What this form is for
This form creates a legally binding rental agreement between a property owner (landlord) and a tenant for residential property in Pennsylvania. Use it when leasing an apartment, house, or condo for a fixed period, typically six months to one year or more.
Before you start
- Property address with unit number if applicable, and complete legal description if available
- Monthly rent amount, due date (typically first of month), accepted payment methods, and late fee structure
- Security deposit amount (Pennsylvania allows up to two months' rent for first year, one month after)
- Lease term start and end dates, plus any renewal or notice requirements
- Tenant names, current addresses, phone numbers, and emergency contact information
- Landlord or property management company name, address, and contact information for maintenance requests
- Details on which utilities tenant pays versus landlord, plus trash and snow removal responsibilities
- Property condition documentation including move-in inspection checklist or photos
Step-by-step
1. Complete the parties section with full legal names of all adult tenants and the landlord or LLC owner name, plus the property management agent if different from owner.
2. Enter the complete property address and describe what is included in the rental (parking spaces, storage unit, appliances).
3. Fill in the lease term with exact start and end dates. Pennsylvania defaults to month-to-month if no end date is specified, so be precise.
4. State the monthly rent amount in both numbers and words, the due date, grace period if any, and late fee (common is five dollars per day or ten percent of rent after five-day grace).
5. Enter security deposit amount and identify the financial institution where it will be held. Pennsylvania requires landlords to place deposits over one hundred dollars in an interest-bearing escrow account after two years of tenancy.
6. Specify utility and maintenance responsibilities. Clarify who handles lawn care, snow removal, HVAC filter changes, and pest control.
7. Review standard clauses for pets, smoking, subletting, and alterations. Cross out and initial any clauses you are modifying by mutual agreement.
8. Add any Pennsylvania-required disclosures including lead paint notification for pre-1978 properties and whether the property is in a flood zone.
9. Both parties sign and date in ink. Each tenant over eighteen must sign individually. Provide every tenant with a complete executed copy.
What lenders look for
- Banks reviewing investment property loans want to see market-rate rent that covers your mortgage, taxes, insurance, and ten percent reserves. Below-market family deals raise red flags.
- Underwriters check lease terms match your loan application. If you claimed twelve-month lease income but the document shows month-to-month, expect delays or denial.
- Missing signatures, blank fields, or handwritten changes without initials create title and income verification problems during refinancing or portfolio reviews.