Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Pennsylvania

I live in Lackawanna County, PA... I had a rental with a 1 year lease agreement. I was picked up on AWOL charges by the military and was sent to Fort Sill. My landlord within 10 days of this happening had a random person enter the properity and remove my stuff (selling and giving the stuff away). I returned ( under 90 days) and found out he did this. Is this legal? I was told he has to store my stuff for 90 days. I was never served an eviction notice and when I sent friends and family over the random person told them they weren't allowed to take the things I wanted then to get.


Asked on 5/05/15, 5:37 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
ANDREA G. TILLIS Law Offices of Andrea G. Tillis

Hi, My name is Andrea and I am a Pennsylvania Licensed, practicing Attorney. The areas of my practice are Real Property Law, Criminal Law, and Family Law.

Your landlord did not have the right to enter the premises which you were renting, certainly not after a mere 10-day absence on your part and did not have the right to sell any of your property. Even where a tenant abandons the property he is renting, the landlord must notify the tenant in writing that he will only hold onto his tenant's property for 30 days, after which he will sell them or dispose of them, if the tenant does not come to claim his personal property within that time period.

If your landlord entered the premises which you were renting, removed your property, and then sold it, then he is liable to you for the value of your personal property, and you must so inform him in writing. If he cannot return your property, then he must pay you its value and you should include this fact in your letter to him.

Kindest regards,

ANDREA G. TILLIS

Kindest regards,

ANDREA G. TILLIS

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Answered on 5/05/15, 7:06 am


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