Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Pennsylvania

Rental contracts and home purchase

My wife and I signed a 12 month lease in December 2007 for a townhouse in a nice suburb of Pittsburgh. We verbally renewed the lease with the landlord in December 2008.

We decided to take advantage of the 'First-Time Homebuyer Credit' and purchase a home in May 2009, and I wasn't going to be forgo that opportunity for my landlord's sake.

I visited the landlord in person and brought along a typed 30-day notice stating the circumstances of our intent to vacate. The landlord stated we would be responsible for the remaining 6 months rent ($720 per month). As far as I know she has not shown the now empty townhouse to anyone - if she did show during the last 30 days we lived there she never notified us - nor has she contacted us about the rent. I had all of the utilities transferred back to the rental company.

My question is - what's the worst she could do in the state of PA? I don't really care if the worst is that it will be a bad debt on my credit report, but I don't want my wages to be garnished or have any liens placed on my property, especially the new home in which I'm now residing.

Thanks.


Asked on 6/12/09, 6:10 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Roger Traversa Arjont Group (Law Office of Roger Traversa)

Re: Rental contracts and home purchase

You asked about moving out of a rental.

Generally agreements involving property must be in writing to be enforceable. Depending on what your old lease said about renewal and if there is any writing that could be contrued to be a new lease then you may be in the clear.

Consumer debts generally cannot result in garnishment of wages (but they can go after bank accounts). Nor can minor consumer debts end up as liens against property unless previously reduced to a judgment.

It's worth a few buck to have an attorney review the documents and if necessary communicate with the old landlord to ascertain that everything is okay.

Regards,

Roger

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Answered on 6/13/09, 11:39 am


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