[Adopted 11-26-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-28]
Unless the context clearly indicates a different
meaning, the following words or phrases, when used in this article,
shall have the following meaning:
AGENT
The individual or individuals designated by the owner as
the person(s) authorized by the owner to perform any duty imposed
upon the owner by this article. The term does not necessarily mean
a licensed real estate broker or salesman of the State of New Jersey
as those terms are defined by N.J.S.A. 45:15-3; however, such term
may include a licensed real estate broker or salesman of the State
of New Jersey if such person designated by the owner as his agent
is so licensed.
APARTMENT COMPLEX
Two or more buildings, each containing two or more apartments,
which are located within close proximity of each other and are owned
by the same owner.
APARTMENT or DWELLING
Any apartment, cottage, bungalow or house or any room or
rooms in a rooming/boarding house, house or other dwelling unit consisting
of one or more rooms occupying all or part of a floor or floors in
a building, whether designed with or without housekeeping facilities,
for dwelling purposes and notwithstanding whether the apartment be
designed for residence, for office, or the operation of any industry
or business or for any other type of independent use.
LICENSE
The license issued by the Township Clerk or designee attesting
that the rental unit has been properly registered and inspected in
accordance with this article.
LICENSEE
The person to whom the license is issued pursuant to this
article. The term "licensee " includes within its definition the term
"agent" where applicable.
OWNER
Any person or group of persons, firm, corporation, or officer
thereof, partnership, association or trust who owns, operates, exercises
control over or is in charge of a rental facility.
PERSON
An individual, firm, corporation, partnership, association,
trust or other legal entity, or any combination thereof.
RENTAL FACILITY
Every building, group of buildings or a portion thereof which
is kept, used, maintained, advertised or held out to be a place where
living accommodations are supplied, whether furnished or unfurnished,
for pay or other consideration, to one or more individuals and is
meant to include apartments and apartment complexes.
RENTAL UNIT
A dwelling unit that is available for lease or rental purposes
and is meant to include individual apartments located within apartment
complexes, including one- and two-family attached and detached dwelling
units.
All rental units shall hereafter be registered
with the Township Clerk or designee of the Township of Mansfield or
such other person as designated by the Township Committee on forms
which shall be provided for that purpose and which shall be obtained
for the Township Clerk or designee. Such registration shall occur
on an annual basis as provided herein.
[Amended 6-8-2016 by Ord.
No. 2016-8]
Each rental unit shall be registered and inspected
with each change of occupancy or ownership. The permit term shall
commence on October 1 and shall be valid until September 30 of the
following calendar year, at which time it shall expire and a new registration
shall be required. The initial registration shall occur within 45
days following the adoption of this article. Any lease which has been
executed prior to the adoption of this article shall not be affected;
however, the rental unit must nevertheless be registered and inspected
in accordance with this article. No rental unit shall hereafter be
rented unless the rental unit is registered and inspected in accordance
with this article.
Without in any way intending to infringe upon
the requirements of N.J.S.A. 46:8-28, all rental units shall be registered
and inspected as provided herein. Every owner shall file with the
Township Clerk-Administrator or designee of the Township of Mansfield
or such other person as designated by the Township Committee a registration
form for each unit contained within a building or structure which
shall include the following information:
A. The name and address, including the dwelling unit
number, of each occupant or tenant occupying the rental unit.
B. The name and address of the record owner or owners
of the premises and the record owner or owners of the rental business
if not the same persons. In the case of partnership, the names and
address of all general partners shall be provided, together with the
telephone numbers for each of such individuals indicating where such
individual may be reached both during the day and evening hours.
C. If the address of any record owner is not located
in Mansfield Township or in Burlington County, the name and address
of a person who resides in Burlington County and who is authorized
to accept notices from a tenant and to issue therefor and to accept
service of process on behalf of the record owner.
D. The name and address of the agent of the premises,
if any.
E. The name and address, including the dwelling unit
number of the superintendent, janitor, custodian or other individual
employed by the owner or agent to provide regular maintenance service,
if any.
F. The name, address and telephone number of an individual
representative of the owner or agent who may be reached or contacted
at any time in the event of an emergency affecting the premises or
any unit of dwelling space therein, including such emergencies as
the future of any essential service or system, and who has the authority
to make emergency decisions regarding the building and any repair
thereto or expenditure in connection therewith.
G. If fuel oil is used to heat the building and the landlord
furnishes the heat in the building, the name, address and telephone
number of the approved fuel oil dealer servicing the building and
the grade of fuel oil used.
H. The name, address and telephone number of the certified
HVAC maintenance contractor that is approved to service the heater
in case of emergency. Certification of the heating system shall be
provided upon the initial registration and also upon the annual registration
renewal, The type of heating system shall also be provided.
I. As to each rental unit, a specification of the exact
number of occupant sleeping rooms contained in the rental unit. In
order to satisfy the requirement of this provision, an owner shall
submit a floor plan which shall become part of the application and
which shall be attached to the registration form when filed with the
Township Clerk or designee.
J. Such other information as may be prescribed by the
Township.
The Township Clerk or designee shall index and
file the registration forms. In doing so, the Township Clerk or designee
shall follow the mandates of N.J.S.A. 46:8-28.1 as amended and supplemented,
so that the filing of the registration form will simultaneously satisfy
the registration requirements of N.J.S.A. 46:8-28 to the extent that
it applies to the property being registered and will also satisfy
the registration requirements of this article.
[Amended 6-8-2016 by Ord.
No. 2016-8]
Every person required to file a registration
form pursuant to this article shall file an amended registration form
within 20 days after any change in the information required to be
included thereon. No fee shall be required for the filing of an amendment.
No person shall hereafter occupy any rental
unit, nor shall the owner permit occupancy of any rental unit within
the Township of Mansfield, which is not registered and licensed in
accordance with this article.
[Amended 6-8-2016 by Ord.
No. 2016-8]
Upon the filing of a completed registration
form and a satisfactory inspection, the owner shall be entitled to
the issuance of a license commencing on the date of issuance and expiring
on the same date of the next calendar year. A registration form shall
be required for each rental unit, and license shall be issued to the
owner for each rental unit, even if more than one unit is contained
in the property.
At the time of the filing of the registration
form for the rental property license, and prior to issuance of a license,
the owner or agent of the owner must pay a fee in accordance with
the following:
C. An inspection fee of $100 per rental unit.
[Amended 6-8-2016 by Ord.
No. 2016-8]
D. A reinspection fee of $100 per re-inspected unit.
[Amended 6-8-2016 by Ord.
No. 2016-8]
E. If the owner of the property is a senior citizen who
resides in a unit or property and rents out the remaining unit and
would otherwise qualify under the State of New Jersey property tax
deduction under N.J.S.A. 54:4-8.41, there shall be no fee; however,
the rental unit must still be registered.
F. If any fee is not paid within 30 days of its due date,
a late fee surcharge of $30 per unit will be assessed, which will
accrue on a monthly basis starting from the original due date.
Every owner shall provide each occupant or tenant
occupying a rental unit with a copy of the registration form required
by this article. This particular provision shall not apply to any
hotel, motel or guest house registered with the State of New Jersey
pursuant to the Hotel and Multiple Dwelling Act as defined in N.J.S.A.
55:13A-3. This provision may be complied with by posting a copy of
the registration certificate in a conspicuous place within the rental
unit(s), A copy of the approved registration form must also be forwarded
to the Township Clerk's office.
No rental unit may be registered and no license
shall be issued for any property containing a rental unit unless all
municipal taxes, water and sewer charges and any other municipal assessments
are paid on a current basis.
[Amended 6-8-2016 by Ord.
No. 2016-8]
All dwelling units shall be maintained in accordance
with the Uniform Construction Code and the International Property
Maintenance Code/2015 (IPMC).