The Tenant-toTenant Dispute
Victims of Domestic Violence can CALL or TEXT 911
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
This article is focused on disputes that can occur between tenants of two different rental units (such as in an apartment building) due to noise, smells, trash, rude behavior, or other non-violent conflict. Domestic violence poses a serious threat to the safety of your tenant and cannot be addressed with the information below.
For guidance on navigating domestic violence in your rental, please consult a legal professional.
The tenant-to-tenant dispute is our most dreaded rental problem. Give us explosive sewage drains all day, just please let our tenants live in harmony.
How to be Proactive
Before a dispute happens, consider the following:
- A tenant complaint will represent one-side of the argument and could be false.
- The legal process to evict a tenant in Pennsylvania requires proof (not just complaints) that the tenant has violated the terms of the lease.
Create a policy for tenant-to-tenant disputes that align with your local laws and put it in writing. In Pennsylvania, this could include:
- Notice that you are legally obligated to each lease. Evidence and a proper legal process are required to end any lease before the expiration date.
- Requirement that the complaining tenant must supply evidence to support the accused lease violation. Possible evidence must hold up in court, such as a time-stamped video clearly recording the offense or a police report with a named offender.
- If police are involved and a report is created, it is the complaining tenant’s responsibility to pay the fee and submit a copy to the landlord. (You can still choose to contact the police department or purchase the report independently if you suspect a greater problem – or the police may be calling you.)
Managing a Dispute
When a tenant-to-tenant dispute has escalated to a demand for landlord action:
- Acknowledge the complaint and that your tenant is stressed.
- Determine if there is a valid lease violation in play.
- Send a copy of your tenant-to-tenant dispute policy.
- Attempt to resolve the issue with a communication to both tenants, or general communication to the building. (This may backfire, choose your words wisely.)
- If it makes sense to your situation, you can offer to release the complaining tenant from their lease with no fees.
Many tenant-to-tenant disputes will resolve on their own, even if it is in silent discontent.
If there is no clear offender, and the dispute has escalated to both tenants and/or the local police contacting you about the issue, you may have to make a decision to release someone from their lease.
Tenant-to-tenant disputes can be very difficult to manage. While it’s probably not your fault that two of your tenants don’t like each other, it may become your responsibility to resolve. These can escalate to a tenant-to-landlord dispute and even the unexpected loss of a lease.
When you see a tenant-to-tenant dispute brewing, start assessing the worst-case scenario right away.
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Domestic Violence in Your Rental
Domestic Violence in Pennsylvania is governed by 23 Pa. C.S. § 6108. Actions will be court-ordered. This is what you can expect.