How to remove tenant in PA, Month to Month.

[Steve Welsh]

As the topic says, I need a little help here on how to remove a tenant from my property in Pennsylvania.

Basically my wife and I bought our first house (2 unit) back in March which came with the previous tenant on a month to month agreement, so no lease. The tenant has had issues with paying on time since day one, and I still haven't received my security deposit from her. She has paid every month, just usually 2 weeks late. I haven't worried to much about this as she has always paid, and otherwise been a great tenant. The apartment is kept very clean and she hasn't bothered us a bit.

Last night I could have swore I heard a dog in the apartment (she has no dogs/cats and I don't want any in the apartment) and today when I come home from work I heard it again. I went up to the apartment to discuss it with her and she was at work, with two

supposedly relatives of hers that I had never met and their rather large dog up in the apartment. I have reason to believe they had been there a couple of days as well (seen the guy there the last 2 mornings as I was leaving for work, figured it was a boyfriend).

So at this point I need to make it clear to her that the relatives can't stay and the dog must go, as well as I need the security deposit and the late payments must stop. I know she wants to stay in the apartment, so my thought was I'd let her know the guests can spend a night or two, but that the apartment is for two people only (her and her young son), absolutely no dogs, and I need the security deposit and rent payment by the first of next month (short notice but I don't want to give her any more time than needed while I have nothing to protect myself) or I'll issue her a 30 day notice.

Now here's my question. My research has basically said with a month to month agreement in PA, all I need to do is give her 30 days notice and she has to be out. Great, but is that it? Do I have to file with the courts for an eviction so that she's forced out after 30 days or do I wait for 30 days to be up and then file if she's not gone, potentially giving her an extra month to wait around (and I'm sure if it comes to that she wont be paying rent so I'll be out several months rent). 

I've found information on terminating a lease but month to month seems a little fuzzy. Again this is in Pennsylvania so please keep that in mind. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve