Fight an Eviction in Pittsburgh

1. Before your landlord can file an eviction case, Pennsylvania law requires a written notice to quit (a letter saying you must move out). Check your lease first. A lease can take away your right to this notice.

   RenterLaw editorial

2. If the eviction is for unpaid rent, the notice must give you 10 days to move out. The 10 days start on the day the notice is delivered.

   Pennsylvania General Assembly 68 P.S. § 250.501(b)

   ✓ Sources checked August 23, 2026

3. For a lease violation or the end of your lease, the notice period depends on your lease length. If your lease runs 1 year or less, you get 15 days. If it runs more than 1 year, you get 30 days.

   RenterLaw editorial

4. The notice only counts if your landlord delivers it correctly. Your landlord must hand it to you, leave it at the main building, or post it clearly on your home. Regular mail is not enough.

   RenterLaw editorial

5. Only a court can make you leave your home. Your landlord cannot change your locks or shut off your gas, electric, or water to force you out. If your landlord does this, call the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Protection at 1-800-441-2555.

   RenterLaw editorial

6. After the notice period ends, your landlord must file a complaint with a magisterial district judge (a local court judge). The complaint is the court form that starts the case. The court sets a hearing 7 to 15 days after the filing date.

   Pennsylvania Code Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 504(a)

   ✓ Sources checked August 23, 2026

7. Go to your hearing, even if you plan to move out. If you do not show up, the judge can rule against you for possession of the home, unpaid rent, damages, and court costs.

   Pennsylvania Code Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 504(d)

   ✓ Sources checked August 23, 2026

8. You can bring your own claim against your landlord at the same hearing, for example about repairs you paid for. File it on a complaint form at the same court office before the hearing starts.

   Pennsylvania Code Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 504(d)

   ✓ Sources checked August 23, 2026

9. If the judge rules for your landlord, you do not have to leave right away. Your landlord must wait 10 days after the judgment (the court's decision). Then your landlord can ask the court for an order for possession (the court paper that lets an officer remove you). You have 10 days after the court order to leave. On the 11th day if you are still there, an officer can remove you by force.

   Pennsylvania Code Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 515B(1) Pennsylvania Code Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 519B

   ✓ Sources checked August 23, 2026

10. If you are about to be removed from your home and you only owe unpaid rent, then you can stop the eviction at any time before the officer removes you. Pay the officer all the back rent plus the court costs. The officer must give you a signed receipt.

    Pennsylvania Code Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 518

    ✓ Sources checked August 23, 2026

11. You can appeal the possession judgment (the court decision that lets an officer remove you) to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. File a notice of appeal with the(the clerk of that court within 10 days of the judgment date. If you are a victim of domestic violence, you get 30 days.

    Pennsylvania Code Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 1002B(2)(a)

    ✓ Sources checked August 23, 2026

12. Filing the appeal alone does not stop the eviction. To stay in your home during the appeal, deposit money with the court clerk when you file. The deposit is 3 months of rent or the back rent you owe, whichever is smaller. After that, deposit each month's rent as it comes due, every 30 days.

    Pennsylvania Code Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 1008(b)(1)(ii)

    ✓ Sources checked August 23, 2026

13. If your income is low and you cannot afford that deposit, you can still stop the eviction during the appeal. File a tenant's affidavit (a sworn statement about your income) with the clerk. If this month's rent is unpaid, deposit 1/3 of one month's rent when you file. For example, 1/3 of $900 rent is $300. Deposit the other 2/3, $600 in this example, within 20 days. Then deposit a full month's rent every 30 days. This option has income limits tied to federal poverty guidelines.

    Pennsylvania Code Pa.R.Civ.P.M.D.J. 1008, Comment

    ✓ Sources checked August 23, 2026

14. Pittsburgh is in Allegheny County, and county law bans landlord retaliation. Protected actions include asking for repairs, filing a complaint with a government agency, joining a tenant group, and speaking to the media. If you did one of these in the year before the eviction filing, your landlord must prove the eviction is not retaliation. Your landlord can still evict you for real reasons, such as unpaid rent or serious damage.

    Allegheny County Press release, March 27, 2026 Allegheny County Council Allegheny County Code § 885.1(c)(5)

    ✓ Sources checked August 23, 2026

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