Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Hazleton

Find the right Tenant attorney in Hazleton, PA

Tenant Law in Pennsylvania

In Hazleton, Pennsylvania, relationships between tenants and landlords can sometimes become strained.

Landlords and tenants have various rights and responsibilities. What follows is a partial list of the rights that landlords and tenants have, and the corresponding duties of the other party.

Landlord's Rights in Hazleton, PA

Landlords are, of course, entitled to collect rent from their tenants. If a tenant fails to pay the agreed-upon rent, the landlord is normally able to evict the tenant without too much trouble, though the process can sometimes get fairly complicated.

Moreover, landlords can bill the tenant for any damage they cause to the unit, whether it was intentional or negligent. The costs of repairs for such damage can be deducted from a tenant's security deposit, but it should be noted that tenants aren't responsible for usual wear and tear, over which they have little control.

Tenant's Rights in Hazleton, PA

Most basically, tenants have a right to get what they're paying for: a dwelling fit for human habitation. To this end, landlords have to ensure that the units they rent meet Hazleton, Pennsylvania's minimum standards for habitability. These requirements are typicallyy not difficult to meet. They include basic amenities such as running water, electricity, a working phone line, heating, and protection from the elements.

Moreover, tenants are entitled to common areas which are reasonably safe and clean, and free of physical obstacles. Areas such as lobbies, hallways, stairwells, and fire escapes must comply with the building codes of Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Moreover, any other unreasonable safety hazard, even if it doesn't violate a specific provision of a building code, can create liability for the landlord if it injures a tenant.

Tenants also have rights, under federal and Pennsylvania law, to not be victims of racial, ethnic, or gender discrimination in housing, whether they are renting or buying. Moreover, landlords are not allowed to discriminate against tenants based on physical disabilities. They must also allow physically-disabled tenants to make reasonable modifications to the apartment to make it more accessible. However, the landlord can require tenants to remove those modifications and restore the property to its original condition once the tenant moves out.

And finally, most state laws prevent landlords from arbitrarily evicting tenants. If the lease agreement is for a set period of time, the landlord usually can't evict the tenant until the lease expires, without a good reason. Valid causes for eviction include unpaid rent, illegal activities on the property, damage to the building caused by the tenant, and excessive noise.

Can a Hazleton, Pennsylvania Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Tenants and landlords always want to avoid getting into any serious disputes - these disputes interfere with the tenant's living arrangement, and the landlord's business. In short, they help nobody. While a good Hazleton, Pennsylvania attorney can certainly help his or her client prevail in such a dispute, they may be more valuable for their ability to help prevent such disputes from escalating in the first place.

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Life in Hazleton

Hazleton is home to 24,000 Luzerne County residents who enjoy a close proximity to nearby major metropolitan areas and outstanding city parks and recreational areas. Hazleton is known as "The Mountain City" and "The Power City" because of it's abundance of foothills and abundant coal supply. One fact of which you may not be aware is that Hazleton was originally spelled "Hazelton" but a clerk misspelled it during incorporation and it stuck.

In 2006, Hazleton garnered national attention when Mayor Lou Barletta and other counsel members passed the Illegal Immigration Relief Act which initially fined business owners ,000 for each illegal immigrant they employed as well as the loss of all city issued licenses and permits. The law was later thrown out because it was considered unconstitutional and was disputed by a number of lawsuits as well as the Pennsylvania ACLU among others. Office Max, Simmons Bedding Company, Michaels, AutoZone, WEIR Materials, Amazon.com, and EB Brands are some of the important companies who are major employers in Hazleton. There are also a number of every experienced lawyers. Hazleton lawyers are familiar with many different areas of law and use their knowledge of local courts to advise you.  

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