# Philadelphia's new tenant law: what changes for you On November 1, 2026, Philadelphia's new tenant law (Bill 250330, part of the Safe Healthy Homes package) is reported to start. If you rent in Philadelphia, here is what changes and what does not. It is general information, not legal advice. Updated October 29, 2026 > Information being verified with legal partners. Some details may change. Call the Philly Tenant Hotline to confirm. ## Did the notice come after you complained? StayTenant counts your 15-day Fair Housing Commission window. It also gathers dated City records for your address. It is free. [Start your clock](https://staytenant.com/) ## What changes on November 1, 2026 These are the main changes reported so far. Each one is explained further down this page. They are still being checked with legal partners. - Every lease needs good cause to end it. Your landlord generally needs a reason the law accepts to end or not renew any lease, however long it is. - The reason must be in writing, with notice. That is generally 60 days for a lease of a year or more, and 30 days for a shorter lease. - More things count as payback (retaliation). Joining a tenant group, talking with a City official or using any other legal right may now be protected. - A notice within 12 months of your complaint may put the burden on your landlord. They may have to prove it was not payback. - You can file even after you move out. The law is reported to provide $1000 for each violation, plus attorney's fees. - Landlords with open L&I violations may not be able to get or renew their rental license. ## Payback: what the law protects now Retaliation means payback: your landlord punishing you for something you had a right to do. Under the new law, a landlord generally may not punish you because of any of these. - An inspector found a violation at your home. - You started or helped with a City investigation, such as an L&I inspection after a 311 call. - You talked in good faith with a government official, or you testified in court. - You joined a tenant group or another lawful group. - You are a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault. - You used any other legal right, such as asking for repairs. Payback can take more than one form. It may be refusing to rent to you, ending or changing your lease, or cutting off your use of shared spaces and services in the building. If you think this is happening, write down what changed and when. ## Good cause: every lease needs a fair reason to end Good cause means a reason the law accepts for ending a tenancy. Unpaid rent and a serious break of the lease are two examples. Before November 1, 2026, good cause generally covered fewer leases. From that date, it is reported to cover every lease, however long it is. Your landlord must give the reason in writing. The notice is generally 60 days for a lease of a year or more, and 30 days for a shorter lease. Without proper written notice, the lease generally renews month to month, unless you choose to leave. Two cases are different. The rules generally do not apply if your landlord lives in the unit as their main home. A sale can count as good cause if the buyer will live in the home. The buyer generally must plan to move in within 90 days of closing, and you generally must get at least 60 days' notice. ## If the notice came within 12 months of your complaint Under the new law, a notice may be presumed to be payback if it comes within 12 months after you complained, a violation was found at your home, or a problem was fixed, whichever came last. Then your landlord may have to prove the notice was not payback. This is reported, not yet confirmed, so confirm it with legal help. StayTenant's address check shows the dated City records that would matter here: 311 complaints, L&I violations and rental licenses, marked before and after your notice. City records do not say who made a complaint. ## You can still file after you move out Under the new law, you may be able to file a claim even after your lease ends and after you move out. You may file with the Fair Housing Commission, a free City office, or go straight to court. Court claims are generally due within 2 years. The law is reported to provide $1000 for each violation, plus attorney's fees. The Commission or a judge decides what applies to you. Ask for legal help before you count on any amount. ## Repairs, licenses and rent: open violations may cost a landlord A related law, called Right to Repairs, is reported to start at the same time. Under it, a landlord with open L&I violations may not be able to get or renew a rental license. A landlord generally needs a valid rental license to collect rent or to evict. Before filing for the Eviction Diversion Program, a landlord generally must have a current Certificate of Rental Suitability and give you a copy. This paper says the home has no open L&I violations. You may ask for a new one once every 90 days. Your landlord generally has 10 days to give it to you, or may not be able to collect rent until they do. A landlord who collected rent while out of compliance may owe it back. Do not stop paying rent without talking to legal help first. ## What does not change: a notice is still not a court order - A notice is not a court order. Only a judge can order you to leave your home. - Your landlord generally still must go through the Eviction Diversion Program before filing a case in court. - If you think a notice is payback or lacks good cause, you generally must challenge it at the Fair Housing Commission before your landlord files in court. Once your landlord files, the Commission can no longer take your complaint. - Tenant advocates report that you have 15 days after you get the notice to file with the Commission. This deadline is still being verified, so confirm it with legal help. - If you miss that window, you may still be able to raise it in court. ## Does this apply to my lease? - Covered: every lease, however long it is, as reported. That includes one-year leases and month-to-month leases. - Not confirmed: leases signed before November 1, 2026. Whether the new rules cover them has not been confirmed. - Not covered: a home where your landlord lives in the unit as their main home. Not sure which one fits you? Call the Philly Tenant Hotline at 267-443-2500. Ask whether the new law covers your lease. ## What to do today 1. Keep every paper from your landlord or the court. Take a photo of every page. Write down the date you got each one and how it came. 2. Check your address on StayTenant. It shows dated City records for your home: 311 complaints, L&I violations and rental licenses. If you got a notice, it also counts your days. 3. Call the Philly Tenant Hotline at 267-443-2500. Ask what the new law means for your lease. - [Start your clock: enter your address](https://staytenant.com/) - [What the address check shows](https://staytenant.com/check-my-address/) ## Common questions ### Can my landlord refuse to renew my lease after November 1, 2026? Generally only for good cause, a reason the law accepts, given to you in writing. That is reported to be the rule from November 1, 2026. Without proper written notice, the lease generally renews month to month. Some exceptions apply, such as a landlord who lives in the unit. Ask for legal help to learn what applies to your lease. ### Does the new law cover my one-year lease? It is reported to. From November 1, 2026, good cause is reported to apply to every lease, however long it is. Whether leases signed before that date are covered has not been confirmed. Call the Philly Tenant Hotline at 267-443-2500 to check your lease. ### My landlord gave me a notice right after I called 311. What now? Keep the notice and write down the date you got it. Under the new law, a notice within 12 months of a complaint may mean your landlord has to prove it was not payback. You may be able to challenge it at the Fair Housing Commission. Tenant advocates report that you have 15 days after you get the notice to file; this is still being checked. Start your clock with StayTenant and call the Philly Tenant Hotline. ### Can I still complain if I already moved out? Under the new law, you may be able to. You may file with the Fair Housing Commission or go to court, even after your lease ends and you move out. Court claims are generally due within 2 years. Ask for legal help soon. ### Is the 15-day deadline still the rule? Tenant advocates report that it is. You generally have 15 days after you get a notice to file with the Fair Housing Commission, and you must file before your landlord goes to court. This deadline is still being verified with legal partners, so confirm it with legal help. If you miss it, you may still be able to raise payback or a lack of good cause in court. ## Related pages - [Your lease is not being renewed](https://staytenant.com/lease-not-renewed-philadelphia/) - [Got an eviction notice? What it means and what happens next](https://staytenant.com/eviction-notice-philadelphia/) - [Philadelphia tenant rights: an overview](https://staytenant.com/philadelphia-tenant-rights/) - [Check your address: 311, L&I and rental license records](https://staytenant.com/check-my-address/) - [The Eviction Diversion Program](https://staytenant.com/eviction-diversion-program-philadelphia/) ## Where to get help - Call the Philly Tenant Hotline: 267-443-2500 ### Fair Housing Commission The Fair Housing Commission is a City office. It hears tenant complaints about unfair rental practices, like a notice that may be payback for a complaint. - Phone: (215) 686-4670 - Email: FairHousingComm@phila.gov - In person: 601 Walnut St., Suite 300 South, Philadelphia, PA 19106 To file, fill out the Commission's intake form. You can mail, email, or fax it, or bring it in. It is free. [Open the intake form](https://www.phila.gov/documents/fair-housing-commission-intake-form/) Before you file, call to confirm the steps. ## Sources We are still checking the rules in this tool with legal partners. Each rule below shows where it came from and whether it has been verified. Some details may change. Call the Philly Tenant Hotline to confirm. - When the new law starts: Not yet verified. Last checked: October 27, 2026. See the source: https://www.bisnow.com/news/philadelphia/multifamily/renter-protection-legislation-parker-134492 - Good cause (a fair reason) for ending any lease: Not yet verified. Last checked: October 26, 2026. Source: phila.legistar.com (not linked from this site) - Good cause (a fair reason to evict): background: Not yet verified. Last checked: October 29, 2026. Source: phila.legistar.com (not linked from this site) - How much notice a landlord must give: Not yet verified. Last checked: October 27, 2026. See the source: https://pubintlaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/SHH-FAQ.pdf - Examples of payback (retaliation): Not yet verified. Last checked: October 29, 2026. Source: phila.legistar.com (not linked from this site) - How this tool checks for a notice within a year of a complaint: Not yet verified. Last checked: October 29, 2026. Source: phila.legistar.com (not linked from this site) - Filing a claim, including after you move out: Not yet verified. Last checked: October 29, 2026. Source: phila.legistar.com (not linked from this site) - Right to Repairs law: Not yet verified. Last checked: October 27, 2026. See the source: https://pubintlaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/SHH-FAQ.pdf - Rental license requirement: Not yet verified. Last checked: October 27, 2026. See the source: https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphia-renters-just-scored-a-courtroom-win/ - Fair Housing Commission comes before court: Not yet verified. Last checked: October 27, 2026. See the source: https://pubintlaw.org/safe-healthy-homes-faq/ - If you miss the 15-day window: Not yet verified. Last checked: October 27, 2026. See the source: https://pubintlaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/SHH-FAQ.pdf - Eviction Diversion Program: Not yet verified. Last checked: October 20, 2026. See the source: https://www.courts.phila.gov/pdf/municipal/notices/Notice-of-Diversion-Rights.pdf - 15-day window to act: Not yet verified. Last checked: October 27, 2026. See the source: https://pubintlaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/SHH-FAQ.pdf --- This tool shows public city records and general information. It is not legal advice. 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