In Philadelphia, many tenants inquire about early lease termination. Tenants have rights. The rights are codified in the Philadelphia Property Maintenance Code. Tenants also have rights under the Emergency Housing Protection Act. Finally, Tenants have rights under Pennsylvania case law.
Early Termination Protections
The law guarantees tenants a covenant of quiet enjoyment and implied warranty of habitability. If your landlord is violating your rights you may have a legal basis to break your lease. Breaking a lease is a complex legal question that is dependent on the facts of your case. Therefore, before breaking a lease consult with a Philadelphia Landlord Tenant Lawyer. While a lease is a legally binding contract, the landlord’s noncompliance with the law may be a legal basis to break the leas.e
Penalties for Early Lease Termination
Since a lease is a legally binding contract there may be a penalty. Speak with a Philadelphia landlord tenant lawyer. One option you may have may be writing a letter to your landlord. The letter may demand an amicable termination to the lease. A landlord tenant attorney may help facilitate such a resolution. If landlord and tenant agree to terminate a lease both parties may sign a settlement and release. The settlement may absolve both parties from any liability under the lease.
Litigation Surrounding Breaking a Lease
If the landlord does not agree to break the lease he may file a lawsuit. The lawsuit would be litigated in the Philadelphia Landlord tenant court. In court the landlord would have to show he attempted to mitigate his damages. For more information about breaking your lease, contact our experienced Philadelphia Landlord Tenant lawyers via this contact page or at 267-535-9776.
Breaking a Lease Without Penalty
A landlord may have difficult enforcing a lease where he is non-compliant with the Philadelphia Property Maintenance Code. For example, early lease termination is more likely where the landlord has not obtained a Housing Inspection License, Certificate of Rental Suitability, Lead Safe Certificate or has open License and Inspection Code Violations. Under such circumstances it may be easier to break the lease without penalty. For more information watch this video about early lease termination in Philadelphia county. ***Please note*** this information is specific to Philadelphia county.
