Landlord and Tenant Responsibilities

​Tenant Responsibilities

• Pay your rent on time. Make sure to get a receipt, particularity if you pay in cash. Keep track of your rent receipts, i.e., cancelled checks.etc.​
• ​Report problems to your Landlord in writing. Allow a reasonable amount of time for repairs to be made. You must give your Landlord access to the property to make repairs if he/she has  given you 24 hours notice. In emergencies, your Landlord does not need to give 24 hours notice. If you change the locks, give your Landlord a key.
• Report problems with your rental property to L&I by dialing '311'. Ask for a Service Request Number.

• If you escrow or withhold your rent, you must do the following: Notify your Landlord in writing. Open a separate account; keep your rent current. Give your Landlord a copy of the rent account statement every month.
• If you move out and want your Landlord to return your security deposit, you must send a letter to your Landlord that includes your forwarding address and a request for the return of your security deposit. The Landlord must return your security deposit within 30 days after you move. If the Landlord does not return your security deposit, you can file a complaint in Municipal Court, which is located at 34 South 11th Street, Room 500

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Landlord Responsibilities

• ​Landlords must have a valid rental license from L&I before offering property for rent in the City of Philadelphia
• If Landlords do not reside in Phila, they must have a Phila Agent. Give the name, address and phone number of the Agent to the Tenant.
• No matter what the lease states, Landlords are generally responsible for repairs to the property. There is an implied warranty of habitability in every lease, which extends to the Tenant. Landlords may not pass on the cost of maintenance repairs to the Tenant. Landlords must give Tenants 24 hours notice before entering the property except in emergencies.
• If the Tenant stays in the property for more than 12 months, Landlords must return to the Tenant any security deposit in excess of one month. Security deposits must be returned to the Tenant within 30 days after he/she vacates the premises.
• Do not evict or lock your Tenant out of the property without following the legal process. This includes giving the Tenant a written notice to vacate and filling an Eviction complaint in Municipal/Landlord & Tenant Court.

Eviction Court 
Hearing room 3 or 5​
Where do I go? Municipal Court is at 1339 Chestnut St on the 6th Floor (for Philadelphia Residents)​