Within 60 days after the adoption of this chapter, all owners or landlords
shall be required to register all rental dwelling units with the Rent Leveling
Board. From then on, every landlord governed by this chapter shall, by the
28th day of February of each year, register all rental units with the Rent
Leveling Board. Registration shall be accomplished when the landlord files,
on a form specified by the Rent Leveling Board, the following information:
A. The address of the dwelling units.
B. The name and address of the owner/landlord.
C. The name and address of the manager/superintendent of
the building.
D. The rent being paid by each tenant as of January 1 of
said year (base rent plus surcharges equals total).
E. Each surcharge listed separately, with the effective
date and the expiration date clearly stated for each tenant.
F. The number of rooms occupied by each tenant.
G. The number of individual dwelling units in the building.
H. Facilities and/or utilities provided.
I. The rental period of each tenant and the date when said
rental period terminates.
J. Identification of any apartment on any subsidy program.
K. Identification of all units vacated in the prior 12 months
and the certificate of occupancy numbers for the vacant apartments.
L. A statement as to the number of individuals residing,
on a full-time basis, in each apartment unit, together with a statement as
to whether each of the individuals is over or under the age of 18 years.
[Added 9-19-1995 by Ord. No. 1228]
[Amended 3-16-1999 by Ord. No. 1320]
A. Any landlord who fails to register a rental unit as provided in §
235-23 may not increase any rent for said unregistered controlled rental unit.
B. Any landlord who fails to comply with this section and
raises the rent of a controlled rental unit without first properly registering
the same with the municipality shall return any excess rent received from
the tenant of the subject unit, "excess rent" being defined as the difference
between the raised rent and the prior rental rate. The landlord will also
be subject to a penalty not to exceed $100.
C. The Borough of Palisades Park Rent Leveling Board shall
prepare a pamphlet, by January 20, 1999, which shall be updated every two
years as necessary, entitled "Registration Requirements of Landlords; Annual
Rent Increases," which shall be made available to any individual who is a
tenant residing within a rental unit within this borough, advising this individual
of the following information:
(1) The landlord's annual registration requirement.
(2) Any landlord who has failed to register a unit properly
shall not be permitted to increase rents for a controlled rental unit until
the unit is properly registered.
(3) Any tenant residing within a controlled rental unit may
come to the Clerk's office, Borough Hall, any Monday through Friday between
the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays, and request to see
a copy of their landlord's annual registration statement.
(4) When a landlord attempts to increase the rents for a
unit which is not properly registered, the tenant may file a complaint with
the Rent Leveling Board.
(5) Any landlord who raises the rent on a controlled rental
unit without having properly registered the unit will be subject to fines
and/or penalties based on the landlord's failure to comply with this
section.
D. Violations. Any landlord who fails to regulate a controlled
rental unit shall be subject to a fine or raises the rent of a controlled
rental unit without first registering same shall be subject to a penalty not
to exceed $100 for a first offense and $150 for a second or additional offenses.
The landlord shall print or otherwise insert on each new lease or lease
renewal the following language: "Rent on this apartment is required to be
computed in accordance with certain guidelines established by the Municipal
Rent Leveling Ordinance, which ordinance is administered by the Palisades
Park Rent Leveling Board." Said language shall be in capital letters and in
a conspicuous location on each new lease.