ExpertLaw.com Forums

What is the Eviction Process for a Week-to-Week Tenant

Printable View

  • 05-12-2018, 10:18 PM
    arel3
    What is the Eviction Process for a Week-to-Week Tenant
    My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Pennsylvania

    I'm currently a "tenant" or roommate in a home with a single homeowner and for several reasons I'm curious of both what I have to do as a tenant to leave and what the property owner has to do, and cannot do, on a week-to-week rental agreement that's only a verbal agreement. If he's not trying to chase me out he's sure doing a fine job of it. Here are some things that have happened as to why I want to move out, and get out as soon as I can:

    - Owner wants to spend time with my dog but refuses to care for her "business" when he does. He expects me to come home after work, which is after dark, and scan the entire very (extremely) large yard with a flashlight to dispose of her droppings that he didn't get. I was doing this as best I could for several weeks but of course I missed some and he flipped out threatening to kick me out because of dog droppings being on the lawn.
    * I resolved this by taking my dog to work with me to keep him away from her. In my opinion if a person wants to spend time with a dog they are responsible for picking up after them.

    - I am a diesel mechanic that works 70+ hours 7 days a week. Owner works 7am-5pm Monday through Friday. Although I buy food for the house and owner cooks and eats it without me and I feed myself by either making sandwiches in the morning or ordering out or fast food I am expected to do ALL of the dishes. I wasn't asked to do the dishes, I'm demanded and ordered to do them.
    So because I didn't clean up his mess of a few dishes for a few days, but cleaned my own mess(es) as I made them for a few days I came home from work tonight to all of my kitchen items, appliances, and food, on the island counter with this a-hole sitting there with his arms crossed and told that I "may" only have use of these cupboard spaces, no refrigerator space for me, and no counter space for me although the home has literally tons of completely empty counter space and cabinets because I'm "taking over the kitchen". So the only choice this **** is giving me is to throw most of my food and kitchen items/appliances out.

    - I have a washer and dryer. I'm not allowed to install them because he doesn't have a set and "they're too big for the house".

    - I have a dishwasher. It's not allowed in the house and I'm also not allowed to hook it up, reason being that he doesn't like dishwashers - and expects me to do all of the dishes by hand.

    - I have a nice sized and extremely comfortable sectional couch that's also not allowed in the home although there isn't even one couch in the place. His reason for prohibiting me to move my couch, which is what I sleep on, in the house is because "it's going to damage the walls moving it in.". So I'm sleeping on the floor.

    - Due to the home only having one bathing facility that's not technically in but next to his bedroom I'm not allowed to shower when I get home. I have to sleep on the floor covered in mechanics from my 10+ hour work day and shower in the morning.

    - He is an A-hole to my dog! He isn't physically abusive (as far as I know) he's just a mean, selfish, jerk. When she tries to greet him he screams at her to "Go away! I'm not in the mood!"

    - He constantly complains and whines and *itches about E_V_E_R_Y_T_H_I_N_G.

    I want and need out of this situation. I'm more than happy to live in an extended stay lodge/hotel or something than deal with this guys crap.

    My rent is paid.

    My fears are that while I'll be working 10-12 hour days he has tomorrow and the next 2 days off so he has plenty of time to move my belongings out and put them at the curb to be stolen if they're not destroyed by the rain we're supposed to get.

    My questions are:

    1. Can he throw my stuff out on the curb? He has not given me any kind of notice to quit or asked me to leave.

    2. Do I have to give notice to quit before I leave? If I do on a week-to-week rent basis how long of notice do I have to give? I don't want to give him any notice in fear of him using his next few days off to destroy or remove my belongings putting them outside or somewhere inappropriate, changing the locks, etc.
    I would prefer to have a u-haul to get my stuff set up and a room or other rental setup and not give him any warning just showing up after work with the truck after work, packing my stuff, and leaving. Can I do that? I feel I and my dog and my personal property is safest if it's legal for me to do that.
    I cannot take any more of his treatment (and *itchin either!) before I reach the end of my patience.

    3. Are the reasons I want to leave, he's an a-hole and extremely difficult to deal with like an adult on top of being extremely difficult to live with, legally good enough reasons to leave? Or can I be legally forced to stay?

    I want to rent a room, a truck, and leave.
  • 05-13-2018, 08:47 AM
    gail in georgia
    Re: Week to Week Rent Eviction Process in Pa
    1. No.

    2. Your state has no statute on the length of time required but the assumption would be that if pay rent on a weekly basis, you would provide at least a 7 day notice. It's your choice not to do this. One cannot tell if there might be consequences to simply leaving without notice.

    3. You do not have to provide a reason for wishing to terminate your verbal lease.

    Gail
  • 05-13-2018, 11:38 AM
    adjusterjack
    Re: Week to Week Rent Eviction Process in Pa
    Quote:

    Quoting arel3
    View Post
    1. Can he throw my stuff out on the curb?

    Can he? Sure. He has the ability to do so but it would give you grounds for a lawsuit for doing what is illegal.
    Quote:

    Quoting arel3
    View Post
    He has not given me any kind of notice to quit or asked me to leave.

    He would have to give you 15 days written notice. See the PA landlord tenant statute Section 250.501(a) and (b):

    https://www.thelpa.com/PA_landlord_tenant_act.pdf
    Quote:

    Quoting arel3
    View Post
    2. Do I have to give notice to quit before I leave?

    I agree that there is nothing in the law that requires you to give notice. You may leave at the end of your regular rental period if you like.
    Quote:

    can I be legally forced to stay?
    No.
    Quote:

    I want to rent a room
    All of the problems you describe are indications that you were foolish to get into this deal in the first place but I am sure you can provide all the excuses you had for thinking this was a good idea at the beginning.

    And now you want to "rent a room" again.

    You need to understand that renting a room in somebody's house exposes you to the same potential issues in the new place that you had in the old place and the classic definition of insanity is "doing the same things over and over and expecting a different result."

    Up to you. Just felt compelled to explain the risks.
  • 05-13-2018, 12:30 PM
    arel3
    Re: Week to Week Rent Eviction Process in Pa
    Thank you for the informative reply. No thank you for the false accusation you made assuming I'm mentally ill. This was my first and last time renting a room in someones home.
  • 05-13-2018, 06:04 PM
    adjusterjack
    Re: Week to Week Rent Eviction Process in Pa
    It was a joke.

    Lighten up.

    :p
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 12:09 PM.
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.4
Copyright © 2023 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2004 - 2018 ExpertLaw.com, All Rights Reserved