Are there any laws governing the disclosure of a tenant’s personal information?

Yes, there are laws governing the disclosure of a tenant’s personal information in Pennsylvania. The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania passed the Pennsylvania Right to Privacy Act in 2000. This Act states that landlords must respect the confidentiality of tenant information and any information that is requested must be reasonably related to the tenant’s tenancy. This means that landlords may not request information that is not necessary in order to make a decision on an application or to maintain the landlord-tenant relationship. Examples of information that a landlord may not ask for includes a tenant’s Social Security number or details of any financial hardships a tenant may have experienced. The Pennsylvania Landlord Tenant Law further states that any information obtained from a tenant must not be disclosed to any third party unless the tenant has provided written permission to do so. Additionally, landlords must maintain any personal information in a secure storage system and have written procedures in place for disposing of a tenant’s personal records. Should a landlord violate the Act or fail to comply with the procedures, they may be held liable for any damages incurred. In conclusion, Pennsylvania does have laws in place to protect the privacy and personal information of its tenants. Landlords must obtain written permission from the tenant prior to disclosing any of their information to third parties, must store tenant information securely, and must follow procedures for disposing of the information. Violations of the Act can result in liability for the landlord.

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Are there any laws governing the disclosure of a tenant’s personal information?

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