A Pennsylvania lease agreement highlights the arrangement between a landlord and a tenant so the landlord can rent their property to a tenant for a specific period. When a landlord drafts a lease agreement, they include information like both parties’ contact details, the property address, pet provisions, and payment guidelines.
Laws
Required Lease Disclosures
In accordance with federal law, Pennsylvania landlords must notify a tenant if the property they’ll be living in was built before 1978. This disclosure is necessary because it warns tenants of potential exposure to lead-based paint on the property’s interior, which can cause adverse health effects (42 U.S. Code § 4852d).
Security Deposit
A landlord cannot ask for more than two months’ rent as a security deposit. The landlord must supply the tenant with any interest the security deposit earns once the tenant enters their third year or tenancy (1951 Act 20 § 511.1).
A landlord must return the tenant’s security deposit within thirty (30) days from the end of the lease (1951 Act 20 § 512).
Landlord Right of Entry
A landlord need not provide notice before entering the premises for emergency and non-emergency uses (No statute). However, it’s recommended that landlords produce a written statement and give reasonable notice before they enter.
Small Claims Court
A tenant can sue a landlord for up to $12,000 in small claims court if they need to pursue an unreturned security deposit (42 PA Cons Stat § 1123).
Sample
Below, you can view our Pennsylvania residential lease agreement template. Download it as a PDF or Word file to start outlining your terms and conditions for a tenant:
