In creation of leases, statute of frauds and mortgaging of leaseholds, providing for payments for utility services.
Summary
HB1034 would amend Pennsylvania’s Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 to add a new section governing situations where a landlord requires a tenant to pay water, sewer, gas, or electric utility charges directly to the landlord. The bill does not change who ultimately bears responsibility for the utilities, but it requires that the arrangement be disclosed in a written lease and that the lease notify the tenant that these payments are owed directly to the landlord.
The bill also gives tenants a right to request documentation: upon request, the landlord must provide a copy of the relevant utility bill within five days. The measure is set to take effect 90 days after enactment. Overall, the bill is aimed at increasing transparency and giving tenants a way to verify utility charges passed through by landlords.
Impact
HB1034 would add tenant-protection requirements to the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 by regulating how landlords may collect utility payments directly from tenants. It would create a statutory notice requirement for leases and a disclosure obligation for utility bills, affecting landlords who bill tenants for water, sewer, gas, or electric service and giving tenants a clearer legal basis to demand supporting documentation.
Sentiment
The available record shows the bill was introduced with broad sponsorship, suggesting general interest in tenant transparency and utility billing fairness. No committee transcript or vote history is available, so there is no recorded debate or formal opposition in the provided materials. Based on the bill’s text, the measure appears framed as a consumer-protection and disclosure bill rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is the added administrative burden on landlords, who would need to ensure lease language is compliant and respond to tenant requests for utility bills within a short timeframe. Tenants and housing advocates would likely support the bill’s transparency and verification requirements, while landlord interests might question the compliance costs or the practicality of providing utility documentation on demand. Because no hearing transcript or votes are provided, these concerns are inferred from the bill’s requirements rather than documented debate.
In preliminary provisions, further providing for definitions; and, in creation of leases, statute of frauds and mortgaging of leaseholds, providing for website and disclosure of flood risks.
In restructuring of electric utility industry, further providing for definitions and for duties of electric distribution companies and providing for duties of public utilities.