For the purposes of Sections 9-207.5, 15-1224, 15-1225, 15-1506, 15-1508, 15-1508.5, 15-1701, 15-1703, and 15-1704 only, "dwelling unit" means a room or suite of rooms providing complete, independent living facilities for at least one person, including permanent provisions for sanitation, cooking, eating, sleeping, and other activities routinely associated with daily life.
15-1202.5.Dwelling unit.
Article XV. Mortgage Foreclosure · Part 12. Definitions · Last amended 2013 · Last verified July 20, 2026
In one sentenceThis section defines “dwelling unit,” for a specific list of sections dealing with tenants in foreclosure, as a room or suite providing complete independent living facilities for at least one person.
Full Text of 735 ILCS 5/15-1202.5
Plain-English Summary
Section 15-1202.5 supplies a definition that applies only where the Article says it applies: Sections 9-207.5, 15-1224, 15-1225, 15-1506, 15-1508, 15-1508.5, 15-1701, 15-1703, and 15-1704. Within that limited set, a dwelling unit means a room or suite of rooms that provides complete, independent living facilities for at least one person, including permanent provisions for sanitation, cooking, eating, sleeping, and the other activities of daily life.
Those nine sections cluster around tenant protections during foreclosure, receivership, and sale, including the bona fide lease provisions in Sections 15-1224 and 15-1225. By defining dwelling unit narrowly and only for that cluster, the Article avoids stretching the term into parts of the statute where it was never meant to apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this definition of dwelling unit apply throughout the whole Article?
No. It applies only to Sections 9-207.5, 15-1224, 15-1225, 15-1506, 15-1508, 15-1508.5, 15-1701, 15-1703, and 15-1704.
What features must a space have to count as a dwelling unit?
Complete, independent living facilities for at least one person, including permanent sanitation, cooking, eating, and sleeping provisions and other facilities routinely associated with daily life.
Why would the legislature limit a definition to specific sections instead of the whole Article?
The listed sections all deal with tenants, leases, and dwelling occupancy during foreclosure, so confining the definition to them keeps it from affecting unrelated provisions.
Does this definition matter for bona fide lease protections?
Yes. Sections 15-1224 and 15-1225, which define bona fide lease and residential real estate in foreclosure, are among the sections that use this dwelling unit definition.
Is a single furnished room without cooking facilities a dwelling unit under this section?
The definition requires permanent provisions for cooking as well as sanitation, eating, and sleeping, so a room lacking any of those elements would not meet the definition.
Amendment History
(Source: P.A. 97-575, eff. 8-26-11; 98-514, eff. 11-19-13.)
Source & verification. Section text and amendment history are
reproduced verbatim from the Illinois Compiled Statutes, published by the
Illinois Compiled Statutes, Illinois General Assembly / Legislative Reference Bureau. Last verified July 20, 2026.
· Official source
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