Pennsylvania recognizes an implied warranty of habitability in every residential lease under Pugh v. Holmes, 486 Pa. 272 (1979), which abolished caveat emptor. A landlord must keep the dwelling fit for habitation. Tenants may withhold rent into escrow, repair and deduct, or counterclaim for the reduced rental value.
The warranty is a court-made rule, not a statute. In Pugh v. Holmes, 486 Pa. 272, 405 A.2d 897 (1979), the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that "a warranty of habitability will be implied in all residential leases" and is "mutually dependent" on the tenant's duty to pay rent. To breach it, a defect "must be of a nature and kind which will prevent the use of the dwelling for its intended purpose to provide premises fit for habitation by its dwellers." Remedies are three-fold: the tenant may surrender possession and end the rent duty, remain and repair-and-deduct repair costs from rent, or remain and withhold rent, depositing it in escrow until the unit is certified fit. The warranty cannot be waived.
Tenants may withhold rent into escrow, repair and deduct, terminate the lease, or counterclaim for rent abatement measured by the reduced rental value during the defective period. A breach is also a defense to a landlord's eviction for nonpayment.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Erie, PA
Erie's zoning ordinance does not restrict fence materials by type, but it imposes an opacity rule near corners and driveways: a fence is only 'see-through' i...
Erie, PA
Swimming pools in Erie must comply with IRC Chapter 42 Appendix G and IBC Section 3109.4 as adopted by the PA UCC (34 Pa. Code 401-405). Barriers must be at ...
Erie, PA
Erie's Zoning Ordinance regulates fence height, location, and visibility but does not prescribe a list of allowed materials for residential fences. Specializ...
Erie, PA
Erie's Zoning Ordinance Section 204.19 allows a fence to be placed up to but not over the property line, and does not require neighbor consent. Boundary disp...
Erie, PA
The City of Erie issues a dedicated 'Fence' permit. Applications run through Code Enforcement (Room 407, City Hall) and require zoning and building-code revi...
Erie, PA
Erie does not set a fixed numeric limit on the number of dogs or cats a household may keep, relying instead on nuisance and restraint provisions; Pennsylvani...
See how Erie's repairs & habitability rules stack up against other locations.
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