Pennsylvania Month-to-Month Lease Agreement

Last Updated: December 14, 2023 by Roberto Valenzuela

A Pennsylvania month-to-month rental agreement is a contract (not necessarily in writing) which allows a tenant to rent property from a landlord, for one month at a time, in exchange for a fee (“rent”). The rental renews monthly, until either party gives proper notice to end it.

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For information about fixed-term leases in Pennsylvania (i.e., a term of one year or more), click here.

Basics of a Pennsylvania Month-to-Month Rental Agreement

In Pennsylvania, a landlord and tenant create a month-to-month lease by agreeing to rent a property according to acceptable terms. Written rental agreements are clearer and legally stronger, but oral leases are legal in a month-to-month context.

Parties under a month-to-month lease enjoy full rights under Pennsylvania landlord-tenant law. The tenant must use the property in a responsible way and pay rent on time. The landlord must keep essential features of the property in habitable condition, and protect the tenant’s quiet enjoyment of the lease.

The main difference between a month-to-month lease and a fixed-term lease is that month-to-month leases can be terminated (with proper notice) by either party for any reason without penalty. Landlords also can usually modify terms from one month to the next, again with proper notice.

Required Disclosures for Month-to-Month Rentals in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania landlords may not rent a property out without making the following disclosures to a potential tenant, as relevant:

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The state page for fixed-term leases may have more detailed information on required disclosures.

Required Notice To End a Month-to-Month Rental in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania requires at least 30 days of advance notice before terminating a month-to-month lease. This requirement lowers to 15 days when the tenant has resided on the property for under a year. In general, any reason that isn’t landlord retaliation is a legal and valid grounds for ending a month-to-month lease.

Pennsylvania requires written notice to end a month-to-month lease.

Required Notice To Raise the Rent on a Pennsylvania Month-to-Month Lease

Pennsylvania laws requires that notice for a rental increase be delivered in writing, but doesn’t specify a particular timeframe for advance notice. This means in most cases it’s reasonable for a landlord to follow the same standard required for advance notice on lease termination: 30 days, or 15 days where the tenant has resided on the property for less than one year.

Some local areas enforce stricter standards than may apply statewide. For example, Philadelphia specifically requires at least 30 days of advance notice before any rent increase on a month-to-month rental.

Eviction in Pennsylvania Month-to-Month Rentals

Pennsylvania tenants may face eviction for violating a month-to-month lease or remaining on the property after the notice period allowed by a valid termination. Evictions in Pennsylvania typically take one to two months.

For more information on the eviction process in Pennsylvania, click here.

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