25 Del. C. ch. 55 § 5511
Rules and regulations; tenant obligations
Operative Text
(a) The tenant and all others in the premises with the consent of the tenant shall obey all obligations or restrictions, whether denominated by the landlord as “rules,” “regulations,” “restrictions” or otherwise, concerning the tenant’s use, occupation and maintenance of the rental unit, appurtenances thereto and the property of which the rental unit is a part, if: (1) Such obligations and restrictions promote the health, safety, quiet, private enjoyment or welfare, peace and order of the tenants; promote the preservation of the landlord’s property from abuse; and promote the fair distribution of services and facilities provided for all tenants generally; and (2) Such obligations and restrictions are brought to the attention of the tenant at the time of the tenant’s entry into the agreement to occupy the rental unit; and (3) Such obligations and restrictions are reasonably related to the purpose for which they are promulgated; and (4) Such obligations and restrictions apply to all tenants of the property in a fair manner; and (5) Such obligations and restrictions are sufficiently explicit in the prohibition, direction or limitation of the tenant’s conduct to fairly inform tenant of what tenant must or must not do to comply; and (6) Such obligations or restrictions, if not made known to the tenant at the commencement of tenancy, are brought to the attention of the tenant and if said obligations work a substantial modifications of the lease agreement they have been consented to in writing by tenant. (b) All tenants and other guests of the premises with the consent of tenant shall conduct themselves in a manner that does not unreasonably interfere with the peaceful enjoyment of the other tenants.
Under 25 Del. C. ch. 55 § 5511, tenants and anyone they allow onto the premises are bound by a landlord's rules and regulations—regardless of what those rules are called—but only when those rules meet a specific set of conditions. The conditions include that the rules must serve legitimate purposes (such as health, safety, or fair use of shared services), be clearly communicated to the tenant at the start of the tenancy, apply fairly to all tenants, and be specific enough for a tenant to understand what is required. Any rule introduced after the tenancy begins that substantially changes the lease terms must be consented to in writing by the tenant. Separately, all tenants and their guests are required to behave in ways that do not unreasonably disturb other tenants' peaceful enjoyment of their homes.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under 25 Del. C. ch. 55 § 5511, compliant operators generally ensure that all property rules and regulations are presented to prospective tenants before or at the time the rental agreement is signed, so that enforceability is established from the outset. Rules are typically written with enough specificity that tenants can clearly understand what conduct is required or prohibited, and they are applied consistently and fairly across all tenants on the property. When a landlord introduces new rules after a tenancy has begun that would substantially modify the existing lease, operators generally obtain written consent from the affected tenant before treating those rules as binding.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 5511 of Title 25 of the Delaware Code sets out the conditions under which a landlord's rules and regulations are legally enforceable against you and your guests. If a rule was not disclosed at the start of your tenancy, or if it substantially changes your lease terms without your written consent, or if it is vague, applied unfairly, or lacks a legitimate purpose, it may not meet the statutory requirements for enforcement. Tenants who believe a rule does not satisfy the conditions in § 5511 may raise that issue as a defense in a landlord-tenant proceeding, or may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization familiar with Delaware housing law for general information about available options.
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 22, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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