[Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Langhorne as indicated in the article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 12-10-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-11]
A. 
Purposes. This article is intended to serve the following purposes:
(1) 
To assist the Borough in protecting and promoting the public health, welfare and safety of its residents;
(2) 
To establish the rights and obligations of owners and occupants relating to the rental of residential units in the Borough;
(3) 
To ensure that rental units are maintained in safe and habitable condition and to protect the rights of tenants;
(4) 
To encourage owners to maintain and improve the quality of life and quality of rental housing within the Borough; and
(5) 
To account for the number of occupied residential rental units and properties to further the accountability and safety of the property occupants.
B. 
Findings. In considering the adoption of this article, the Borough makes the following findings:
(1) 
This article is enacted pursuant to the authority granted to the Borough by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Borough Code.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See 8 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq.
(2) 
The monitoring and upkeep of rental residential properties is more difficult than owner-occupied residential properties which may impact the general health, welfare and safety of Borough residents.
A. 
Unless otherwise expressly stated herein, the following terms shall have, for the purposes of this article, the meanings respectively indicated below.
B. 
The singular shall include plural, and masculine shall include feminine terms.
APARTMENT COMPLEX
A grouping of rental dwellings that are located within the same building, share common elements, or share common outside access, with the exception of the following: hotel and motel units, where a change in occupancy occurs at least or less than every 30 days, and nursing homes, hospitals or such other institutional facilities.
CODES
The International Property Maintenance Code, the International Fire Code, the Uniform Construction Code,[1] as adopted by the Borough from time to time, and any other rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
DWELLING UNIT
A residential living area for one household that is used for living and sleeping purposes, which has its own cooking facilities, a bathroom with a toilet and a shower and/or bathtub.
LANDLORD
This term shall have the same meaning as "lessor" or "owner."
LESSEE
That person or persons who has the use of real estate of a lessor and is responsible for the giving of any type of consideration for the use of such real estate, but excluding those lessees for a period of less than 30 days.
LESSOR
Any person who grants a lease for the use of his real estate or any portion thereof, who owns and/or operates a transient dwelling and/or who otherwise permits the use of his real estate or portion thereof, and shall include any owner of real estate.
MANAGER
An adult individual designated by an owner or lessor of a registered rental unit under this article who is responsible for the day to day maintenance, upkeep and leasing of the residential rental until. The manager shall be the agent of the owner or lessor for all purposes of this article.
OWNER
One or more persons, entities or other affiliations who, jointly or severally, hold legal title to a registered rental unit, dwelling unit or building.
PERSON
Any natural person, partnership, corporation unincorporated association, limited partnership, trust or any other entity.
RENTAL DWELLING
Any rental or tenant-occupied, single-family dwelling, room or group of rooms located within a building and forming a single, habitable unit with facilities intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking and eating by a single family. Rooming houses which provide for multiple tenants who rent rooms individually but who share kitchen and bathroom facilities shall be considered a rental dwelling for purposes of this article.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 328, Property Maintenance, Art. I; and Ch. 152, Construction Codes, Uniform.
A. 
Beginning January 1, 2026, all lessors and/or owners of rental properties shall file with the Borough a completed residential rental registration form, unless set forth otherwise in a schedule prepared by the Borough for the registration of residential rental housing units. A separate residential rental form shall be required for each residential rental unit. Lessors/owners shall file a completed residential registration form within 30 days of the creation of a new rental unit.
B. 
Each residential rental registration form shall be accompanied by a residential rental registration fee, in the amount as set forth in the Resolution of Fees, as adopted from time to time by Council for the Borough.
C. 
In addition, for any parcel or unit of real estate that constitutes a transient dwelling unit, the lessor and/or owner shall also report the maximum number of persons that can occupy the transient dwelling unit.
D. 
The following information shall be submitted for each rental unit:
(1) 
Name, address and telephone number of the property owner.
(2) 
Name, address and telephone number of the operator, responsible agent or manager.
(3) 
Name, address and telephone number of any person authorized to make or order made repairs or services for the residential rental unit. (If such person is different from that of the property owner, operator, responsible agent or manager.)
(4) 
Name of person or entity responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the property.
(5) 
Street address and unit number of the rental unit.
(6) 
Number and types of rental units within the rental property.
(7) 
A property owner or agent shall notify the Borough in writing within 30 calendar days of any change to the above information.
E. 
The lessor of more than one contiguous registered rental unit shall designate a person to serve as manager of said units. The lessor or owner may designate himself or herself as the manager, unless the lessor or owner is a corporation, partnership, or limited-liability company, at which time the manager shall be an adult individual with the authority to act on behalf of the owner or lessor. The manager shall be the designated agent of the owner or lessor for service of process and receiving of notices and demands, as well as for performing the obligations under this article and under rental agreements with occupants. The full legal name, mailing address (exclusive of any post office box), daytime phone number and other emergency contact information for the designated manager shall be provided to the Borough Manager and Fire Marshal, in writing, and shall be kept current with the Borough within five business days after such information changes.
A. 
Upon registration of each residential rental unit as required by § 335-3 above:
(1) 
A residential rental certificate (hereinafter "certificate") shall be issued by the Borough for all occupied registered rental units. Prior to the occupancy of any unit by a tenant, the owner or the manager shall be required to obtain the necessary certificate for each registered rental unit. Failure to obtain and maintain the residential rental certificate shall constitute a violation of this article.
(2) 
The Borough may require that a residential rental certificate be issued only when the Borough determines that the residential rental unit meets and complies with all applicable Borough Codes, including, but not limited to, the Property Maintenance Code, the Fire Code and the Uniform Construction Code.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 328, Property Maintenance, Art. I; and Ch. 152, Construction Codes, Uniform.
B. 
A residential rental occupancy certificate shall not be issued or renewed until:
(1) 
All overdue real estate taxes and business license, water, sewage and garbage collection fees that are owed to the Borough or its authorities have been paid in full; and
(2) 
The owner has provided information to the Borough concerning the designated manager, if applicable; and
(3) 
Any violation of the applicable Borough codes has been remediated as determined by the Borough.
C. 
The following shall not be considered residential rental units for the purposes of this article:
(1) 
Owner-occupied dwelling units with non-owner occupants.
(2) 
Hotels and motels used for transient visitors to the area, but exclusive of units that serve the same purposes as rooming house units.
(3) 
Hospitals and state-licensed nursing homes and personal care homes.
(4) 
Bed-and-breakfast homes, as defined in Chapter 450, Zoning.
(5) 
One dwelling unit that is on the same lot as a second dwelling unit, provided the two dwellings are occupied by the owner and persons who are related to the owner. If the second dwelling unit on the same lot is rented or occupied by an individual not related, by blood or consanguinity, to the owner, then the second dwelling unit shall not be exempted and shall be treated as a registered residential unit.
(6) 
Units owned by the municipal housing authority or county housing authority. dwelling units that are owned by the municipal housing authority or county housing authority shall be exempt from the requirements of this article; however, dwellings owned by the municipal housing authority or county housing authority shall be required to comply with the requirements of all other applicable Borough codes unless such provision is specifically preempted by federal law.
D. 
Each residential rental certificate shall have a term of three years from the date of registration with approval by the Borough, unless the unit undergoes a change of use or occupancy as set forth in § 353-3 above.
Any person, firm, proprietor or corporation who or which shall violate any provisions of this article or fail to comply with its provisions or any regulation of this article shall be considered a summary offense and, upon conviction, shall be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000 or, in lieu of payment of fine, subject to imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation continues after due notice has been served in accordance with the terms and provisions hereof shall constitute a separate offense. The imposition of any penalty for any violation of this article shall not excuse its violation or permit said violation to continue, and all persons shall be required to correct or remedy such violation(s) or defect(s) within a reasonable time.
All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict with the terms of this article are repealed and rescinded to the extent of such conflict. Any other terms and provisions of the ordinances of the Borough that are unaffected by this article are hereby reaffirmed and ratified.
In the event that any provision, section, sentence, clause, or part of this article is held to be invalid, such invalidity shall not affect or impair any remaining provision, section, sentence, clause or part of this article, it being the intent of the Council of the Borough that such remainder shall remain in full force and effect and for this purpose the provisions of this article are hereby declared to be severable.