For the purposes of this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:
BASEMENT
That portion of any building that is partly underground and which has more than 1/2 of its height, measured from clear floor to ceiling, above the average adjoining ground level.
CELLAR
The lowermost portion of a building, partly or totally underground, having half or more of its height measured from clear floor to ceiling below the average adjoining ground level.
DWELLING
Any building, structure or part thereof used or occupied for human habitation or intended to be so used.
EXTERMINATION
The control and elimination of infestation by eliminating harboring places or removing or making inaccessible any food, dirt, waste or other materials that may stimulate the increase of pests. Such term shall also mean pest control by poisoning, spraying or trapping or fumigation by a fumigator having a permit from the Fire Department or any other recognized, legal effective pest elimination procedure.
INFESTATION
Household pests, vermin, rodents, nesting places and conditions for nesting.
OCCUPANT
The tenant, lessee or other person in actual possession of and living in a dwelling.
OWNER
Any person who, alone or jointly or severally with others, shall have legal or equitable title to any premises, with or without accompanying actual possession thereof; or shall have charge, care or control of any dwelling or dwelling unit, as owner or agent of the owner or as executor, executrix, administrator, administratrix, trustee, receiver or guardian of an estate or as a mortgagee in possession, regardless of how such possession was obtained. Any person who is a lessee subletting or reassigning any part or all of any dwelling or dwelling unit shall be deemed to be a "co-owner" with the lessor and shall have joint responsibility over the portion of the premises sublet or assigned by such lessee.
PLUMBING
Gas pipes, gas-burning equipment, heaters and tanks or boilers for hot water, waste pipes, water pipes, water closets, sinks, lavatories, furnaces for steam heat and other heating appliances, bathtubs, catch basins, drains, vents and other fixtures, together with the connections to the water, sewer or gas lines.
PROVIDED
Furnished, supplied, paid for or under the control of the owner.
[Ord. No. 1959, 8-3-1982, § 2; amended by Ord. No. 2053, 9-4-1984, § 1]
It shall be the duty of and the responsibility of the owner of any dwelling:
(a) 
To keep every dwelling and every part thereof, including the roof, walls, floors, provided refrigerators and stoves, provided carpeting, ceilings, attics, cellars, halls, stairs, stairways, porches, plumbing, provided heating plants and provided fixtures and equipment for heating water, including chimneys and smoke pipes, doors, windows, foundations and rubbish containers, in a state of sound repair and in a clean, sanitary condition.
(b) 
To maintain such dwelling so there will not be excessive heat loss caused by lack of or improper maintenance of the doors, windows, walls, roofs or other parts of the building.
(c) 
To refrain from shutting off or causing to have discontinued or disconnected provided utilities for any occupied dwelling, except where such interruption of utility service is necessary while in the actual process of making repairs or during temporary emergencies for which repairs are being arranged. If heat or other utility service must be interrupted for any reason under circumstances other than unanticipated breakdowns as provided for in § 21-32, the custodian of the building shall notify all tenants who may be affected, at least 24 hours in advance, that the heat or utility service will be interrupted and the anticipated length of time of the interruption.
(d) 
To keep the basement or cellar dry and ventilated. The floors of such basement or cellar shall be paved with brick, cement, tile or asphalt or with some other approved impervious material. The basement or cellar shall be kept clean and free from any accumulation of filth, ashes, garbage, rubbish, refuse, junk, soil matter, wood, paper and other materials of a combustible or putrefactive nature, and if not and request therefor is made by the Health Officer or his agent, the same shall be cleaned and disinfected. The use of any cellar for sleeping purposes is prohibited, except when used by a member of the family or by a domestic employee by the owner-occupant, if such room complies with the following conditions and when other rooms are not occupied by lodgers, boarders or other persons who are not members of the immediate family:
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II)]
(1) 
The room shall have a minimum of 490 cubic feet of air space.
(2) 
The room shall have a minimum area of 70 square feet.
(3) 
The room shall be free from dampness.
(4) 
The room shall have a minimum height from floor to ceiling of seven feet.
(5) 
The room shall have, in addition to existing stairs, a safe and unobstructed means of egress which shall lead to a safe and open space outside of the building.
(6) 
Means of ventilating shall be provided by an easily operable window having an operable area of at least 45% of the minimum window area. The minimum window area shall be eight square feet and shall open readily directly to the street or yard.
(e) 
Side walls and ceilings of such dwelling, dwelling unit and every habitable room, hall, closet and compartment shall be kept clean and well and sufficiently plastered, painted or papered, so that the same may have clean, smooth and washable surfaces.
(f) 
The flooring of the halls, stairs and landings shall be kept clean and free from filth, ashes, garbage, rubbish, refuse, junk, soil water, drainage water, slop, wood, paper and other material of a putrefactive or combustible nature and free from fire and accident hazards.
(g) 
The porches, stairways, landings, steps, floors, fire escapes, courts, yards, alleys, areaways, passageways and all surrounding exterior surfaces of any dwelling shall be kept free from any accumulations of filth, ashes, garbage, refuse, junk, paper, wood, soil matter, waste matter, drainage and other material of a combustible or putrefactive nature. Such places shall at all times be kept free from fire and accident hazards.
(h) 
In every dwelling occupied by more than three families, in which the owner does not reside, a janitor, caretaker, housekeeper or other person designated by the owner shall be provided, who shall at all times keep the court, yard, alley, areaway, sidewalk and other exterior surfaces clean and free from any accumulations of waste material. Garbage and all waste material shall be moved from such dwelling premises at regular intervals and at the convenience and collection schedule of the garbage removal agency of the Township.
(i) 
Chimneys, smokestacks, smokepipes, flues and provided heating equipment of such dwelling shall be maintained and kept free from defect and in such condition as to prevent coal or illuminating gas, soot, smoke or noxious fumes or odors from entering such dwelling, dwelling unit or habitable rooms or any dwelling or dwelling unit adjacent thereto.
(j) 
The roof, gutters, leaders, side walls, windows and window frames of such dwelling and every part thereof shall be kept structurally sound and free from leakage and rain weather.
(k) 
The dwelling and surrounding premises shall be maintained free from vermin, insect pests, and rodents.
[Amended by Ord. No. 11-2024, 6-18-2024]
(l) 
In the absence of natural ventilation, every habitable room shall be ventilated by mechanical means.
(m) 
In every tenancy where the owner has furnished or has agreed to furnish window screens and screen doors, or either, as a preventative against fly and mosquito infestation, such screening shall be at all times kept in good and serviceable condition.
(n) 
In all dwellings constructed after the effective date of the Code of the Township of Teaneck, New Jersey, 1964, the occupant of every dwelling shall be provided with adequate window and door screens to maintain the same at all times in good and serviceable condition.