Help ending lease in PA

[bhuh]

We have a 3-year lease agreement which expires on Feb. 1, 2001 (I think...we lost our copy of the lease). The landlord has been slow to respond to many repair problems, and has made many promises to improve the property, but has kept only a few of them. Now, my husband, whose name appears on the lease as the tenant, is being transferred by his employer from suburban Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. His employer wants him there ASAP, but we are concerned that the landlord will not agree to end our agreement early so that we can move out. We would be willing to give 90 days' notice if necessary. He has been a difficult man to deal with, and has been totally uncaring about the welfare of our family when we have gone without heat and water, and have tolerated leaky windows and roof. What are our rights in Pennsylvania to end this lease if he does not agree to do it voluntarily?

 

[Tracey]

Read the PN landlord tenant act & residential landlord tenant act. You can find them in Title 68, chapter 8 of the PN Statutes. They aren't all on line, so I can't give you specific laws.

In general, landlord has a duty to provide a fit & habitable apt. L must also make any requested repairs in a 'reasonable' time. For no water/heat/electricity, L should start repairs in 24 hours & finish them in 48. Less serious stuff should be addressed in 10 days, and all other repairs within 30 days. Talk to your local tenants' rights association about L's duty to repair & what your rights are when L doesn't make repairs in time.

I think your best chance to get out of the lease is to send L written notice of the leaky roof (certified, return receipt) & your intent to terminate the lease if it's not fixed in 30 days. It is virtually inpossible to get a roofer started working in 30 days.

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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.