A.
The term "landlord" shall mean the person or persons who own or purport
to own, or exercise control of, any building or project in which there
is rented, or offered for rent, housing space for living or dwelling
purposes under either a written or oral lease, provided that this
definition shall not include owner-occupied two-unit premises.
B.
No person shall hereafter occupy any rental unit, nor shall the landlord
or owner permit occupancy of any rental unit within the Township,
which is not registered, if required, in accordance with this article.
C.
Each rental unit shall be inspected upon each change in tenancy or
occupancy. No tenant shall occupy a rental unit where a certificate
of occupancy has not been issued by the Housing Official.
A.
Every landlord of a one-dwelling-unit rental or a two-dwelling-unit
non-owner- occupied premises shall hereafter be registered with the
Code Enforcement Division on forms which contain the requirements
of N.J.S.A. 46:8-28. The forms shall be provided by the Code Enforcement
Division.
[Amended 8-13-2019 by Ord. No. 19-19]
B.
The registration fee shall be $125 for any certificates of registration
renewed after the effective date of this article.
[Amended2-27-2024 by Ord. No. 09-24]
C.
Renewal; submission.
[Amended 12-27-2016 by Ord. No. 32-16; 2-27-2024 by Ord. No. 09-24]
(1)
Each landlord registration form shall be renewed on an annual basis
between January 1 and January 31 of the year for which a certificate
shall be effective. Failure to complete the certificate of registration
or renewal process by January 31 of the year for which the certificate
of registration shall apply shall be considered a violation of this
article.
(2)
With respect to all documents required to obtain a landlord registration,
including all registration forms and the provision of documents required
to contain such forms, same may be submitted electronically with the
Township's Code Enforcement Division. The registration forms
may also be issued electronically upon the Code Enforcement Division
being satisfied the applicant has complied with all requirements of
this ordinance. The filing of all such documents electronically is
optional to the landlord.
(3)
This provision shall take effect on January 1, 2025, and be effective
for all landlord registration certificates thereafter. With respect
to any landlord registration certificates which shall be required
to be renewed prior to January 1, 2025, the landlord shall make the
payment of the registration fee of $125 for the balance of calendar
year 2024. All landlord registration forms shall be renewed annually
between January 1 and January 31 thereafter. In the event a new tenancy
is created by a landlord after January 31 of any calendar year, a
certificate of registration must be obtained for the balance of the
calendar year prior to occupancy.
D.
Every landlord shall deliver a copy of the rental license and certificate
of occupancy simultaneously to the tenant(s) upon submission of the
landlord registration form to the Code Enforcement Division.
[Amended 8-13-2019 by Ord. No. 19-19]
E.
Amendments. Every person required to file a landlord registration
form pursuant to this section 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,
except where the ownership or tenancy of the premises is changed.
A.
Every owner shall file with the Code Enforcement Division a registration
form or other forms developed by the Township for each rental unit
contained within a building or structure, which shall include the
following information:
[Amended 8-13-2019 by Ord. No. 19-19]
(1)
The name, address, telephone number and email address of the owner
or owners of the premises and the record owner or owners of the rental
business, if not the same persons, shall be provided. In the case
of a partnership, the names and addresses of all general partners
shall be provided, together with the telephone numbers and email addresses
for each individual partner, indicating where such individual may
be reached both during day and evening hours, which telephone numbers
shall include cell phone numbers. If the record owner is a corporation,
the name and address of the registered agent and corporate officers
of said corporation shall be provided, together with the telephone
number and email address for each such individual, indicating where
such individual may be reached both during day and evening hours,
which shall include providing the cell phone numbers of each such
individual. All registration addresses shall be physical addresses;
post office boxes alone are insufficient.
(2)
If the address of the owner of record is not located in the County
of Ocean, the name, address, telephone number and email address of
a person who resides in the County of Ocean who is authorized to accept
notices from a tenant and to issue receipts therefor and to accept
service of process on behalf of the owner of record.
(3)
The name, address, telephone number and email address of the managing
agent of the premises, if any.
(4)
The name, address and loan number of every holder of a recorded mortgage
on the premises.
(5)
As to each rental unit, a specification of the exact number of sleeping
rooms contained in the rental unit and the exact number of sleeping
accommodations contained in each of the sleeping rooms, identifying
each sleeping room specifically by number and location within the
apartment or dwelling and by the square footage thereof.
(6)
Number of occupants or tenants occupying the rental unit.
(7)
Whether or not the landlord has conducted a tenant screening for
each new tenant and authorized adult household member.
(8)
Such other information as may be prescribed by the Township on the
appropriate form or otherwise by ordinance or resolution.
B.
In addition to the registration information set forth above, every
owner shall file with the Code Enforcement Division and provide a
copy to each individual tenant, by separate forms, the name, age and
address, including the dwelling unit number, telephone number and
email address of each occupant or tenant occupying a rental unit and
a floor plan of the rental unit. These forms shall be filed with the
Housing Department and shall not be available for public inspection.
[Amended 8-13-2019 by Ord. No. 19-19]
C.
Documents to be provided to the Township:
(1)
A copy of the deed establishing ownership of the premises;
(2)
A copy of the lease;
(3)
If the premises is managed by a property manager or agent: a property
management agreement or such document evidencing that the property
manager or agent has agreed to be responsible for the premises;
(4)
Consent/authorization for Township officials to contact the mortgage
company for the status of the mortgage on the mortgage company's official
form;
(6)
If the owner is an entity registered with the New Jersey Department
of Treasury, certificate of good standing.
D.
The owner is required to update any of the above-listed documentation
any time there is a change in status, refinance, change of tenancy
or change of property manager.
No rental unit may be registered and no license shall be issued
for any property containing a rental unit unless all municipal taxes,
sewer charges and any other municipal assessments are paid on a current
basis.
[Added 2-27-2024 by Ord. No. 09-24]
Any landlord failing to obtain a certificate of registration
in accordance with this chapter shall be fined $500 for a first offense,
$750 for a second offense and $1,000 for a third or subsequent offense.
