Recently, the Pennsylvania Superior Court awarded trouble damages to a tenant in an action against his landlord in an action for violation of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (“UTPCPL”). In Nexus Real Estate, LLC v. Erickson, 2017 WL 2536524 (Pa. Super Ct. June 12, 2017), the Court held that the landlord’s conduct in refusing to repair a hole in the bathroom ceiling and taking nine months to repair a non-functioning HVAC unit was the type of intentionally wrongful and deceptive conduct that warranted treble damages under the UTPCPL.
Accordingly, residential landlords should be sure that they timely make repairs and do not make false promises to tenants regarding when repairs will be performed.
If you have questions about a landlord or tenant’s obligations under a residential lease and/or applicable law, contact one of our real estate attorneys.