Philadelphia Rental Property Lead Certification Law
The city of Philadelphia has enacted a new rental property law that requires landlords to certify their rental properties lead-free or lead-safe. The law would be enforced from October 1, 2020, in the city of Philadelphia and will be phased across all zip codes for two years.
This law, known as the Rental Property Lead Certification Law, would require landlords to test and certify their rental properties. Landlords who don’t have this certification would not be able to:
- Receive or renew their rental license
- Execute a new lease or renew an old one.
The rental property lead certification law was enacted due to the harmful effects of lead. Studies have shown that exposure to higher than normal lead levels can cause cognitive and behavioral problems in kids. It can equally affect other parts of their nervous system in addition to affecting brain development.
Who is Exempted from Getting this Certificate?
All homes built after 1978 and school dormitories will be exempt. This means that these rentals would not require the certification to renew their lease and rental license.
What Does It Mean for Your Property to Be Certified as Lead-Safe?
A lead-safe property is one that has been tested by a PA licensed lead inspector-risk assessor or certified technician in lead dust testing.
One of these licensed personnel must access the house and declare that:
- The rental property in question does not have any chalking, peeling, flaking, or chipping.
- The results from testing interior dust deposits in the rental property return negative for dangerous levels of lead.
The rental property lead certification law also has requirements for who should complete a Lead-Safe certification.
A Lead-Safe certification must be completed by an Environmental protection agency technician certified in lead dust sampling or by a lead inspector licensed for risk assessment.
What Does It Mean for Your Property to Be Certified as Lead-Free?
A rental property can be certified as lead-free when a lead inspector licensed in lead risk assessment or an EPA technician certified in lead dust sampling certifies the property. For a home to be certified lead-free:
- It must pass all requirements for the EPA/ HUD.
- It should not be painted with any lead-based paint.
What Happens If Your Property Isn’t Certified Lead safe/Free?
If your property isn’t lead-free or safe, it must be corrected by a contractor. Remember, not just any contractor, but one that the Environmental Protection Agency recommends and approves. The contractor would proceed to remove, paint, and repair affected areas of the property.
While the correction is going on, no one other than the EPA approved contractors is allowed on site. Any extraneous person might be poisoned by the lead dust produced during the correction process.
Before occupancy, it must pass another test to ensure it is lead-free or lead-safe.
Your Trusted Partner
With the ever changing laws that apply to landlords it is crucial to have a partnership with a knowledgeable property manager to keep you updated and compliant. Here at PHL Residential our team is working diligently to assure there aren’t any setbacks for our clients.
Partner with PHL Residential today to protect your investment! To get started please email Partnerships@PHLresidential.com for more information.
