BELLEFONTE — The Office of Attorney General won a motion Aug. 17 in ongoing litigation against Associated Realty Property Management (ARPM), a student-housing company in State College.
The lawsuit filed by the office last July alleges that ARPM added illegal administrative fees that served as surcharges at the end of a lease.
The office claimed these charges and other deductions for cleaning fees and fines unrelated to actual damage to the apartments were taken from the security deposit.
The lawsuit also claimed that ARPM violated both Pennsylvania Consumer Protection Law and the Landlord and Tenant Act by adding these illegal surcharges.
“The last thing students and their families need to worry about during the school year is an unexplained, illegal deduction from a security deposit at the end of a lease,” said Attorney General Shapiro.
“We’re putting landlords on notice: if you charge these illegal fees, you’ll have to face us in court.”
According to the Attorney General’s office, the motion filed by ARPM requested the court issue judgment on two issues in the case, which would prevent the Office of Attorney General from moving forward with civil penalties against the company and would declare these surcharges legal, or the Landlord and Tenant Act unconstitutional and vague.
Judge Katherine Oliver, of the Centre Court of Common Pleas, denied the motion, determining that the Attorney General can move forward with its case for civil penalties and that the Landlord and Tenant Act is clear as to what can be deducted from the security deposit.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorny General Brandon Bingle.
