Evincting an employee

[Peter Zoltowski]

I have a question about the rights a tenant has when their housing is paid for by / related to their job. For the last three years I’ve had a part time job working as an advisor to a fraternity. I was picked by the fraternity but am technically an employee of the university. I receive a small amount of monetary compensation every month but the main benefit is that I get to live for free in the fraternity house. Today I was informed through the fraternity that the university would like to replace me with a full time employee who would oversee multiple fraternity houses and that the university would like this person to move into my apartment portion of the house in the next 4-6 weeks. I’m wondering about what rights do I have as a tenant of the house when that tenancy is related to my employment? In prior discussions I had always told the fraternity / university that I would give them 3 months notice if I intended to leave the position and was told that I would also be given 3 months notice if they ever wanted to replace me. There is no lease agreement and the paperwork I completed when put onto the university payroll did not cover anything related to housing. I don’t plan on refusing to leave but would like more time to find another place to live. I am in Pennsylvania. I appreciate any insight a lawyer or someone who has been in a similar situation may have. Thanks.

[Greg Scott]

Normally the lease would be the controlling document.  It is disappointing that the University does not have one in place. Informal verbal communication would not apply. 

Local laws would likely apply. Typically 30 days notice is sufficient to ask you to leave.