Repairs and Habitability in Philadelphia

1. Your landlord must keep your home safe and fit to live in. Lawyers call this promise the warranty of habitability. The promise is part of every lease, even if the lease never mentions it.

   PhillyTenant.org Does my landlord have to make repairs? PhillyTenant.org I need repairs

2. When you sign a new lease in Philadelphia, your landlord must give you a Certificate of Rental Suitability. This city paper confirms the home passed basic safety checks when you moved in. The certificate confirms your landlord holds the required licenses, including a Rental License. Your landlord must also give you the Partners in Good Housing Handbook. This handbook describes the responsibilities of owners, tenants, and landlords for keeping properties in a safe, clean condition.

   City of Philadelphia Landlord responsibilities

3. Report every repair problem to your landlord in writing. Add photos or a video when you can. Keep a copy of everything you send. If issues, call 311, or (215) 686-8686, from 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. to ask for a free inspection from the city's Licenses and Inspections division. An inspection report puts pressure on your landlord and backs up your case later.

   PhillyTenant.org 1. Document and Report

4. For very serious problems, you may stop paying rent until repairs happen. Talk to a lawyer before you do this. Do not spend the held back rent. Put the full rent in a separate bank account each month and leave it there. This shows the court you held the money over repairs, not because you could not pay.

   PhillyTenant.org Can I Withhold Rent?

5. First send a written repair request and give the landlord a reasonable time to fix the problem. Then send a second letter saying you will hold back the rent. Keep copies of both letters. If the case reaches court, a judge decides how much rent you owe for the time the home was unsafe. Courts often decide some rent is still due.

   PhillyTenant.org How much of the rent can I withhold?

6. Your landlord cannot raise your rent or end your lease because the city cited the property for violations. Punishing you for asking for repairs breaks city law too.

   City of Philadelphia Phila. Code § 9-804

7. If your landlord punishes you for asking for repairs, file a complaint with the Fair Housing Commission. It takes walk-ins Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 601 Walnut St.

   City of Philadelphia Fair Housing Commission homepage PhillyTenant.org 4. File a Complaint

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