All state lease agreements will contain standard information mandated by Federal law, including:
- contact information of the landlord and tenant,
- address and description of the property,
- pet provisions, lead-based paint disclosures,
- amount of the security deposit and rent due,
- means and date by which the tenant will pay both
Not all states will have identical rental and leasing requirements and may differ on some important issues.
As long as states meet the Federal minimum requirements for leasing and renting, they are free to draft state-specific laws on landlord and tenant law.
For example, some states may impose more complex rent control laws, while others require move-in and move-out checklists or certain non-refundable fees. To best protect yourself and your financial and legal rights, it is recommended you familiarize yourself with Pennsylvania’s important distinctions.
Other Pennsylvania Real Estate documents you might be interested in are:
- Sublease Agreement – Used by a tenant to rent out all or part of their rented property to a new tenant.
- Eviction Notice – Used by a landlord to start the eviction process with a current tenant.
1. Pennsylvania Residential Lease Agreement Sample
The sample lease agreement below describes a contract between “Landlord” Andrew Erwin and “Tenant” Kelly Handover. She agrees to rent a room in Philadelphia for $700.00 per month beginning on June 23, 2017 and continuing on a month-by-month basis. The tenant agrees to pay for all utilities and services for the Premises.
This is a good example of a simple lease agreement’s provisions and how one should look in its final form.
2. Pennsylvania Rental Lease Agreement Template (PDF & Word)
The Pennsylvania Residential Lease Agreement Template below defines all necessary lease agreement terms.
3. Pennsylvania Landlord and Tenant Laws
Pennsylvania imposes specific and distinct requirements for landlords and tenants when executing a Lease/Rental Agreement. For example, Pennsylvania statutes provide for the following:
Security Deposit:
- The landlord requires a maximum of two (2) months’ security deposit. (68 P.S. § 511.2(a))
- A landlord must return the tenant’s security deposit within thirty (30) days from the end of the lease. (68 P.S. § 512(c))
Landlord Right of Entry:
- A landlord need not provide notice before entering the premises for emergency and non-emergency uses. (No statute)