this title, as amended from time to time, shall apply, as minimum standards for maintenance of residential rental housing. Where the requirements of this chapter vary from any other lawfully adopted village or state laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, codes, deed restrictions or covenants, the more restrictive or that imposing the higher standards shall govern. The village does not enforce any private covenants between landowners or tenants or finally determine conflicts between neighboring property owners. (B) Scope: This chapter shall apply to all real property located within the incorporated limits of Midlothian, Illinois, which contains "residential rental housing", as defined herein. (C) Responsibility: The village of Midlothian has created this chapter pursuant to its home rule powers and has designated the building department as the enforcement body. The superintendent of the building department, or his/her designee, has the authority for enforcing the provisions of this chapter and shall serve to render interpretations of this chapter. The crime free rental housing program will be coordinated by the Midlothian police department through the chief of police or his/her designee. (D) Occupancy, License, And Registration: 1. No residential rental housing may be occupied unless it has been inspected, registered and licensed. The provisions of section 4-19-7 of this chapter shall apply for registration and biennial inspections (every 2 years, residential rental housing having an even house number shall be inspected in even calendar years and residential rental housing having an odd house number shall be inspected in odd calendar years) of any residential rental housing within the village. 2. Occupancy limits shall be determined by this code. No individual person or persons, corporation or business entity of any kind or nature whatsoever, shall engage in the business of operating any residential rental housing to the public, or operating a residential rental dwelling or dwelling unit, unless a valid and current residential rental housing license has been issued by the village clerk for the specific location. This is not intended to apply to licensed professionals acting as brokers or agents, unless licensed professionals are owners or managers of property subject to this code. 3. No person shall rent or occupy a dwelling unit unless a current valid license has been issued for that specific location. This licensing requirement shall not apply to group homes governed by the specialized living centers act, 405 Illinois Compiled Statutes 25/1 et seq., dealing with the developmentally disabled, or other similar uses governed by state or federal laws, rules or regulations. No license shall be issued or renewed unless the owner agrees to such inspections as may be required pursuant to this chapter and until all applicable inspection fees, license fees, past due water bills, repair costs owed to the village of Midlothian, liens and citation fines have been paid to the village. (Ord. 1761, 8-24-2011; amd. Ord. 1946, 12-7-2016; Ord. 2086, 11-10-2021)
Midlothian CHAPTER 19 § 4-19-2 establishes the village's residential rental housing rules as minimum standards for public health, safety, and welfare, with stricter rules—whether local, state, or private—taking precedence over more lenient ones. All residential rental properties within Midlothian's incorporated limits must be inspected, registered, and licensed before they can be occupied, with inspections occurring on a biennial cycle tied to whether the property's house number is odd or even. The Building Department serves as the primary enforcement body, while the Midlothian Police Department coordinates the crime-free rental housing program; notably, the village does not enforce private covenants or resolve disputes between neighboring property owners.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 4-19-2, compliant operators in Midlothian ensure that every residential rental unit holds a valid, current license issued by the village clerk before any tenant occupies the property. Operators generally keep track of their property's biennial inspection schedule—even-numbered addresses in even years, odd-numbered addresses in odd years—and make certain that all outstanding fees, water bills, repair costs, liens, and citation fines owed to the village are cleared before seeking a license issuance or renewal. Because the Building Department superintendent (or designee) holds interpretive authority over this chapter, operators typically direct compliance questions there rather than relying solely on other regulatory sources.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 4-19-2 of Midlothian's CHAPTER 19 provides tenants with a baseline assurance: a residential rental unit is not supposed to be occupied unless it has been inspected, registered, and licensed by the village. Tenants who have questions about whether a specific unit holds a valid license may contact the Midlothian Building Department, which is designated as the enforcement body under this provision. Those who believe a unit is being rented without proper licensure can also reach out to a local tenant-rights organization to understand what options may be available under this chapter and related village ordinances.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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