Can the landlord terminate our lease for no reason?
Full Question:
My landlord has sent me a certified letter terminating my lease in six months. He did not state a reason. My rent has been paid and on time since the one year lease began in 2005. It is now a month to month. I believe it is in retaliation for my demands to do repairs on the apartment after waiting up to two years. I photographed, videotaped the repairs needed then sent a written request upon signing the lease. The heating/cooling unit has needed repaired at least five times since residing here. I have also experienced five water leaks. These were all repaired, but continue to break down. I also had no lock on my patio door for two years and it faces the front of the entrance to the building. That was repaired a few months ago. His maintenance crew has stolen property from my patio and lied to me about there inability to fix the repairs. I am sixty four years old and am trying to maintain a home for myself and ninety year old mother. A move would be very hard for us.Does he have the right to demand me to move for no reason?
11/07/2007 |
Category: Landlord Tenant |
State: Pennsylvania |
#11811
Answer:
The following is a Pennsylvania statute:
68 P. S. § 250.501. Notice to quit
(a) A landlord desirous of repossessing real property from a tenant
except real property which is a mobile home space as defined in the act
of November 24, 1976 (P.L. 1176, No. 261),[fn1] known as the "Mobile Home
Park Rights Act," may notify, in writing, the tenant to remove from the
same at the expiration of the time specified in the notice under the
following circumstances, namely, (1) Upon the termination of a term of
the tenant, (2) or upon forfeiture of the lease for breach of its
conditions, (3) or upon the failure of the tenant, upon demand, to
satisfy any rent reserved and due.
(b) Except as provided for in subsection (c), in case of the expiration
of a term or of a forfeiture for breach of the conditions of the lease
where the lease is for any term of one year or less or for an
indeterminate time, the notice shall specify that the tenant shall remove
within fifteen days from the date of service thereof, and when the lease
is for more than one year, then within thirty days from the date of
service thereof. In case of failure of the tenant, upon demand, to
satisfy any rent reserved and due, the notice shall specify that the
tenant shall remove within ten days from the date of the service
thereof.
(c) In case of the expiration of a term or of a forfeiture for breach
of the conditions of the lease involving a tenant of a mobile home park
as defined in the "Mobile Home Park Rights Act," where the lease is for
any term of less than one year or for an indeterminate time, the notice
shall specify that the tenant shall remove within thirty days from the
date of service thereof, and when the lease is for one year or more, then
within three months from the date of service thereof. In case of failure
of the tenant, upon demand, to satisfy any rent reserved and due, the
notice, if given on or after April first and before September first,
shall specify that the tenant shall remove within fifteen days from the
date of the service thereof, and if given on or after September first and
before April first, then within thirty days from the date of the service
thereof.
(c.1) The owner of a mobile home park shall not be entitled to recovery
of the mobile home space upon the termination of a lease with a resident
regardless of the term of the lease if the resident:
(1) is complying with the rules of the mobile home park; and
(2) is paying the rent due; and
(3) desires to continue living in the mobile home park.
(c.2) The only basis for the recovery of a mobile home space by an
owner of a mobile home park shall be:
(1) When a resident is legally evicted as provided under section 3 of
the "Mobile Home Park Rights Act."
(2) When the owner and resident mutually agree in writing to the
termination of a lease.
(3) At the expiration of a lease, if the resident determines that he no
longer desires to reside in the park and so notifies the owner in
writing.
(d) In case of termination due to the provisions of section 505-A,[fn2]
the notice shall specify that the tenant shall remove within ten days
from the date of service thereof.
(e) The notice above provided for may be for a lesser time or may be
waived by the tenant if the lease so provides.
(f) The notice provided for in this section may be served personally on
the tenant, or by leaving the same at the principal building upon the
premises, or by posting the same conspicuously on the leased premises.
[fn1] 68 P. S. § 398.1 et seq.
[fn2] 68 P. S. § 250.505-A.