Philadelphia / Inspection guide

Inspecting a Philadelphia rental and getting repairs made

By Homzora Team · September 22, 2026

Many Philadelphia rentals are in older rowhouses and converted buildings. That brings character, but also aging heating systems, lead paint, leaky roofs and basements, and pests. A structured viewing helps you avoid a home with serious problems, and a clear record helps you get repairs made later.

Research the property first

Look up the address on Atlas, the city's property lookup tool, before you visit. Atlas shows ownership and property information, and it can show licenses and code violation history recorded by the Department of Licenses and Inspections. A property with no active rental license, or with open violations, deserves extra caution. Also ask the landlord in advance for copies of the Certificate of Rental Suitability and, for any home built before 1978, the lead safe or lead free certification, since you will need both at the start of the lease.^[1][2]

Heating systems

Heat is the most important system in a Philadelphia winter. Identify the heating type. Many rowhouses have gas boilers with radiators, older forced air furnaces, or electric baseboard heat. Ask the age of the system and when it was last serviced, and look for a service tag. Turn the heat on during a viewing if the season allows, and feel whether every room warms up, including rooms at the back of a rowhouse and any finished basement.

For two family homes, multifamily buildings and rooming houses, Philadelphia requires landlords to maintain at least 68 degrees in habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms from October 1 through April 30.^[3] The city warns that using a stove or oven for heat is illegal and unsafe, and that portable heaters raise the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning.^[3] If the only heat in a room is a space heater, treat that as a warning sign.

Lead paint

Lead paint is the most serious health hazard in older Philadelphia housing, especially for young children. Look closely at window sills, window frames, doors, stair railings, porches and radiators for chipping, peeling or flaking paint, and for paint dust. Windows that stick and grind when opened can create lead dust. Ask for the lead safe or lead free certificate, which Philadelphia requires for rentals built before 1978 at each new or renewed lease and for a rental license, and ask when the unit was last certified.^[1][4] If you have a young child or are expecting one, raise this with the landlord directly and consider asking the city's lead program about testing.

Water, roofs and basements

Rowhouse roofs are often flat and need regular maintenance. Look for water stains on top floor ceilings and around skylights. In basements, look for water lines on walls, efflorescence, which is a white powdery deposit on masonry, standing water, a musty smell and signs of a sump pump. Ask whether the basement has ever flooded and whether it is included in the lease. Check under sinks and around toilets for leaks, run the hot water and check the water pressure on the top floor.

Some neighborhoods, such as low areas near the Schuylkill River and the Manayunk canal, may carry flood risk. Check the FEMA flood map for the address and ask whether the building has flooded.^[5]

Safety devices and electrical

Check for working smoke alarms on every floor and near sleeping areas, and for carbon monoxide alarms if the home has gas appliances or a gas heating system. The Certificate of Rental Suitability states that fire protection and smoke detectors are in good working order, so a missing or broken detector at a viewing should be fixed before you sign.^[2] Look for scorched outlets, missing cover plates, ungrounded two prong outlets throughout, and extension cords used as permanent wiring. Ask whether the electrical service has been updated, since older rowhouses often have limited capacity.

Pests and windows

Look inside kitchen cabinets, under sinks and in basements for droppings, insects or bait stations, and ask how often the property is treated. Mice and cockroaches are common in older attached housing. Check that every window opens, closes and locks, that screens are present, and that drafts are not severe. In winter, feel for cold air around window frames, because drafty windows raise heating costs. Check that doors lock securely and that the front door has a working deadbolt.

Cooling, humidity and mold

Do not assume a rental includes air conditioning, because many older homes rely on window units. Ask whether units are provided, who maintains them, and whether the windows and wiring can support them safely. Humid summers and damp basements can encourage mold. Look for dark spots on bathroom ceilings, around windows and on basement walls, and check that bathrooms have a working exhaust fan or an opening window. A persistent musty smell usually means moisture somewhere, even if you cannot see it.

Stairs, porches and fire safety

Rowhouses often have steep interior stairs, and many have front steps, porches or rear decks that need regular maintenance. Check that handrails are secure, that treads are solid, and that porches and decks do not move or feel soft underfoot. In apartments above the ground floor, ask how you would leave the building in a fire. Check that exits are clear, that stairways are lit and that any fire escapes look sound. In larger buildings, ask about fire alarms and extinguishers.

Kitchens, bathrooms and appliances

Test every appliance included in the lease. Turn on each stove burner and the oven, open the refrigerator and freezer to check that they are cold, and run the dishwasher and garbage disposal if there is one. In bathrooms, flush the toilet, run the shower until it is hot, and check that the tub and sink drain properly. Look at the caulk around the tub and at the floor near the toilet for soft spots, which can indicate a slow leak. Ask which appliances the landlord will repair or replace and which, if any, the lease makes your responsibility. If a washer and dryer are included, run a short cycle or ask when they were last serviced.

Neighborhood and building checks

Visit at different times of day if you can. Walk the block in the evening to judge lighting, noise and parking. In a rowhouse, ask about shared walls and whether neighbors' renovations or roof work have caused leaks. In an apartment building, check the condition of shared hallways, the mail area and the trash room, which often reflect how well the building is managed overall.

Questions to ask the landlord

How do tenants report repairs, and how quickly are no heat and no hot water problems addressed?
Is there an after hours emergency number?
Who is responsible for sidewalk snow removal, trash, yard care and minor repairs under the lease?
Has the basement or any part of the home flooded or leaked?
When were the heating system, roof and water heater last serviced or replaced?
When was the lead certification issued, and was the home treated for lead hazards?

How to get repairs made

Report every problem to the landlord in writing, by email, text, portal or letter, and keep a copy. Describe the problem, when it started and how it affects your use of the home, and include photographs. Give the landlord a reasonable time to respond based on the seriousness of the problem.

If the landlord does not act, you can contact Philly311. The Department of Licenses and Inspections can inspect for code violations and issue notices to the owner, and it treats no heat complaints as a priority during heat season.^[3] An official violation is strong evidence of a condition and triggers city enforcement. A landlord may not retaliate against you for reporting a violation, and Philadelphia limits a landlord's ability to end a tenancy while a notice of violation is pending.^[6]

Pennsylvania also recognizes an implied warranty of habitability.^[7] It cannot be waived, and in serious cases it can allow a tenant to seek a reduction in rent or to withhold rent.^[6][7] Withholding rent carries real risk, however. You must have told the landlord about the problem, the condition must be serious, and you may later have to prove both in court.^[7] A judge may decide whether withheld rent must be paid into escrow, so set aside any withheld rent in case you are required to pay it.^[7] Speak with Community Legal Services, Philadelphia Legal Assistance or the Philly Tenant Hotline before withholding any rent.

After the viewing

Write a short summary of each viewing on the same day. List what worked, what did not, what you could not check and what the landlord promised. If a promise affects your decision, such as servicing the boiler, repainting peeling window sills or treating for pests before you move in, ask for it in writing, ideally in the lease itself. A written commitment is far easier to enforce than a verbal one, particularly if the property is later sold or managed by someone else.

Starting points by neighborhood

Center City and University City: Many apartments in larger buildings. Ask about the heating system, elevator reliability and emergency procedures.
Fishtown: A mix of new construction and older rowhouses. In new buildings, ask about noise and ventilation. In older homes, focus on heat, roofs and lead.
South Philadelphia: Mostly rowhouses. Check basements, roofs, heating systems and lead certification carefully.
Manayunk: Check flood risk near the river and canal, and the condition of steep front steps and porches.
Germantown: Many large historic houses divided into apartments. Check heating capacity, fire exits, lead certification and the rental license.

Your completion record

Atlas record checked
Rental license and violations reviewed
Heating system tested
Lead certificate requested
Roof, basement and plumbing checked
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms tested
Pests, windows and locks checked
Repair reporting method confirmed

Keep dated photographs with this record, and send the landlord one written list of unresolved issues after the viewing. The evidence guide explains how to keep records that hold up in a dispute.

Sources and official resources

Use the planning tools · All Philadelphia guides