Pennsylvania Landlord-Tenant Laws: Rights and Duties for Both Sides

Pennsylvania's main statute, the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, focuses on notices, deposits and court steps. Much of the rest, including the duty to keep a home livable, comes from court decisions and local codes.

Pennsylvania landlord-tenant rights at a glance

Rule	Pennsylvania	Law
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)
Tenant repair remedies	Residential leases carry an implied warranty of habitability, and in some cities tenants can pay rent into escrow when a home is certified unfit.	Pennsylvania case law and the Rent Withholding Act
Retaliation protection	A landlord may not end or refuse to renew a residential lease because the tenant or a family member takes part in a tenants' organization.	Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 205
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

Repairs and habitability

Every residential tenancy comes with a duty to keep the home safe and livable. Put repair requests in writing and keep a dated record of each step.

Tenant repair remedies. Residential leases carry an implied warranty of habitability, and in some cities tenants can pay rent into escrow when a home is certified unfit. (Pennsylvania case law and the Rent Withholding Act)

Entry and privacy

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))

Retaliation

Retaliation protection. A landlord may not end or refuse to renew a residential lease because the tenant or a family member takes part in a tenants' organization. (Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, section 205)

Rent, late fees and grace periods

We could not confirm a statewide rule here. Check your county court or a local attorney.

Applications and screening

Federal fair housing law applies everywhere: apply the same written criteria to every applicant, and never screen on a protected characteristic.

We could not confirm a statewide rule here. Check your county court or a local attorney.

Disclosures to include with the lease

Disclosures are easiest to get right at lease signing. Other disclosures may also be required by your city or by the property itself, so check before you sign.

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)

Security deposits in brief

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)

Mistakes to avoid

• Entering a unit without the notice the lease or the law requires.
• Letting a written repair request sit without a reply or a plan.
• Leaving required disclosures out of the lease packet.
• Applying screening criteria differently from one applicant to the next.
• Raising rent or ending a tenancy soon after a complaint without a documented, unrelated reason.