Landlord Tenant appeals

In Pennsylvania, once a landlord/tenant eviction hearing is decided by a Magisterial District Justice (or by a Municipal Court Judge in Philadelphia), either party has the right to appeal if they disagree with the decision.

If a tenant appeals a determination of possession, there is a 10 day appeal deadline. In other words, the tenant must file the appeal in the Court of Common Pleas where the property is located within 10 days. The tenant has to then serve the notice and Rule advising the Landlord that they have 20 days to file a complaint. These forms must be served on the Landlord and Magisterial District Judge.

The tenant must also file a supersedeas which prevents the sheriff or constable from kicking the tenant out of the property. In addition to filing fees, the supersedeas requires that the tenant pay the lower of 3 months rent or the judgment to the Court to hold in escrow until the final hearing. The tenant must also pay the monthly rent to the Court every 30 days. If the tenant fails to do this, the supersedeas may be terminated and the eviction may proceed. Make certain that you keep track of this deadline as some months have more than 30 days.

For issues regarding just the monetary judgment account, the appeal deadline is 30 days. The process is the same, but you do not need to file a supersedeas and therefore do not need to pay the funds monthly to the Court.

If a landlord appeals, the deadlines are the same, except that the landlord must then file a complaint to the tenant instead of a Rule instructing the other party to file one.

It is recommended that the parties hire an attorney to proceed with an appeal as it is much more difficult and complex than filing with the lower Court.