HB 2475 — An Act amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, in recovery of possession, providing for pet fees.

PRINTER'S NO.   3335

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2475
                                                Session of
                                                  2026

     INTRODUCED BY SMITH-WADE-EL, RIVERA, WAXMAN, HILL-EVANS AND
        D. WILLIAMS, MAY 4, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
        MAY 4, 2026


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), entitled "An
 2      act relating to the rights, obligations and liabilities of
 3      landlord and tenant and of parties dealing with them and
 4      amending, revising, changing and consolidating the law
 5      relating thereto," in recovery of possession, providing for
 6      pet fees.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    The act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known
10   as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, is amended by adding a
11   section to read:
12      Section 515.    Pet Fees.--(a)   A landlord shall not charge a
13   tenant an ongoing or upfront fee or rent for the tenant to
14   maintain one or more common household pets. This section does
15   not prohibit a landlord from charging a monthly pet deposit to
16   be deposited in escrow for the payment of damages to the
17   leasehold premises during the duration of a lease. A monthly pet
18   deposit must be equivalent to no more than one per cent of the
19   monthly rent, not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) over the
 1   term of the lease. The deposit shall be assessed on a per unit
 2   basis subject to the requirements set forth in sections 511 and
 3   512.
 4      (b)     This section shall not be construed to limit or
 5   otherwise affect applicable State and local laws or government
 6   ordinances related to public health, animal control and animal
 7   anticruelty, or other statutes or laws that require reasonable
 8   accommodations to be made for an individual with a disability
 9   who maintains an animal to provide assistance, service or
10   support.
11      (c)     As used in this section, the term "common household pet"
12   means a dog, cat, bird, rodent, fish, turtle or other domestic
13   animal that is traditionally kept in the home for noncommercial,
14   pleasure purposes.
15      Section 2.    The addition of section 515 of the act shall
16   apply to leases entered into or extended on or after the
17   effective date of this section.
18      Section 3.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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