Eviction notice rules in Pennsylvania
Nonpayment notice
10-day notice to quit (68 Pa. Cons. Stat. §250.501(b)). Tenant may stop the eviction by paying all rent owed plus court costs at any point before the actual eviction.
Lease-violation notice
15-day notice to quit for leases of one year or less (including month-to-month); 30-day notice to quit for leases over one year (68 Pa. Cons. Stat. §250.501(b)). Same 15/30-day tiers apply when ending a lease at its natural expiration.
Unconditional quit (no second chance)
Yes — 10-day unconditional notice to quit for illegal drug activity (68 Pa. Cons. Stat. §250.505-A). No cure right.
No-cause / end-of-tenancy notice
15 days' written notice for month-to-month or leases of one year or less; 30 days for leases over one year (68 Pa. Cons. Stat. §250.501). NOTE: a written lease can waive the notice-to-quit requirement entirely — check the lease.
How the notice must be served
Notice must be in writing. PA courts require strict compliance with the statute for both content and service regardless of what the lease allows — email service does not comply even if the lease permits it (unverified at statute-text level — needs attorney review).
Your right to fix it (cure)
Nonpayment: paying all rent due plus court costs before actual eviction stops the process. Lease violations: NO legal right to cure — landlords are not required to give the tenant a chance to remedy, though it is customary.
How days are counted
Notice periods run 'from the date of service thereof' per §250.501(b). Weekend/holiday counting rules <em>reported — confirm with a licensed attorney</em>.
After the notice expires
Landlord files a summons and complaint with the Magisterial District Judge. Tenant does NOT have to leave when notice expires; only a court order (judgment for possession + order for possession served by sheriff/constable) can force removal. Self-help lockouts and utility shutoffs are illegal.
Court timeline
Hearing typically scheduled within 8–15 days of filing; appeal to Court of Common Pleas available within 30 days. Philadelphia adds a 30-day Eviction Diversion Program requirement before filing in most cases (Phila. Code §9-804) — <em>reported — confirm with a licensed attorney</em>.
Retaliation & defenses
Retaliation and discrimination protections exist at state/local level but the specific state statute citation is <em>reported — confirm with a licensed attorney</em>. Philadelphia has additional tenant protections (diversion program, habitability defenses).
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