Pennsylvania · Repairs and Unsafe Conditions

Landlord Won't Make Repairs in Pennsylvania: What Can I Do?

This is not legal advice. We explain what the law says. We cannot tell you what to do in your situation. For that, talk to a lawyer. Find free legal and rent help in Pennsylvania.

Your landlord must keep your Pennsylvania rental fit to live in. This page explains that right and how to use it. It covers repair requests, inspections, rent withholding in cities, and fixing a problem yourself. It also covers raising bad conditions if your landlord takes you to court.

What your landlord has to fix

  1. Pennsylvania law promises every renter a home that is fit to live in. Courts call this the warranty of habitability (your landlord's automatic promise that the home is safe and fit to live in). The Pennsylvania Supreme Court made this the law of the state in a 1979 case called Pugh v. Holmes. Your landlord must fix serious problems that affect your safety or your ability to live in the home. The promise applies even if your lease says nothing about repairs, and it lasts the whole time you rent.

    Sources:
    1. Part IV.C, Maintenance, footnote 10, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. A government guide.
    2. 486 Pa. 272, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. A court decision.

  2. You keep this right no matter what your lease says. A lease term that makes you take the home as is, or makes you responsible for all repairs, does not count. The court will not enforce it.

    Source:
    1. Part IV.A, Lease Terms, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. A government guide.

  3. Serious problems include: no heat in winter, no hot or cold running water, and no working sanitation. They also include rats or mice, a leaking roof, unsafe floors or stairs, and broken locks on doors or windows.

    Source:
    1. Part IV.C, Maintenance, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. A government guide.

Ask in writing

  1. First, tell your landlord about the problem and ask for the repair in writing. A text, an email, or a letter all work. Keep a copy. The law requires this first step. You must give your landlord a reasonable chance to fix the problem before you use the stronger steps on this page.

    Sources:
    1. Part IV.C, Maintenance, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. A government guide.
    2. 486 Pa. 272, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. A court decision.

  2. Save proof while you wait. Take photos and videos with dates. Keep every message to and from your landlord. Write down each day the problem continues. If the dispute ends up in court, this record supports your case.

    Source:
    1. Part IV.C, Maintenance, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. A government guide.

Get your home inspected

  1. If your landlord does not fix the problem, ask your city or county code office to inspect your home. An inspection creates an official record of the conditions. In Philadelphia, you can report a rental property that breaks city codes to 311, online or by phone. Other cities and towns have their own code offices: check your city's guide. One caution from legal aid: for very bad conditions, an inspector can condemn the home and make everyone leave.

    Sources:
    1. Our editorial rules.
    2. City of Philadelphia. A government guide.

  2. If you can pay for it, a private home inspector can check the problems. This can cost money. Their written report and photos can help show the conditions in court. A private inspector only writes down the problems for you. To find one, search "home inspector" or "rental inspection" plus your city name.

    Source:
    1. Our editorial rules.

If it is still not fixed

  1. In Pennsylvania cities, a state law called the Rent Withholding Act lets you stop paying your landlord in certain cases. This applies when the city health or inspections department certifies (officially declares) the home unfit to live in. After that, you pay the full rent into escrow (a separate bank account, approved by the city or county, that holds the money). You pay it there instead of paying your landlord. Get legal help first. A mistake here can lead to an eviction case.

    Sources:
    1. Part IV.C, Maintenance, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. A government guide.
    2. 35 P.S. § 1700-1, Pennsylvania General Assembly. Law.
    3. 486 Pa. 272, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. A court decision.

  2. The rent held in escrow (a separate bank account approved by the city or county) has a 6-month limit. The 6 months start from the day officials declare the home unfit. If the home is declared fit again within those 6 months, the money in that account goes to the landlord. If the home is still unfit when the 6 months end, the money is paid back to you. That money can also be used another way: to fix the home or pay utility (water, electric, gas) bills the landlord did not pay.

    Source:
    1. 35 P.S. § 1700-1, Pennsylvania General Assembly. Law.

  3. Your landlord cannot evict you while your rent is in the escrow account (the separate bank account that holds your rent during the dispute). The law states this plainly, and it covers every reason for eviction during that time.

    Source:
    1. 35 P.S. § 1700-1, Pennsylvania General Assembly. Law.

  4. You can also fix a real problem yourself and subtract the cost from rent, after notice and a reasonable time to repair. In the Pugh case, the tenant paid $6.00 to replace a broken lock and took $6.00 off that month's rent. The repair must be reasonably priced, and it cannot cost more than the rent you owe. Keep the receipt: if a court later finds the repair was not needed, you may have to pay that money back.

    Sources:
    1. Part IV.C, Maintenance, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. A government guide.
    2. 486 Pa. 272, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. A court decision.

  5. If you stay and you cannot use part of the home, a court can cut the rent by the share you lost. Example: if defects took away 25% of the use of a home renting for $800, the cut is $200, and you owe $600. Courts call this rent abatement (a cut in the rent you owe).

    Source:
    1. 486 Pa. 272, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. A court decision.

  6. Bad conditions also matter in eviction court. If your landlord sues you over unpaid rent, you can raise the conditions as a defense. You can also file a counterclaim (your own claim against the landlord inside the same court case). You must file it before the day of the hearing.

    Sources:
    1. Part V.C.2, Landlord-Tenant Complaint, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. A government guide.
    2. 486 Pa. 272, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. A court decision.

  7. Pennsylvania has no statewide law that stops a landlord from punishing you for asking for repairs or reporting code violations. Some cities do protect you. Philadelphia, for example, bans a landlord from acting against a tenant for filing a complaint or for using a legal right. Check your city's guide for local protection.

    Source:
    1. Part IV.G, Retaliation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. A government guide.

Moving out

  1. If the home gets so bad that you cannot live there at all, moving out and ending the lease can be a legal choice. Courts call it constructive eviction: the conditions force you out even though the landlord never ordered you out. It is the biggest step, with strict rules and real risk. Read the Constructive Eviction guide before you decide anything.

    Source:
    1. Part IV.D, Quiet Enjoyment, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. A government guide.

Published by Nazanin, September 24, 2026. Is something on this page wrong or out of date? Tell us.