Terms of Use

Last updated: August 15, 2025

Terms of Use

Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using the Lake County Tax Relief website or tools (the “Service”). By accessing or using the Service you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Service.

Interpretation and Definitions

Interpretation

The words of which the initial letter is capitalized have meanings defined under the following conditions. The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in singular or in plural.

Definitions

For the purposes of these Terms:

  • “We” / “Us” / “Our” means Lake County Tax Relief, the informational website located at https://lakecountytaxrelief.com.
  • “Service” means the publicly accessible website tools that surface property assessment indicators, estimated potential assessment reduction ranges, potential tax savings estimates, appeal window awareness, and related explanatory content for Lake County, Illinois parcels.
  • “You” means the individual user of the Service. If you use the Service on behalf of an organization, you represent you have authority to bind that organization and “You” includes that entity.
  • “Content” means any text, data outputs, calculations, estimates, graphics, UI elements, or other material provided through the Service.
  • “Outputs” means indicator flags, ratios, modeled reduction ranges, savings estimates, timing notices, or other analytical results generated or displayed by the Service.
  • “Public Data Sources” means official Lake County, Illinois assessor / recorder / treasurer datasets and other publicly available governmental records the Service relies on.

Acknowledgment

These Terms set out the rights and obligations of all users regarding the use of the Service. They form a binding agreement between you and Lake County Tax Relief.

Your access to and use of the Service is conditioned on Your acceptance of these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If You do not agree, do not use the Service.

You must be at least 18 or the age of majority in your jurisdiction to use the Service. The Service provides self‑service informational analysis only. We do not file appeals on your behalf and we do not provide legal, tax, accounting, or valuation advice. Always review official notices and consult qualified professionals before making appeal decisions.

Use of any contact form or email alert sign‑up constitutes consent to receive the limited communications described (e.g., assessment release / deadline alerts). You may unsubscribe at any time.

We may update or modify any part of the Service, including discontinuing free access, at any time without liability. For 2025 the core homeowner assessment scan is free; future seasons or advanced / multi‑property features may introduce paid tiers. Any material changes to pricing or required registration will be posted with reasonable advance notice where feasible.

Free Access; Future Changes

The Service is currently offered without charge for the 2025 Lake County, IL appeal season to gather feedback and improve accuracy. We reserve the right to introduce pricing, accounts, rate limits, or additional terms for new or existing features at any time. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

Informational Nature Only (No Professional Advice)

Outputs are modeled indicators derived from Public Data Sources and heuristics. They are: (a) estimates; (b) not guarantees of assessment reductions or tax savings; (c) not a substitute for independent sales comparable analysis, appraisal, or professional tax counsel; (d) subject to revision as methodologies evolve. Filing outcomes depend on evidence, assessor methodology, and appeal board determinations outside our control.

You are solely responsible for: (i) verifying parcel identifiers (PINs); (ii) validating any figures before filing; (iii) meeting all official deadlines; (iv) determining suitability of an appeal.

Non‑Affiliation

Lake County Tax Relief is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Lake County, the Chief County Assessment Office, Board of Review, Illinois Department of Revenue, or any governmental agency. All trademarks and governmental seals remain the property of their respective holders.

Data Sources & Refresh

Public Data Sources may update, correct, or retract records. Latency, normalization, or matching processes can introduce gaps or mismatches. We do not guarantee real‑time accuracy. Historical statistics (e.g., signal alignment percentages) are illustrative and may evolve as methods change. We do not commit to ongoing availability of prior outputs or archived lookups.

Acceptable Use

You agree not to:

  • Abuse automated access (no scraping, bulk harvesting beyond normal interactive use).
  • Circumvent rate limits or security controls.
  • Reverse engineer or derive source datasets beyond what is publicly available.
  • Use Outputs to create a competing public dataset or commercial derivative without prior written permission.

Intellectual Property

All proprietary Content and UI elements are owned by us or our licensors. You receive a limited, revocable, non‑exclusive license to view and use the Service for personal, non‑commercial property assessment self‑help. Any trademarks of third parties remain their property.

The Service may reference external governmental portals (e.g., SmartFile) or other resources. We do not control and are not responsible for third‑party sites, tools, or their data handling practices.

Termination & Suspension

We may suspend or terminate access (including blocking specific PIN queries or IPs) for suspected abuse, security risk, legal requirement, or violation of these Terms. Upon termination your right to use the Service ceases; provisions intended to survive (e.g., disclaimers, limitations) remain in effect.

Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW: (A) THE SERVICE AND OUTPUTS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND (STATUTORY, EXPRESS, OR IMPLIED); (B) WE DISCLAIM ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES INCLUDING MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON‑INFRINGEMENT; (C) IN NO EVENT SHALL WE BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, OR LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE; (D) OUR AGGREGATE LIABILITY FOR ANY CLAIM SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED U.S. DOLLARS (US $100) OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM (IF ANY), WHICHEVER IS GREATER. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain exclusions; those provisions apply only to the extent permitted.

No Warranty

We do not warrant: (i) continuous, timely, or secure operation; (ii) accuracy or completeness of Outputs; (iii) error correction; or (iv) that the Service or servers are free of harmful components. Data anomalies, stale records, or modeling misclassifications can occur.

Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Illinois, United States, without regard to conflicts of law principles. Venue for any permitted court action lies exclusively in state or federal courts located within Illinois, and You consent to jurisdiction.

Dispute Resolution

Before initiating formal action, You agree to attempt to resolve concerns by contacting us and providing a reasonable description of the issue. We may request supporting details (e.g., PIN, timestamp) to investigate.

International & Jurisdictional Considerations

The Service is intended for property data specific to Lake County, Illinois. Access from other jurisdictions does not subject us to foreign regulatory regimes. Where consumer protections are mandatory, they are preserved to the minimum extent required.

Compliance

You represent and warrant You are not on any U.S. restricted list and will not use the Service in violation of applicable law.

Severability and Waiver

Severability

If any provision is held unenforceable, it will be modified to the minimum extent necessary; the remainder remains in force.

Waiver

No waiver of any breach or default is a waiver of any later breach or default.

Construction & Entire Agreement

Headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation. These Terms constitute the entire agreement regarding use of the Service and supersede prior or contemporaneous statements or representations about their subject matter.

Changes

We may revise these Terms by posting an updated version with a new “Last updated” date. Material changes (in our discretion) may be highlighted via on‑site notice or email (if you have provided one). Continued use after effectiveness constitutes acceptance.

Contact

Questions or concerns about these Terms or data accuracy: please use the contact form or alert sign‑up form on the site and indicate “Terms” in your message subject.