Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Lancaster

Find the right Tenant attorney in Lancaster, PA

Tenant Law in Pennsylvania

In Lancaster, 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 Lancaster, 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.

Landlords also have a right to be compensated for damage to the building that a tenant causes, either intentionally or negligently. Any damage caused by a tenant, besides reasonable wear and tear, can be billed, and the landlord can deduct from the tenant's security deposit to pay for repairs.

Tenant's Rights in Lancaster, 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 Lancaster, 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.

In addition to habitable living spaces, tenants also have a right to reasonably safe common areas. Common areas include lobbies, hallways, and stairwells - basically anything that everyone living in an apartment complex has access to. These common areas must meet the building standards of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and must not contain any unnecessary safety hazards.

Under federal and Pennsylvania law, tenants are also entitled to protection against discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, marital status, or gender. Such discrimination can lead to severe civil penalties against the landlord. Landlords additionally cannot discriminate against tenants based on physical disability, and have to make reasonable accommodations for physically disabled tenants. For example, they have to allow disabled tenants to make minor physical alterations to the unit (at the tenant's expense) to make it more accessible. Now, they don't need to allow the tenants to have the building remodeled. We're just talking about things like installing handrails in the bathroom, and similar things. The landlord can, however, require tenants to restore the apartment to its original condition, at the tenant's expense, once the tenant leaves.

Finally, tenants are legally protected from arbitrary eviction. Landlords usually must have a very good reason to evict a tenant before the lease agreement reaches the end of its term (at this point, they are of course allowed to decline to renew the lease). Of course, if the tenant breaches the lease agreement (such as by failing to pay rent, damaging the property, or violating other reasonable rules the landlord has put in the lease), the landlord, like a party to any other contract, is free to terminate the agreement and evict the breaching tenant.

Can a Lancaster, Pennsylvania Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Landlords and tenants typically prefer to avoid getting into fights with one another, for discernible reasons. A harmonious relationship is profitable for everyone involved. To that end, the advice of a good Lancaster, Pennsylvania landlord/tenant attorney can help defuse arguments before they become too serious.

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Life in Lancaster

Lancaster is in Lane County, Oregon. It is right next to Harrisburg, Junction City and the Willamette River.

Some interesting facts about Lancaster is that the first post office was established here in 1858 and named "Freedom." The name was later changed to "Junction City." A popular attraction is "Woodyville," which is a house of entertainment i.e. road house started by a man named Woody. The attraction is also known as Woody's Landing. Later, Johnson Mulkey brought the property and built a small sawmill on it.

The great flood of 1862 had almost demolished the city. It slowly built itself back up.

For legal needs, residents often seek attorney services in nearby areas. Being so near to other cities and Oregon Route 99E, residents have no problem getting to where they need to be. Thus, seeking legal guidance is not a problem.

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