-The landlord has rights and responsibilities when he is renting out his property. While most of them are concerned about their rights, it’s essential to know the right of the tenants too. When both parties agree on various issues, they can sign the rental agreement and have a healthy relationship. Landlord and Tenant Act bestows the following rights to the tenants that any landlord should know before entering into rental lease agreement Pennsylvania.
Apartment Search
Fair Housing Act under the Federal Law safeguards the rights of people when they are searching for an apartment or home on rent.
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Equal Housing. Landlords can’t discriminate against people based on color, disability, familial status, nationality, religion, race, and sex. In Pennsylvania, any landlord can’t deny housing to someone based on their age or because they are pregnant. Concerned landlords can take the help of a property management company when selecting and screening tenants to avoid any complications.
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Advertisements. Landlords need to keep the Fair Housing Act in mind while advertising their property. Ads should not violate it.
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Credit and Consumer Check. While running a credit check on a potential tenant, the landlord has to abide by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. They must get the credit report only after getting permission from the tenant and avoid any adverse actions like turning down the application, requiring a co-signer, increasing the rent, or increasing the security deposit. For doing any such thing, the landlord needs to inform the tenant with reason. The tenant has the right to see their reports and dispute any inaccurate information.
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Leasing the Property
Tenant’s right influence what you can and can’t include on a lease. They also decide how much security deposit can be collected.
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Security Deposit. A landlord in Pennsylvania can collect up to two months of rent as a security deposit during the first year. After two years of tenancy, the landlord can hold only one month’s rent as a security deposit and pay interest on the security deposit.
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Lead-Based Paint. If the apartment is painted with lead-based paint in interior or exterior, it needs to mentioned in the lease.
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Occupancy and Visits. Only two people per bedroom are allowed so that a two-bed room apartment can house four people. Further, the landlord can’t forbid overnight guests or limit the number of visitors a tenant has in a week or month.
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Lease Terms in Violation of Law. An additional clause that violates the law doesn’t make clause legitimate. For instance, if a landlord includes ‘no pet’ policy in the lease agreement, it won’t be enforceable as it violates the Fair Housing Act.
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Enjoyment and Usage of Apartment
Once the tenant has signed the rental lease agreement Pennsylvania and moved into the apartment, the laws extend to usage and enjoyment of the home.
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Quiet Enjoyment. After the lease is signed and the tenant has paid rent, he can enjoy the home peacefully. It means landlords don’t have the right or permission to enter the property whenever they want. They can’t drop by to check on a tenant or act as if the home is their home.
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Safe and Habitable Home. It’s the responsibility of the landlord to ensure that the property is safe and sanitary. The hot water, drinking water, smoke alarms should be available. The door, windows, and bathroom should be properly functioning. An adequate arrangement should be there for waste disposal and sewage. The tenant has to notify the landlord about the issues and repairs.
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Problem with Property
In Pennsylvania, the tenant has rights if the landlord doesn’t take action or make repairs.
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Withhold Rent. There are legal provisions that allow tenants to stop paying rent if there are problems with the property, which makes it inhabitable after the inspections from the municipality’s housing inspector.
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Repair and Deduct. Pennsylvania gives the right to tenants to make the required repair on their own and deduct the cost of repairs from the rent.
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End of Lease
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Notice for Renewals and Eviction. The landlord must give tenants at-least 15-days’ notice for non-renewals, and longer leases 30-days’ notice is required. Eviction notice varies between 10-30 days.
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Refunding Security Deposit. The tenant needs to receive the deposit back within 30-days of leaving the property. For any deduction, the landlord has to give an itemized list of damages and charges for damages. In case such details aren’t provided, the tenant has the right to sue for double the amount of deposit.
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Forms. Legal Helps to Create a FREE Rent Agreement
Sign up to create a comprehensive rent agreement that covers all the points for free. However, the tenant has to read Pennsylvania residential lease agreement word by word before signing it. If it takes time, the Pro Subscription should be more helpful.