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Landlord Retaliation Laws in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has no general retaliation statute, but it bars reprisals against tenants who use the Utility Service Tenants Rights Act (with a 6 month presumption) and bars ending or not renewing a lease because a tenant joins a tenants' association.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Pennsylvania at a glance

Retaliation banned by statute
Limited: utility rights and tenant associations
68 P.S. 399.11 covers utility service rights; 68 P.S. 250.205 bars ending or not renewing a lease over tenants' association participation.
Presumption period
6 months
Applies only under 68 P.S. 399.11, to a termination notice, rent increase or substantial change in terms after the tenant acted to avoid a utility shutoff, except notices for unpaid rent.
Protected tenant actions
Using utility shutoff protections, joining a tenants' association
Utility rights under 68 P.S. 399.7 and 399.9 (damages: greater of two months' rent or actual damages, plus costs and attorney fees); tenants' association participation under 68 P.S. 250.205.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Pennsylvania

Does Pennsylvania law prohibit landlord retaliation against tenants?

Limited: utility rights and tenant associations. Retaliation banned by statute in Pennsylvania: limited: utility rights and tenant associations. 68 P.S. 399.11 covers utility service rights; 68 P.S. 250.205 bars ending or not renewing a lease over tenants' association participation.

How long after a tenant complaint is retaliation presumed in Pennsylvania?

Presumption period in Pennsylvania: 6 months. Applies only under 68 P.S. 399.11, to a termination notice, rent increase or substantial change in terms after the tenant acted to avoid a utility shutoff, except notices for unpaid rent.

Which tenant actions are protected from retaliation in Pennsylvania?

Protected tenant actions in Pennsylvania: Using utility shutoff protections, joining a tenants' association. Utility rights under 68 P.S. 399.7 and 399.9 (damages: greater of two months' rent or actual damages, plus costs and attorney fees); tenants' association participation under 68 P.S. 250.205.

Where do the Pennsylvania landlord retaliation laws come from?

The rules above come from 68 P.S. 399.11 and 68 P.S. 250.205. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Keep a written record of every complaint, repair request and report to a government agency, with dates. A presumption period usually runs from the date of the protected action, so proof of that date can matter.

Retaliation protection does not usually excuse unpaid rent or lease violations. Statutes commonly allow a landlord to raise rent, end a tenancy or evict for a good-faith reason, such as nonpayment, damage to the unit or a rent increase applied to all tenants.

If a rent increase, service cut or eviction notice follows a complaint, read the statute for your state and any local ordinance. Cities and counties may add protections, and a local legal aid office or tenant union can explain how they apply.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.