2010 Pennsylvania Code Title 66 - PUBLIC UTILITIES Chapter 15 - Service and Facilities 1531 - Retaliation by landlord prohibited. Assist lawyers by researching . In Philadelphia, the landlord-tenant law is governed by the Philadelphia Property Maintenance Code (Section PM-102.6.4). While youre legally required to provide access to heat and hot water, it may be the tenants responsibility to set it up and pay for it. | Design by LIMIT8, We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. ; Penalty if Not Returned on Time - If a New Jersey landlord wrongfully withholds rent then they may be liable to pay the full deposit amount plus and court-mandated . 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. If you receive notice that your utilities will be shut off, you need to act quickly to protect your rights. Here are three factors to consider as you decide how to handle utilities. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Pennsylvania Required Landlord Disclosures, Pennsylvania Security Deposit Limits and Deadlines, Filing a Security Deposit Lawsuit in Pennsylvania Justice Court, Pennsylvania Landlord's Guide to Security Deposit Disputes in Justice Court, Pennsylvania Termination for Nonpayment of Rent, and Other Rent Rules, Pennsylvania Tenant Rights to Withhold Rent or "Repair and Deduct", State Laws on Unconditional Quit Terminations, State Laws on Termination for Violation of Lease, Pennsylvania State Laws Prohibiting Landlord Retaliation, abandoned property left behind by tenants, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, tenant protections against landlord retaliation for tenant exercising a legal right, such as complaining about an unsafe living condition (see, fair housing rights (discrimination is also prohibited by federal and, often, local lawsee the. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. An attempt to contact you or an adult in your household personally at least 3 days before the, An attempt to contact you or an adult in your household at the time of the shut-off, During December to March, if the company has not made personal contact prior to termination, it must post a notice in an obvious place at your house saying your utilities will be shut off and they must give you at least 48 hours notice, Contact the utility company at the phone number on the notice. If the landlord fails to do so, the utility company must find another way to get this information. Legal issues related to real estate and the landlord/tenant relationship come in a variety of forms. Check out our newest YouTube video featuring Soli Cayetano, a trusted real estate investor and landlord! They are also liable if the utility company has given written notice to the tenant that such utility service is about to be cut off because of the landlords nonpayment of the utility bill. Streamline Rent Collection for Your Rental If your current rent price is on the higher end for your area, then adding utilities may limit the number of tenants that can afford to rent your property. For complete information on handling utilities in your state, we recommend researching your state and local laws or speaking with a landlord-tenant lawyer. !,ze&G;]Vv')0h-*&mCnLa931mixMUDF?g::Xc&n=1vo!fN5EUDXBc0BEI`:Wa|? b]Rt!!\S}gXg0F|{pZ.!Y*( Y'Zj,iM&hbk 75|k-;*sh,yuL`ZmxTws`XwvrE.Xu If you and your utility company cannot agree, call the Public Utility Commission (PUC) at. Easily collect rent payments and other rental fees from tenants with a rent collection app. Got a question? 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. Before making a decision, we outline everything to know about including rent with utilities, when it makes sense to have tenants pay the fees, and what to include in a lease agreement to ensure everyone is aligned. The tenant then has 10 days from the notice date to contact the landlord. after the tenant has vacated the premises. @` u08#T+z"w(p&]%0>JoNB96@} !7JH sBpY/>:Pbc. 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 . Tenants who occupy the rental unit for two or more years are entitled to interest paid on the security deposit beginning on the 25th month of occupancy. We recommend having a signed rental agreement, no matter how long the rental term, for added legal security. Landlords are required to distribute Truth in Renting to . Are interest payments required on deposits? Please note that a mailed notice is void. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The tenant may be responsible for electric and gas while the landlord is responsible for water and sewer. comply with all obligations imposed upon tenants by applicable law. Generally, both the owner and lessee (landlord and tenant, respectively) are required to include their names on the rental agreement. This means that there cannot be a foreign load on the tenants utility billthe tenants wiring cannot include the common areas or another apartment. We surveyed our landlords in Pennsylvania to find out what deposit amount they collected: When must a landlord return the deposit by in Pennsylvania? State laws specify when and how a landlord may terminate a tenancy. For details, see Pennsylvania Termination for Nonpayment of Rent, and Other Rent Rules. Is|-W0o&|?r#="4[;k Fair housing (housing discrimination) information is included throughout the entire handbook. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. There is no required grace period. Landlord-Tenant Information forms and publications available from this website are intended to assist both residential landlords and tenants to understand their rights and responsibilities. Our state-specific rental agreements include all the necessary notices and disclosures based on your propertys address. Congress has enacted laws, and federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), have adopted regulations, covering discrimination and landlord responsibilities to disclose environmental health hazards, such as lead-based paint. Ivanov Aleksey y / Getty Images/iStockphoto. The utility company must give your landlord at least 37 days notice that it will be turning off service. Legal issues related to real estate and the landlord/tenant relationship come in a variety of forms. First, the landlord must send a notice to the tenant stating that personal property has been left behind with contact information for the landlord. If the lease term has ended, or the landlord claims the tenant has breached the lease, the landlord has two options: If the lease is for less than one year, the landlord must give the tenant 30 days notice. 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 issues. Create a Philadelphia-specific residential lease here. Do landlords have to pay interest on security deposits in Pennsylvania? Landlords are legally required to provide access to these necessities, but oftentimes the lease will require the tenant to pay for their cost. Between December 1 and March 31, your service must be restored within 24 hours if you pay the amount owed in full or make a payment agreement (if eligible) and meet any other conditions required by the utility company. Tara is a senior trial attorney with GEICO. 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. Similarly, there are no legal requirements for how rent is to be paid. The bonding company must be authorized to do business in the state of Pennsylvania. Earn up to $500 in account credit by referring 10 fellow DIY landlords to create an account on Avail. The landlord should also list the: Tenants living in the rental unit must be at least 18 years old. Tara has attended NITA (2018). Are there any provisions regarding rent control in Pennsylvania? It does not store any personal data. In Pennsylvania, the landlord may evict the tenant for the following reasons: The landlord-tenant act of 1951highlights the timeline for eviction proceedings. Mg*?S~# wD6Zdr ^mtRW8-@[q(`79rbL@4anU$g>GN{J 1 > h+F#OGAM&LiS}t]|(?n. If landlord doesnt pay gas, electric or water bills the tenant should not be required to pay the back bill to keep services on. You can also sign your own ready-to-sign lease agreements with Avail at no additional cost to either party. 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. Reasonable time is usually interpreted as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, holidays excluded. For example, a landlord may give a Pennsylvania tenant who has failed to pay rent an unconditional quit notice that gives the tenant 10 days to move out before the landlord can file for eviction. Weatherizing, locks, running water, working plumbing, heating and cooling, pest control, and other basics must be in place. Tenants are protected through the Public Utility Code for the resale, but other protections may be under the landlord/tenant law. 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. Are receipts required for rent or deposit payments? The Landlord/Tenant Act requires your landlord to give you a written eviction notice. Learn more about our strategy for building an effective rental listing that highlights whats included in your rent price and maximizes tenant interest. Increase your rent price and bundle utilities and rent. If necessary, call the Public Utility Commission at 1-800-692-7380. A Landlord is obligated to supply possession of the premises as agreed in the lease. What if my Landlord is Responsible for Paying the Utility Bills? And check out our tips to make your rental lease even better. ft. home is a 1 bed, 1.0 bath property. In Pennsylvania, landlords are allowed to commingle the tenants security deposit with any of the landlords personal assets. Click here for a standard sublease template in Pennsylvania. Prior to getting this license, applicants should obtain a commercial activity license, business tax account number, federal tax identification number, or social security number, for individuals and zoning approval for two or more units. If the tenant wins, the tenant is legally entitled to stay on the premises. Learn. However, we strongly recommend the landlord provide a receipt, for recordkeeping purposes, stating the payment date, the amount, the period for which the rent was paid, and the apartment number. See Q and A Eviction: My Landlord Has Threatened to Lock Me Out. You can also list out specific utilities the rent price covers to give them a better idea on what tenants are responsible for covering in addition to rent. What are the rental agreement notice requirements in Pennsylvania? Specifically, the landlord may only charge a tenant the equivalent of two months rent for the security deposit for the first year of renting and the equivalent of one months rent during all subsequent years of renting. The utility company has to notify you of the proposed termination within seven (7) days of the termination notice to the landlord. There are no specific Pennsylvania landlord tenant laws on when the property is considered abandoned by the tenant. Manage Your Rentals With Landlord Software. But if they experience issues with their utilities, such as no hot water, then you will need to assist with the issue to get it resolved in a timely manner. She is also a member of the Union County NJ Civil . Compare top rated Blair County rental lawyer profiles with awards, ratings & customer reviews. 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. State law regulates several rent-related issues, including how much time (10 days in Pennsylvania) a tenant has to pay overdue rent or move before a landlord can file for eviction. (As amended through July, 2012) A. The Pennsylvania Landlord-Tenant Act does not allow for a separate. Also, the Cornell Legal Information Institute provides the entire U.S. Code as well as the Code of Federal Regulations. 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. Stat. Landlord has certain duties to the tenant throughout the lease term while tenant is occupying the premises. Under this law, landlords must first give you written notice and then get a court order to evict you. If so, for what purposes? Invoice your tenants for the utility bill each month so it perfectly matches how much they use. Please see below for more on retaliation. Legal issues related to real estate and the landlord/tenant relationship come in a variety of forms. In the state of Pennsylvania, a rental agreement is valid wherever a tenant agrees to exchange rent for occupying a property. Let us know what you think of our site or make requests for new content. %PDF-1.4 Below is a breakdown on how most landlords handle utilities for their rentals and who is responsible for which utility bill: Its common for landlords to include water and trash because these can be difficult to transfer from individual to individual. Ask us using the form at the bottom of this article. Which situations allow a landlord to withhold a security deposit in Pennsylvania? A lease or rental agreement should include a "utilities" or a "utilities and repairs" clause that . According to Pennsylvania law, landlords are required to comply with certain requirements in the storage of security deposits. 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. Landlords are prohibited from harassing or retaliating against tenants who exercise their rights. Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. Previous landlord/tenant judgments and/or current landlord/ tenant references will be checked. Do landlords in Pennsylvania have to provide notice of entry? Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The landlord must supply the utility company with the names and addresses of the tenants so the utility can provide the tenant with notice. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Landlords can vary on whether or not utilities are included in rent, but its common for some rentals to include utilities in the rent price. Thats a statutory right, Ballenger says. If you find that other landlords are not, then including them for your rental may help your rental listing stand out in a competitive market. Any sublet that does not comply with the lease clause will constitute a breach of lease and could potentially result in eviction. For details, see Pennsylvania Required Landlord Disclosures. See Q and A Eviction: My Landlord Has Threatened to Lock Me Out. This guide will cover Pennsylvania, as well as Pittsburgh and Philadelphia landlord-tenant law. Pennsylvania has an estimated 12.8 million residents. See State Laws on Unconditional Quit Terminations and State Laws on Termination for Violation of Lease for details on these types of termination notices in Pennsylvania. That can be accomplished with a copy of your lease, but if you dont have a written lease, items like rent receipts or official communications with your landlord should suffice. A landlord may be entitled to 1 percent of the security deposits as an administration fee. This nontechnical book gives easy-to-use, step-by-step instructions on how to find legal information. Similarly, a tenant has the right to fast repairs and maintenance on the property. Fair Housing Rights for People with Disabilities, Report Housing Discrimination in Pennsylvania. However, there are also rentals that do require tenants to cover the cost of common utilities. Reasons: the landlord-tenant act does not allow for a standard sublease template in Pennsylvania in credit. The Cornell legal information sign your own ready-to-sign lease agreements with Avail at no additional cost to party! Result in eviction through July, 2012 ) a available from this website uses cookies to improve experience. A separate these necessities, but other protections may be under the landlord/tenant act requires landlord. 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