Pennsylvania Rental Lease Agreement Templates (7)

Advance Payment Addenda to Rental Application: Presents specific information whenever a broker holds a deposit during the application process.

Change in Lease Terms Addendum: Whenever landlords and tenants agree to changeable items, they execute this document with all changes.

Pet Addendum: Pet owners complete this form in order to agree to relevant provisions and describe the animal.

Rental Application for Landlord Agents: Landlord agents renting out property distribute this as it contains vital information (e.g., the Consumer Notice for Tenants).

1.) Capacity for Landlord to Distrain for Rent (The Tenant Act of 1951 § 20.302): Property owners explicitly have the right to seize tenant property over late rental payment with 5-days’ notice.

2.) Consumer Notice for Tenants (§ 35.336): Licensees with an interest in the property (e.g., employees of the owner) disclose their status on the first meeting with applicants.

3.) Lead-Based Paint (42 U.S. Code § 4852d): Educational information on lead-paints are distributed to the tenants on properties constructed before 1979.

Grace Period: Pennsylvania classifies a rent period’s due date either when it is due or upon what is explicitly present in the lease (Landlord Tenant Act 1951).

Unpaid Rent: Whenever tenants do not pay rent, the landlord issues a 10-day pay-or-quit notice (68 P.S. § 250.501(a)).

Pennsylvania allows legally compliant leases to name and apply late fees, leaving it to pre-execution landlord-tenant negotiations, accordingly (68 P.S. § 250.501).

Landlords retain the right to apply up to a $50 dollar non-sufficient funds fee per bounced check or, whenever bank fees are higher, a higher amount that does not exceed them (18 Pa.C.S. § 4105(e)).

Pennsylvania explicitly limits the amount of a security deposit to:

• 2 months’ rent for the first year
• 1 month’s rent on the second year (lease renewal) (68 PS § 250.511a).

Returning to Tenant: Landlords hold an obligation to return a security deposit within 30 days from the day the tenant vacates, accordingly. (68 P.S. § 250.512)

Itemized list: Landlords submit a full account of deductions when returning security in order to comply with Pennsylvania law (68 P.S. § 250.512).

Standard Entry: Pennsylvania does not explicitly require consent for entry; however, many give notice in respect of the lease and possession.

Emergency Entry: Pennsylvania does not specifically prohibit landlords from accessing the property in an emergency.

Since landlords must assume possession during the lease, they must seek an eviction if they believe a case of abandonment (68 P.S. § 250.501).

Generally, tenants have no right to deduct from the rent to make repairs; they must pursue such matters in court, using an escrow account for rent (68 P.S. § 250.206).

Duty to Mitigate: Landlords must engage in a “reasonable” effort to re-rent a property, especially after experiencing early tenant termination (Bafile v. Borough of Muncy, 588 A.2d 462 (Pa. 1991)).

Active Military: Service members as well as their dependents may terminate a lease with 30 days’ notice to comply with assignments (50 USC 3955).

Domestic Violence: Pennsylvania does not permit domestic violence victims to terminate independently, thus they must go through proper channels (Landlord Tenant Act 1951).

Landlord Noncompliance: Tenants may not terminate a lease early regardless of a landlord’s noncompliance, but may take them to court (Landlord Tenant Act 1951).

Landlord Harassment: The State of Pennsylvania does not specifically allow tenants to terminate a lease or abandon a property (68 P.S. §§ 250.101).

Inhabitability: Tenants, proving constructive eviction, vacate the premises otherwise, they may also undertake rent escrow procedures and other court actions (68 P.S. § 250.206).

Oral leases are enforceable for up to three years; however, they must be in writing afterwards to protect from fraud (68 P.S. § 250.202).