Harrisburg, PA Rental Inspections: Tenant Complaint Process (2026)

Chapter 8-511 of the Harrisburg Codified Ordinances, the Residential Rental Unit Registration Program, sets out what happens after the Codes Bureau receives a complaint about a rental unit. Under § 8-511.8(D), when a complaint comes in and the Bureau's inspection reveals an exterior area or life-safety violation, the owner is given written notice of the violation under § 8-511.9. Under § 8-511.11(B) there is no fee for an inspection initiated from an occupant complaint.

The notice of violation must be issued within 14 days of the inspection, sent by first-class mail and certified mail, return receipt requested, and must give the date of inspection, the identity of the inspector, the list of deficiencies and the number of days the owner has to make repairs. Section 8-511.5(A) puts the owner on a clock of its own: the owner must respond to and correct problems within 30 days after receiving a valid complaint from an occupant, or within the time in a notice of violation, whichever is earlier.

The unit is reinspected when the repair time expires or when the owner reports the work done, whichever comes first (§ 8-511.10). The outcome of a complaint inspection always reaches the tenant in writing. If the repairs are complete, the Bureau sends a letter to the owner and the complaining occupant that the unit is in compliance. If they are not, the Bureau issues a nontraffic summary citation and/or placards the structure as unfit for human occupancy, and sends the occupant a letter describing the action taken. The owner then owes the $100 reinspection fee in § 8-511.11(C).

Two more protections matter to tenants. No rental agreement can waive rights or remedies under the chapter, and any such clause is unenforceable (§ 8-511.5(I)). If a certificate of compliance is revoked for reasons other than the occupant's disruptive conduct, the Bureau notifies the occupants that the owner is in breach of the rental agreement and that the unit must be vacated within 30 days unless the certificate is reinstated (§ 8-511.13(B)). Anyone aggrieved can appeal in writing to the Building and Housing Code Board of Appeals under Chapter 8-501.