Know your rights when signing an apartment or housing lease
Bauer, Scanlon, & Wigginton • July 24, 2026
Eligibility for expungement varies depending on state laws and the specifics of the offense. At Bauer Scanlon & Wigginton, we work closely with clients to evaluate their eligibility and develop a strategy tailored to their situation.
The impact of expungement extends beyond simply clearing a record. It can open doors to new opportunities and reduce the stigma associated with a criminal history.
- Post-Approval Steps
After the court grants the expungement, we ensure all relevant agencies (e.g., law enforcement and background check companies) update their records. This ensures your expunged record is no longer accessible.
Myth 3: Expungement is Automatic In most cases, you must actively pursue expungement; it doesn’t happen automatically after a certain time.
Myth 4: Expungement Guarantees No Future Issues While expungement significantly reduces visibility, certain entities (like government agencies) may still access the record in specific circumstances.
How Bauer Scanlon & Wigginton Can Help
At Bauer Scanlon & Wigginton, we understand that your future is at stake. Our dedicated attorneys specialize in navigating the intricacies of expungement law, ensuring the best possible outcome for your case. Here’s how we can support you:
Our support doesn’t end with court approval. We provide guidance on leveraging your expungement to rebuild your life.
If you are entering a lease on an apartment or housing, make sure to carefully review the lease. Some landlords will take advantage of tenants’, especially younger tenants’, ignorance of the law. Your lease may include a “Release” clause which absolves your landlord of any responsibility for damage caused to you or the property.
We recently had a case where a tenant signed a lease with a “Release” clause. This released the property management group of any liability for damages caused in any capacity. From the day our client moved in, there was water damage found in the apartment. Within a month and half of moving in, significant mold growth had occurred as well.
Under Pennsylvania law, there is an implied warranty of habitability that applies to any residential lease agreement. This requires residential landlords to provide their tenants with a living space that is safe, sanitary, and reasonably comfortable. The landlord may be in breach of the warranty if the dwelling does not provide a space fit for habitation of the tenants.
This is a great example of a situation where the implied warranty of habitability overrides the language of the lease and “Release” clause. We have helped renters in Delaware County and the surrounding counties stand up for their rights against overreaching landlords. Don’t get taken advantage. Call us today to schedule a consultation to discuss your lease dispute.