State Specific Question About: PENNSYLVANIA (PA)

A young friend of ours moved into an apartment recently. Landlord agreed both verbally and in the lease to provide the apartment with a dishwasher, clothes washer, and dryer. The tenant first called a couple of times over the course of a week, and got, "yes, they will be installed in a day or two". He is now getting no response at all to texts or emails, and all calls are going to voice mail.

We advised that he do two things: call our county consumer protection agency for advice; and put his history of contacts in writing, mailed with a return receipt or some sort of signature required. We told him to NOT withhold rent (already paid October, anyway). We also told him to keep track of his clothes washing expenses at the laundrymat.

What does the Lease say? Does the Lease include the dishwasher and the washer and dryer?

I'd send a letter to the Landlord indicating that this provision (cite it) has not been met and that she trusts that the following items (list) will be installed by (pick a reasonable date) as agreed. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Assuming you have his agreement to provide a dishwasher, washer and dryer in writing - I would tell him your next rent payment will be used to provide these appliances (receipts to be provided). That will get his attention.

Here (Colorado) the resolution would be to escrow rent assuming that the lease states the appliances would be provided.

In MA the judge will issue a "stay" on any eviction execution based on the facts presented. Your results may vary (know your states laws).

My thought is that if the LL agreed in the lease to provide these things, then he must provide them. The tenant relied on this when he was deciding whether or not to pay the amount of rent he was quoted. It's part of the overall bargain.

Wilma,

I suggest

-document all the calls and texts already made.sending the request in writing, along with a copy of that lease page.

-A week later send another copy of exactly the same thing marked across the top SECOND REQUEST.

These are to document a reasonable and written request on the part of the res. These will also reveal the LLs nature - responsive or not.

Caution: We get complainers all the time, who say "I called your office 5 times." We log in every call AND every caller ID if they did not leave a message.

-My third letter would be Nancy's letter stating that if not provided by ____(another week), you will help the LL by buying them and reducing the rent payment by the amounts shown on the reciepts.

This is VERY state specific. Call a local tenant lawyer to get advice. I would GUESS that withholding rent -- BUT PAYING IT INTO THE COURT ESCROW -- might be the solution.

Tenant is also entitled to a small rent rebate for the period that Tenant was paying rent for these major appliances and LL was not delivering them.

The washer and dryer are straightforward enough, but out of curiosity, is the kitchen already plumbed for a dishwasher?

Is there a gaping hole under the countertop waiting for a new dishwasher to be put in?

Is there a preexisting dishwasher that's broken and needs to be pulled out and replaced with a new one?

They both need to go by whatever's on the lease. But I'm curious as to whether the tenant is wanting to make a dishwasher magically appear in a space where there's no place for it, or if the landlord is just in the habit of telling his tenants whatever they want to hear and then doing his own thing.

I think Mike45 has it best. This is state-specific and they will need to check. Here, in Michigan, they would do as Mike suggested: pay the rent into an escrow account so that the LL doesn't get it, but they have paid their rent, until the issue is resolved.

- John...