Criterion

Landlord Requirements for Philadelphia Lead Law

Does the law apply to me?

The Philadelphia Lead Disclosure & Certification Law (Philadelphia Code Section 6-800) applies to any landlord who rents Philadelphia properties built before 1978 to new tenants who will be living in the property with a child 6 years or under. Student housing and housing owned or subsidized by the Philadelphia Housing Authority or privately owned but currently leased under the Housing Choice Voucher Program is exempted from the law.

What is the purpose of the law?

The purpose of the law is to prevent children from becoming lead poisoned, and to ensure they live in lead-free or lead-safe housing by requiring landlords to certify a property rented to children is lead safe or lead free.

Despite years of progress, each year significant numbers of children in Philadelphia suffer the irreparable harm of lead poisoning because of exposure to deteriorated lead paint and lead dust in their homes. More than half of these children are living with their families in rental units.

How is this law different from existing regulations?

The Philadelphia Property Maintenance Code already requires landlords to correct any peeling paint, cracked or loose plaster, decayed wood, and other defective surface conditions in a rental unit. The Philadelphia Lead Disclosure & Certification Law requires the landlord to go a step further and certify that a property is lead safe before children 6 years old and younger move in.

What does the law require?

Upon turnover (change of occupancy), landlords must provide a Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) Lead Safe Certificate or Lead Free Certificate to every new tenant who has children 6 years or under who will be residing in a property built before 1978.

Along with the certificate, the landlord must provide the tenant with other specific information. The landlord is required to send the PDPH a copy of the lead safe certificate signed by the tenant. In addition, upon application for a new or annual renewal of a rental license, a landlord must certify that the law’s requirements have been met.

Visit our Training page to enroll in a course or call us at 215-244-1300 to get more information or schedule a ‘Lead Free’ or ‘Lead Safe’ Certification inspection. Note: only a PA-Licensed Lead Inspector/Risk Assessor can certify a property to be ‘Lead Free’.