PRINTER'S NO. 491
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
447
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY SAYLOR, MAJOR, SCHREIBER, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN,
D. COSTA, DIAMOND, GINGRICH, GODSHALL, HARHART, A. HARRIS,
HEFFLEY, HELM, JAMES, KORTZ, LONGIETTI, MILLARD, MURT,
O'NEILL, PICKETT, READSHAW, SCHLOSSBERG, THOMAS, TOOHIL AND
WATSON, FEBRUARY 11, 2015
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS, FEBRUARY 11, 2015
AN ACT
Amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), entitled "An
act relating to the rights, obligations and liabilities of
landlord and tenant and of parties dealing with them and
amending, revising, changing and consolidating the law
relating thereto," providing for death of a tenant.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known
as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 514. Death of Tenant.--(a) Notwithstanding any
other provision of this act or law, and if the deceased tenant
is the sole tenant of the residential unit, the executor or
administrator of the estate of a tenant who dies during the term
of a residential lease shall have the option to terminate the
lease upon fourteen days' written notice to the landlord on the
later of:
(1) the last day of the calendar month that immediately
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follows the calendar month in which the tenant died; or
(2) upon surrender of the rental unit and removal of all of
the tenant's personal property.
(b) Nothing under this section shall be construed to relieve
the tenant's estate of liability for rent money or any other
debt incurred prior to the date of termination of the lease,
including any expenses the landlord may incur as a direct result
of the tenant's death, except that the tenant's estate shall not
be liable for damages or any other penalty for breach or
inadequate notice as a result of terminating a lease under
subsection (a).
Section 2. The addition of section 514 of the act shall
apply to leases entered into or extended on or after the
effective date of this section.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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