General information, not legal advice. This template is a starting point. Laws differ by state and city, so have a licensed attorney review your final document before you use it.
Last reviewed
The short version
- A free Pennsylvania edition of our month-to-month rental agreement template, as a PDF to print and a Word file to edit.
- A landlord ends a month to month tenancy with a 15 day written notice to quit.
- No statute sets a notice period for rent increases; a fixed term lease controls, and a month to month increase generally needs the same 15 day notice used to end the tenancy.
- During the first year of a lease the deposit may not exceed two months of rent, and from the second year or a renewal on, one month. After five years, a rent increase cannot be used to raise the deposit.
- Have a Pennsylvania attorney review your final version before you use it.
A rental agreement with no fixed end date. It renews each month until the landlord or tenant gives proper written notice. This edition fills in the Pennsylvania rules we could confirm and marks the rest as blanks to check.
Pennsylvania rules for this form
Month-to-month notice. A landlord ends a month to month tenancy with a 15 day written notice to quit. (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 501)
Notice before a rent increase. No statute sets a notice period for rent increases; a fixed term lease controls, and a month to month increase generally needs the same 15 day notice used to end the tenancy. (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (no rent increase rule))
Deposit limit. During the first year of a lease the deposit may not exceed two months of rent, and from the second year or a renewal on, one month. After five years, a rent increase cannot be used to raise the deposit. (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 511.1)
Deadline to return the deposit. Within 30 days after the lease ends or the tenant surrenders the unit, the landlord must return the deposit or send a written list of damages with the balance. (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 512)
Notice before entry. No statute sets a notice period for landlord entry, so the lease generally governs, and reasonable advance notice is expected. (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (no entry notice rule))
Required disclosures. Homes built before 1978 need the federal lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet. (Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (42 U.S.C. 4852d))
Required disclosures. When a deposit over 100 dollars is placed in escrow, the landlord must tell the tenant in writing which institution holds it and how much was deposited. (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 511.2)
Cities and counties in Pennsylvania can add their own rules on top of these. Check local ordinances before you sign.
What is in the template
- Parties
- Property
- Monthly term
- Ending the tenancy
- Rent
- Changes to rent or terms
- Security deposit
- Utilities
- Use, guests and pets
- Care, repairs and alterations
- Entry
- Subletting
- Default
- Moving out
- Disclosures
- General terms
- Signatures
Before you use it
- A month-to-month agreement renews automatically each rental period until someone gives written notice.
- Notice periods to end the tenancy or change the rent are set by state law, and some cities require longer notice or a valid reason.
- The flexibility cuts both ways: the tenant can leave on short notice, so turnover can come sooner.
- Everything else, from deposit limits to entry notice, follows the same rules as a fixed-term lease.
For the full explanation of this form, read our guide to the month-to-month rental agreement.
Get the Pennsylvania month-to-month rental agreement
Free, no sign up. Fill it in by hand or edit the Word file.
General template, not legal advice. Have a Pennsylvania attorney review before use.
Verify current law
We last checked these Pennsylvania rules on . Laws change and cities can add their own, so confirm the current text before you rely on it, and talk to a Pennsylvania attorney about your situation.
Laws named on this page
- Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 501
- Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (no rent increase rule)
- Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 511.1
- Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 512
- Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (no entry notice rule)
- Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (42 U.S.C. 4852d)
- Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 511.2
Official sources
Goes with this form
Filling it in, and what to watch for.
What does Pennsylvania law say about month-to-month notice?
A landlord ends a month to month tenancy with a 15 day written notice to quit. Source: Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 501.
What does Pennsylvania law say about notice before a rent increase?
No statute sets a notice period for rent increases; a fixed term lease controls, and a month to month increase generally needs the same 15 day notice used to end the tenancy. Source: Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (no rent increase rule).
What does Pennsylvania law say about deposit limit?
During the first year of a lease the deposit may not exceed two months of rent, and from the second year or a renewal on, one month. After five years, a rent increase cannot be used to raise the deposit. Source: Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 511.1.
What does Pennsylvania law say about deadline to return the deposit?
Within 30 days after the lease ends or the tenant surrenders the unit, the landlord must return the deposit or send a written list of damages with the balance. Source: Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 512.
What does Pennsylvania law say about notice before entry?
No statute sets a notice period for landlord entry, so the lease generally governs, and reasonable advance notice is expected. Source: Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 (no entry notice rule).