You don’t have a lease, and you don’t even know who this person is. But somehow, they are living on your property, and now you are the one stuck figuring out how to get them out.
If you are a property owner dealing with a squatter in Pennsylvania, the lack of a lease does not mean you can skip the legal process. In fact, it means the opposite: you will likely have to be even more precise about following the right steps.
How Pennsylvania law defines a squatter
In this context, a squatter usually refers to someone occupying a property without your permission and without any lease or rental agreement — written or verbal. They are not a tenant holding over after a lease expires, nor a guest who overstayed their welcome; they are someone who moved in without your knowledge or approval and now refuses to leave.
Under Pennsylvania law, that still doesn’t give you the right to forcibly remove them, which means formal eviction is your only option.
What the eviction process looks like without a lease
Even if no lease exists, Pennsylvania requires landlords to follow the correct legal steps. That starts with giving the squatter written notice to vacate — typically ten days — although the exact notice period may vary depending on how they gained possession of the property.
If they ignore the notice, you will need to file a landlord-tenant complaint in Magisterial District Court and prepare to show the court that the occupant has no legal right to be there.
Why the situation often takes longer than expected
Just because the squatter is not legally a tenant does not mean they won’t try to act like one in court. Some will argue they had permission to stay, while others may present forged or informal documents in an attempt to delay proceedings. And in cities like Philadelphia, local housing codes and procedural delays can stretch the timeline even further. So, while you might assume this is a quick fix, it rarely plays out that way.
How out-of-town landlords can protect their properties
If you don’t live near your rental, you are at a higher risk of this kind of situation. To reduce the chance of squatters moving in, consider periodic inspections, using a trusted local property manager and securing vacant units quickly between tenancies. Keep a digital trail, including emails, letters and notices showing who had permission to be there and when. That paper trail could make all the difference later.
When someone needs to intervene
If you are facing a squatter situation and you are not sure where to begin — or worse, things are already dragging on — it may be time to get legal help. Navigating Pennsylvania’s eviction process without a lease in place can feel like a maze, especially if you’re managing the property from another city or state. But you shouldn’t wait for things to spiral. Acting early, with the right information, can keep a frustrating situation from turning into a full-blown problem.
