# Pennsylvania Security Deposits: Deadlines & Rules | Who Pays the Repair?

> Pennsylvania landlords must give a written list of damages within 30 days, or they forfeit the right to withhold any of the deposit (68 P.S. 250.512).

**Who pays:** shared

Pennsylvania landlords must itemize damage claims within 30 days, or they forfeit the right to withhold any of the deposit or sue for damages (68 P.S. 250.512).

**Boundary:** Pennsylvania landlords must, within 30 days of lease termination or surrender of the premises, give the tenant a written list of damages the landlord claims the tenant is liable for; a landlord who misses that deadline forfeits the right to withhold any of the escrowed deposit or to sue for damages (68 P.S. 250.512).

## Sources
- [68 P.S. §250.512(a) (30-day itemized damage list / escrow balance)](https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/US/HTM/1951/0/0020..HTM) — "Every landlord shall within thirty days of termination of a lease or upon surrender and acceptance of the leasehold premises, whichever first occurs, provide a tenant with a written list of any damages to the leasehold premises for which the landlord claims the tenant is liable." (accessed 2026-09-29)
- [Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, Section 512 (68 P.S. Section 250.512)](https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/US/HTM/1951/0/0020..HTM) — "(b) Any landlord who fails to provide a written list within thirty days as required in subsection (a), above, shall forfeit all rights to withhold any portion of sums held in escrow, including any unpaid interest thereon, or to bring suit against the tenant for damages to the leasehold premises." (accessed 2026-09-29)

_Last verified 2026-09-29. Source: Who Pays the Repair? — https://whopaystherepair.com/rules/pennsylvania-security-deposit-wear-vs-damage/ — every claim checked against a primary source before publication (see /methodology/)._