This article is designed to convey information, and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. This nontechnical book gives easy-to-use, step-by-step instructions on how to find legal information. Contact the utility company and demand that the service be restored immediately. The tenant may be responsible for electric and gas while the landlord is responsible for water and sewer. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Landlord rental licenses are not required by Pennsylvania law. There is no required grace period. What it does is deprive the tenant of 30 days of service that they are required to get, he says. The accrued interest will belong to the tenant and must be paid to them yearly. Create a Philadelphia-specific residential lease here. And check out our tips to make your rental lease even better. %PDF-1.4 Our state-specific rental agreements include all the necessary notices and disclosures based on your propertys address. NgRf*oMe~@EpW*d@`hp ddj7j~V'.YO!9! Utilities included implies the rent price includes the cost of water, electricity, internet, Homeowners Association fees, trash collection, or other utility fees. Furthermore, the Pennsylvania landlord-tenant laws don't currently include state rent . Included within this brochure is a set minimum health, safety, and maintenance standards for houses and apartments in Philadelphia, as well as the responsibilities of owners, tenants, and landlords for maintaining houses and apartments in a safe and clean condition. There is a Pennsylvania law which protects tenants whose landlords fail to pay their bills. A landlord may be entitled to 1 percent of the security deposits as an administration fee. That can cause issues for some tenants especially if you are low-income. | Design by LIMIT8, We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. In Pennsylvania, these often include: Landlord/tenant disputes, such as those related to rental rates, late or unpaid rent, security deposits, disagreements about the habitability of rental property, and other tenant rights and landlord rights . The notice should arrive 30 days before the proposed shutoff date, and it must contain a few specific pieces of information: How much the bill is for the most recent 30-day period. Here's what you need to know. We recommend having a signed rental agreement, no matter how long the rental term, for added legal security. The state statutes provide definitions of terms related to landlord tenant laws (also known as PA rental laws), the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants as well as violations and remedies under Pennsylvania Landlord Tenant Law. `nv?&H2 1{{OK&G{+yr/ K`MUX7.w%7u,nRmTp9.AKHG9dLE f^s+w_`Bh(pb! However, the law does change, sometimes quickly and unexpectedly. If the tenant does not contact the landlord within ten days, the landlord may dispose of the items and absolves him or herself of all future responsibility. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The principal publication is Truth in Renting, which is available in both English and Spanish. . "JUSTICE OF THE PEACE" means district justices, aldermen, magistrates or any other court having . The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Previous landlord/tenant judgments and/or current landlord/ tenant references will be checked. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The landlord must notify the tenant of the deductions within 30 days after the tenant has vacated the premises. You also may be able to have the utility service transferred to your name. However, be carefulyou may need to put down a sizable deposit and it may also affect your lease. If your landlord isnt paying a bill and the utility threatens to shut it off, you have some specific rights under state law. evidence and priority of payment as is provided by law in the case of the mortgaging of . To go further, check out Legal Research: How to Find & Understand the Law, by Stephen Elias and the Editors of Nolo (Nolo). If your landlord isn't paying a bill and the utility threatens to shut it off, you have some specific rights under state law. In Philadelphia, the Utility Service Tenants Rights Act applies to the water bill from the Philadelphia Water Department, while the Discontinuance of Service to Leased Premises Act applies to bills from Peco and Philadelphia Gas Works. Compare top rated Smithmill rental lawyer profiles with awards, ratings & customer reviews. We receive a high volume of calls each day. after the tenant has vacated the premises. This responsibility of the landlord extends not only to the individual tenant, but also to his family, servants and employees, business visitors, and social guests. Pennsylvania Accepting Applications for Homeowner Assistance Fund, Custody Proceedings - Representing Yourself, Divorce Proceedings - Representing Yourself, Get the latest news items of interest to the legal aid community and it's clients on PALegalAid.Net. Many municipalities have websites just search for the name of a particular city in Pennsylvania and then do a search when you're on the site. While the landlord is required to return the tenants security deposit, the landlord may withhold all or a portion of a tenants security deposit from the tenant for damage in excess of normal. Is there a legal requirement for late fees in Pennsylvania? 2001 - 2023, Pro Bono Net, All Rights Reserved. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. There are no specific Pennsylvania landlord tenant laws on when the property is considered abandoned by the tenant. Stat. In Pennsylvania, these often include: Landlord/tenant disputes, such as those related to rental rates, late or unpaid rent, security deposits, disagreements about the habitability of rental property, and other tenant rights and landlord rights . Is a rental license required to be a landlord? The tenant has the right to invite to his apartment or dwelling unit such employees, business visitors, tradesmen, delivery men, suppliers of goods and services, and the like as he wishes so long as he complies with applicable law. (As amended through July, 2012) A. His work has also appeared inPhiladelphia magazine andTechnical.lyPhilly. For security deposits over $100, landlords must deposit the funds in a federally or state-regulated institution. This can simplify things for both landlords and tenants. In Pennsylvania, the eviction process is outlined by the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951. This can be done by including three clauses: In this clause, you can list which utilities are the tenants responsibility, state that these utilities should be in the tenants names, or state that these utilities need to be active for the duration of the lease. check your local jurisdiction for rental license laws in case it is required locally. In some states, the information on this website may be considered a lawyer referral service. In Pennsylvania, the landlord may impose certain penalties if the tenant violates the terms of the rental agreement by subleasing the premises. The landlord must give the tenant written notice of the reason for the eviction and the date that the landlord wants the tenant to vacate the premises. Your lease should have a Lessee to Maintain clause, which says tenants cannot misuse or neglect water, gas, or other utilities on the premises. Robert Ballenger, J.D., MSW, codirector of Community Legal Services of Philadelphias energy unit. the date on or after which they will turn off your utility service. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Compare top rated Burnham rental lawyer profiles with awards, ratings & customer reviews. Further, the tenant shall not disturb the peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other tenants and neighbors. Learn. Similarly, a tenant has the right to fast repairs and maintenance on the property. In Pennsylvania, the landlord is not required to provide a receipt when the tenants rent has been received. However, in Pennsylvania law, tenants who are victims of sexual assault or domestic violence are not protected. If the landlord does not make the necessary payments to restore service, you and any other tenants may have to make the payments in order to get the service restored. Get started now by creating an online Pennsylvania rental lease agreementwith Avail. But what happens if they arent keeping up with payments? Finally, if the landlord does not return the tenants security deposit within the 30 days, the landlord may be liable to pay the tenant double the amount of the deposit they are owed. Also, your local public library or office of the city attorney, mayor, or city or county manager can provide information on local ordinances that affect landlords and tenants in Pennsylvania. Or, if you don't know the exact statute number, you can enter a keyword that is likely to be in it, such as "nonpayment of rent.". Please enter your city, county, or zip code. Any bill you pay to get the service restored can be deducted from your rental payments. Weatherizing, locks, running water, working plumbing, heating and cooling, pest control, and other basics must be in place. If the utility wont give you notice, PhillyTenant.org suggests contacting the Water Revenue Bureau at 215-685-6300 and asking for an informal hearing request form (or, if its Peco or PGW, you can file an informal complaint with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission at 800-692-7380). All applicants and occupants 18 and over will be run through the PA Megan's Law database and criminal history will be checked. It is your responsibility to contact the utility company immediately with any billing dispute or payment problem in order to avoid having your utilities shut off. Under the act, a landlord doesn't have the right to forbid overnight guests or to limit the number of visitors a tenant has in a week or month. A Landlord is obligated to supply possession of the premises as agreed in the lease. Legal issues related to real estate and the landlord/tenant relationship come in a variety of forms. Here are three factors to consider as you decide how to handle utilities. If your landlord makes any change to your rental agreement or tries to evict you within six months, its considered retaliation. Contact your local legal services for further assistance. According to Pennsylvania law, landlords are required to comply with certain requirements in the storage of security deposits. The tenant is not the utility customer and they do not qualify for utility projection such as payment arrangements, Customer Assistance Program, or residential energy efficiency and conservation programs. In that case, Ballenger says, you dont have access to consumer protections like financial assistance, or low-income programs. If your service has already been shut off, this will require the utility company to restore your service. Can My Landlord Shut Off My Utilities Because I Am Behind in Rent? All Rights Reserved. wa\`*t -+^9L^/w nXEI3un c-sw-b\D7NWt+o/Xc=gv 9 Sii!f2M~^jeH Get next-day payments with Fastpay You will still be obligated to pay all utility bills that you do not dispute, including any bills you are receiving while the complaint is ongoing. What are the rules regarding rent payments in Pennsylvania? On a month-to-month lease, the landlord is required to provide 15 days notice to tenants when there are changes to the lease. But first, Ballenger says, you should contact the water department and inform them that you are a tenant in the property, and that the bill is in your landlords name. Termination of utility services to the mobile home. Learn more about our strategy for building an effective rental listing that highlights whats included in your rent price and maximizes tenant interest. In Pennsylvania, tenants are allowed to withhold rent when a Government agency or department certifies that the premises are uninhabitable. When it comes to water service, for example, state law requires that the utility company send a notice to any property that is reasonably likely to be tenant-occupied. Under Pennsylvania law, landlords must disclose specific information to tenants (usually in the lease or rental agreement), such as the name and address of the banking institution where the security deposit is kept. $ 100, landlords must deposit the funds in a variety of.... Instructions on how to handle utilities consider as you decide how to find information. Your propertys address information on this website off My utilities Because I Am Behind rent. Designed to convey information, and not for the cookies in the ``! Sexual assault or domestic violence are not protected landlord and tenant Act of 1951 happens if they keeping. A Government agency or department certifies that the premises are uninhabitable for late fees in,... 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