Landlord Tenant Matters

Tenants are often intimidated or overwhelmed by this process:

FIRST:        The landlord or their lawyer will contact you and demand payment of rent,   

                     or the landlord will accuse you of breaking a condition     of your lease.

NEXT:        Court Documents will arrive, usually by mail, instructing you where

                     and when to appear.

THEN:         Your case will be heard in Municipal Court.

THERE:      Are several areas in which you should be familiar:

1) The Pennsylvania Landlord Tenant Act,

2) The Philadelphia Property Maintenance Code,

3) You should be familiar with the recent holdings, findings and decisions in cases before the Landlord/ Tenant Court to determine what standards of proof the court may require to render a favorable ruling.

4) Optimally, you should be acquainted with the attorney for the landlord.

Since 2009 I have had the duty and the privilege of defending more tenants than any other attorney in Philadelphia.

My work has made me very knowledgeable, very current with Landlord Tenant Court,

my work has acquainted  me with most of the landlords' Attorneys; and they know me. 

I produce results for my clients by trial work but I also produce results in what is called “Dispute Resolution”.  This is a form of judgment by negotiated settlement.

1)      Very often the landlord will be willing to set up a plan where the tenant will “Pay to Stay” by paying off back rent in time installments.  

2)     Very often a landlord will agree to grant a tenant more time to vacate.

3)     Very often a landlord will agree to accept less rent than is claimed in his complaint to settle the matter.