Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Illinois

Really depends upon what your lease says about you making such improvements. This is less of a question of what the "law" says, as such, and more of a question re what your lease says about both the landlords ability to alter the premises (which is presumed to be plenary provided the premises are not substantially reduced in the amenities from when you signed the lease) as well as your own.

This can be interesting - you can pay to put in a ceiling fan, they can charge you for 'damage' to the property, and then raise the rent to the next renters because the apt is more desirable. About all you could argue about is the amount of the damage you did - it would be my guess that they left the electrical outlet and just covered it over.

It's done every day. The lease governs, of course.

You -might- get away with it if you put a fan into an existing outlet and removed it when you leave, restoring the ceiling to the condition it was in after they removed the previous fan.

Candidly, I am getting a whiff of rodent - ceiling fans are usually good selling points and landlords like them because they reduce heating expense. Also, it cost them money to take the fan out.

I would take pictures of the apartment as it is now ASAP. That, and start looking. My guess is that they want the old renters out and new in.