Cal. Civ. Code § 250.303
Collection of Rent in Special Cases
Operative Text
(a) The following persons shall have the right to collect all rent due by assumpsit or by distraint on personal property located on the real property subject to such rent: (1) The owner of a ground rent; (2) The personal representative of a deceased landlord or deceased tenant for life who has demised the real property subject to his estate, or a deceased landlord whose real property has escheated to the Commonwealth, whether such rent accrued prior to or after the death of the decedent and until the termination of the administration of the estate; (3) The escheator appointed for the purpose of collecting rents; (4) The spouse of a deceased landlord to whom real property has been set aside as his or her allowance by law; and, (5) A widow who is the party named in a deed, agreement or decree of court under which a charge is made upon such real estate for the payment of instalments of dower. (b) Any person given the right by this section to collect and distrain for rent shall be deemed for the purposes of this article to be a landlord.
Under 68 P.S. § 250.303, Pennsylvania law extends the legal authority to collect rent—through a lawsuit for money owed or by seizing personal property on the premises—beyond the original landlord to a defined set of parties. These include ground rent owners, personal representatives of deceased landlords or life-tenants, state escheators, surviving spouses who receive property as a legal allowance, and widows entitled to dower payments. Any person granted this collection authority under the section is treated as a 'landlord' for purposes of the broader landlord-tenant article, giving them the same legal standing in rent-related proceedings.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and estate administrators dealing with rent collection in non-standard ownership situations should be aware that 68 P.S. § 250.303 formally recognizes several categories of parties—such as personal representatives of a deceased landlord's estate or a surviving spouse who has received property as a legal allowance—as having full landlord status for rent-collection purposes. A compliant operator in one of these roles generally documents their legal authority (e.g., letters testamentary, court decree, or deed) before initiating collection actions such as assumpsit or distraint. Maintaining clear records of the basis for one's landlord status under this section helps support any collection proceeding that may arise.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants should be aware that under 68 P.S. § 250.303, the person or entity entitled to collect rent from them may not always be the original landlord named in their lease—it could be an estate representative, a state escheator, or a surviving spouse, all of whom are granted landlord status by this provision. If a tenant receives a rent demand from an unfamiliar party claiming authority under this section, they have the right to understand the legal basis for that claim before paying. Tenants in this situation may find it helpful to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand what documentation a collecting party should be able to provide under § 250.303.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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