Documents you have to provide to your tenants in Philadelphia

[Yuriy Skripnichenko]

Hello all,

I see a lot of questions here on BP forums about rentals in Philadelphia and landlord-tenant rules.

I put a list of links together for new investors to use and see what you need to rent a property in Philadelphia.

Here is a useful link to tenant-landlord rules in Philadelphia where you can find everything you need:

http://www.phila.gov/li/pages/tenantlandlord.aspx

As you all know or heard you need to have a housing inspection license aka “rental license”. To apply for a rental license for the first time you will have to go to the City of Philadelphia municipal building. However, after initial application you would be able to renew it every year online. Currently rental license cost $55 per unit. Before you can apply for a rental license you should have a Philadelphia Business Tax Account Number. Which can be done online and it’s free of charge. Then you will need to get your Philadelphia commercial activity license. That can be done online as well. It used to cost $300 but now you can get it for free. Now, after you have all of this you can apply for a license. This links will help you with all other papers that city requires you to have or provide to your tenants.

Here you can find rental license application and fill it out before you go to the L&I: https://business.phila.gov/housing-inspection-license/

Now, before you rent you unit you should get a Certificate of Rental Suitability for the property and give it to your new tenant: https://secure.phila.gov/CRS-Onlinev2/intro.aspx

You also need to provide them with a brochure “Partners for good housing” that you can find at: http://www.phila.gov/health/pdfs/partnersinhousing.pdf

Also you need to give them a booklet “Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home” which can be found at https://www.epa.gov/lead/protect-your-family-lead-your-home

Now, you may think that is enough? No, it is not. If the property was build prior to 1978 (which most of the properties in Philadelphia were) and any of your new occupant is aged six years or under, you will have to provide them with Certification of Lead Safe Status. To get that certification you will have to pay for a certified lead inspector do testing of the unit (which may cost anywhere from $190 to $300 a unit).

After you have all documents, licenses and certificates done and ready you can sign a lease and be a happy landlord.

Please let me know if I’m missing something.

Thank you and hope this helps.