Attorney General Michelle Henry has announced a settlement with Miller Properties Group, LLC, a property management company based in Warren County. The company and its owner, Jason Miller, were accused of unlawfully disconnecting water service to occupied rental properties as a means of "self-help" - an illegal tactic used by landlords to force eviction or removal of tenants without first obtaining a court order of possession, as mandated by the Pennsylvania Landlord Tenant Act and relevant civil procedure rules.
The Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection responded to tenant complaints and took action that led Miller to restore the water supply and pursue evictions through legal channels.
“This action should send a message to property owners — self-help is not a legal option,” said Attorney General Henry. “The law is clear that self-help is not an acceptable or lawful way to address tenants who are delinquent on rent payments.”
The settlement agreement was recently filed with the Common Pleas Court of Warren County in the form of an assurance of voluntary compliance. The agreement also indicates that Miller Properties Group violated the Pennsylvania Fair Credit Extension Uniformity Act (FCEUA), which regulates debt collection practices in Pennsylvania. FCEUA prohibits creditors from taking actions that cannot legally be taken and from taking any non-judicial action to dispossess a debtor from property if the property is exempt from dispossession. The Attorney General’s office enforces the FCEUA.
As part of the settlement terms, Miller Properties Group and its owner agreed to comply with all applicable laws and pay a civil penalty of $500.
Tenants who believe they are being forced out of their rental properties due to self-help measures are encouraged to contact the Bureau of Consumer Protection at 800-525-7642 or visit the Attorney General’s website PA Office of Attorney General for information on filing a complaint with the Office.