PA: Lease Termination Notice

What is the state statute governing termination of leases in PA?

More specifically, how much time is required, by law, for a landlord to give a tenant notice that their one-year lease will not be renewed?

In what fashion must that notice be given -- verbally or written?

Briefly, my landlord has stated repeatedly for months, via e-mails and Instant Messages, that she would renew my lease for another year at its conclussion. The day before she was to arrive to sign a new lease, I received a Registered Letter stating I would have to vacate the premises at lease's end, AND that I should now deal with her agent (her sister-in-law bookkeeper), for she will be unavailable. This letter, written as though it came from the landlord, was NOT signed by either party.

I do not have to honor an unsigned letter, do I? This letter arrived on 5/26/00, and the lease is due to expire 7/1/00. I have heard nothing from the landlord since I spoke to her on 5/24/00, when she made an appointment for the signing on 5/27/00.

One more thing: Do I have any recourse if she or her agent start harassing me?

Thanks for your help!!!

P.S. The existing lease states that, "...if neither party does anything, it will automatically roll over to a new one year lease."

The PA landlord tenant act is in Title 68, ch 8 of the statutes.

Here, the problem is not that L refused to renew the lease, but that she agreed to renew it, then breached that agreement. She agreed to lease you the apt for another year, orally and by email. PA allows oral leases for up to 3 years. The 'if neither party does anything' language is irrelevant -- both parties agreed that the lease would be/was renewed.

Is it traditional in your town for tenants to line up a new place to live more than 5 weeks before their lease ends? If you'd known she wasn't going to renew the lease, would you have started homequest sooner? If so, you can also argue that you justifiably relied on her oral lease/promise, and that the interests of justice prevent her from going back on her word, even if all you 2 agreed was to sign a new lease. This is known as promissory estoppel.

Your only hope is to sue landlord, through her agent, for breaching (next year's) oral lease when she said you had to move out 7/1. Read the RLTA & talk to the local tenant's union about how to do this. You need to start the case soon, so that you have a judgment by 7/1.


§ 250.201. Leases for not more than three years.
Real property, including any personal property thereon, may be leased for a term of not more than three years by a landlord or his agent to a tenant or his agent, by oral or written contract or agreement.



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This is not legal advice and you are not my client. Double check everything with your own attorney and your state's laws.