[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Lumberton as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 12-16-2002 by Ord. No. 2002-18; amended in its entirety 7-22-2008 by Ord. No.
2008-15]
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
The Township Construction Code Official, the Township Building
Inspector or any other local official duly authorized and appointed
by the Township Administrator to perform the duties set forth in this
article.
The natural person(s) or legal entity(ies) listed on the
title as it appears in the public records of the Township of Lumberton
after the deed has been properly recorded in accordance with the laws
of the State of New Jersey and the Township of Lumberton, including
any person who owns any legally cognizable interest in the deeded
property and any person who is properly authorized to exercise powers
of or for an owner of property used as a residential rental unit.
Any natural person or persons who have contracted as lessees
to lease a unit or apartment from the landlord, owner or title holder,
regardless of the kind or type of tenancy under which they occupy
the unit or apartment.
The leasing, rental, letting or other granting of occupancy
for any period of time where title to the residence is not transferred
to the occupant at any time during the residency.
Any building, structure, cottage, bungalow, boardinghouse
or other dwelling unit, or part thereof, containing one or more residential
or living units, furnished or unfurnished, which is occupied or so
intended, arranged or designed to be occupied for sleeping or dwelling
purposes and is so registered with the Township of Lumberton in accordance
with Township laws, codes and ordinances, and the laws of the State
of New Jersey, for the purpose of residential occupancy, except that
it shall not include residential property that is owner-occupied,
meaning that the person seeking to rent, lease or let the residential
rental property resides in a unit or apartment contained within the
building in which that person seeks to rent, lease or let units.
Any portion of a residential rental property rented or offered
for rent, for the purposes of living and/or dwelling, to an individual
or family, together with all privileges, services, furnishings, furniture,
equipment, facilities, permanent fixtures and improvements connected
with the use or occupancy of such portion of the property. Such units
may be a room, collection of rooms, all or part of a floor in a building,
quarters or appended room or dwelling, with or without housekeeping
facilities, which is occupied or intended to be occupied by an individual
or family for sleeping or dwelling purposes.
A.
The owner of every residential rental property situated
within the Township of Lumberton shall file a rental property registration
statement, on forms provided by the Township Department of Inspections,
with the office of the Township Department of Inspections, to be filed
with the office of the Township Building Inspector, who will maintain
custody of all rental property registration statements. Copies of
the same will be provided to the Lumberton Police Department and Fire
Chief.
(1)
In the event that tenancy changes after the filing
date, the owner shall amend the rental property registration statement
within 90 calendar days of the change in tenancy.
(2)
In the event that a landlord, owner and/or title holder
no longer rents, leases or lets the property to another for the purpose
of residential occupancy, the landlord, owner and/or title holder
shall notify the Department of Inspections of such a fact, in writing.
(3)
Upon the conveyance of ownership of a residential
rental unit, the new owner and/or title holder shall, within 10 days
of the date of conveyance, notify the Department of Inspections, in
writing, of the change in ownership.
B.
The provisions of this section of this article do
not apply to owner-occupied rental properties situated within the
Township of Lumberton.
C.
The rental property registration statement shall contain:
(1)
The names and addresses of every natural person and
legal entity who are the owners, landlords or title holders of the
residential rental property(ies) at issue and the legally recognized
agents, partners or representatives who have the authority to accept
service and/or notices or correspondence on their behalf.
(2)
The names and addresses of the managing agents, if
applicable, or the superintendents, supervising janitor or custodian
or other person employed to provide regular maintenance services to
the residential rental property(ies) who can be reached in event of
an emergency or natural disaster affecting the residence.
(3)
The names of every person contracted to reside as
an occupant or tenant and the address and unit in which they are contracted
to reside.
(4)
The addresses of the residential rental units.
(5)
The term of the existing or anticipated lease.
D.
All landlords or owners to whom this article applies
shall register in accordance with this section within 60 days of the
date of adoption hereof, excepting therefrom any landlord or owner
currently registered in accordance with this article, along with a
fee as specified in the Lumberton Township Fee Schedule[1] for the initial registration and inspection as required
herein.
[1]
Editor's Note: Said Fee Schedule is on file
in the Township offices.
A.
Certificate of inspection required. No person shall
rent, lease or in any way deliver for occupancy or possession to any
occupant or prospective occupant of any residential unit for the purpose
of living therein any residential unit until that person has obtained
a certificate of occupancy for the premises and has registered the
premises as hereinafter provided. A certificate of occupancy for the
premises will not be issued for any residential unit which is not
safe, clean and fit for human occupancy, which does not comply with
and conform to the provisions of the Property Maintenance Code of
the State of New Jersey and the Township Maintenance Code for residential
dwellings.[1]
B.
Notice of vacation; fee. Prior to any residential rental unit becoming occupied or prior to the transfer of occupancy by lease or other rental agreement, the owner shall give written notice thereof to the Township enforcement official. This notice shall contain the name and address of the owner and, if a notice is given by someone on behalf of the owner, it shall include that person's name and address, as well. The notice shall describe the residential rental unit and shall be accompanied by a fee. Applicable fees are detailed in the universal fee chart located in § 18-2, reference number 56, of the Code of the Township of Lumberton.
[Amended 12-2-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-21]
C.
Inspection; issuance of certificate; notice of defect. Within 10 working days of receipt of the notice and fee as set forth above, the enforcement official shall make an investigation of the premises; said inspection shall be made for the purpose of determining the conditions of residential rental units in order that the enforcement official may perform his duties of safekeeping the health and safety of the occupants of the residential rental units. For the purpose of making such inspections, the enforcement official is hereby authorized to enter, examine and survey at all reasonable time all residential rental units and all rooms therein. If the residential rental unit complies with the requirements of § 232-2 above, the enforcement official shall issue a written certificate of occupancy. If the residential rental unit does not comply with the requirements, then no certificate of occupancy shall be issued, but the enforcement official shall issue a written notice of defect specifying the violations of the requirements. Each certificate and notice shall be dated, and a duplicate copy shall be retained by the enforcement official. In the event of a notice of defect, it shall be served upon the owner and the parties in interest, either personally or by leaving a copy thereof at his usual place of abode in the presence of a member of the family, and they shall be informed of the contents thereof or, if not found, by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to his last known address or to the address of his agent.
D.
It shall be the responsibility of the owner, landlord
and/or title holder to place in an open and conspicuous place within
a common area within the residential rental property the certificate
of occupancy, certificate of inspection, maximum resident occupancy
and the cover of the rental property registration statement filed
with the Township. An inspection discovering the failure to post any
or all of the above will constitute a violation of this article.
E.
In the event that, upon inspection, the residential
rental property is not found to be in compliance with all applicable
codes and ordinances to the satisfaction of the inspector, the landlord,
owner and/or title holder will be responsible for making all repairs,
adjustments, additions or corrections to the property within the time
prescribed by the inspector. If the repairs, adjustment or corrections
prescribed to be made to bring the residential rental property within
compliance are not made within the period set by applicable codes,
ordinances and/or the inspector finding the residential rental property
to not be in compliance, the owner, landlord and/or title holder will
be deemed in violation of this article and will thereby be held in
separate and distinct violations for every day that the violations
continue and will therefore be assessed all reasonable and allowable
fines and penalties under this article. Extensive, repeated and/or
continuing violations may result in the revocation of the owner, landlord
and/or title holder's certificate of occupancy for a period specified
or permanently.
F.
Inspections conducted under this article will be made
with the consent of the landlord, owner, title holder and/or agent
and an adult of legal age and reasonable competence residing in each
individual unit to be inspected.
(1)
Reasonable attempts will be made to obtain the consent
of the occupant or tenant. If the same cannot be obtained, the inspector
may apply, by affidavit, to a municipal judge or magistrate for the
issuance of an administrative search warrant for the limited purpose
of conducting the necessary inspection, setting forth in the affidavit
the reasonable basis for believing that a nuisance or violation of
this Code exists in the specific unit.
(2)
The occupants and tenants of the individual units
are to make all reasonable arrangements for the inspections to take
place and are to facilitate the inspections.
Hearing on notice of defect. Any person affected
by any notice which has been issued in connection with the enforcement
of any provision of this article or of any rule or regulation adopted
pursuant hereto may request and shall be granted a hearing on the
matter before the Township Committee, provided that such person shall
file in person or by mail in the office of the Township Clerk a written
petition requesting such hearing within 10 days after the notice was
served.
A.
Upon receipt of such petition, the Township Clerk
shall set a time and place of such hearing within 30 days therefrom
and shall give the petitioner and enforcement official five days'
written notification thereof. At any hearing held in accordance with
this section, the petitioner shall be given an opportunity to be heard
and to show cause why such notice should be modified or withdrawn.
The Township Committee shall have the power to administer oaths and
affirmations in connection with the conduction of any such hearing,
and the rules of evidence prevailing then in the courts shall not
be controlling in any such hearings.
B.
Order. After hearing, the Township Council shall sustain,
modify or withdraw the notice depending upon its findings as to whether
the provisions of this article and the rules and regulations adopted
pursuant hereto have been complied with. If the Township Committee
sustains or modifies such notice, it shall be deemed to be an order.
The proceedings at such hearings, including the findings and decision
of the Township Committee, shall be summarized, reduced to writing
and entered as a matter of public record in the office of the Township
Clerk. Such record shall also include a copy of every notice or order
issued in connection with the matter. Any person aggrieved by the
decision of the Township Committee may seek relief therefrom in any
court of competent jurisdiction as provided by the laws of this state.
A.
No person shall occupy any unit or apartment in any
residential rental property situated within the Township of Lumberton,
nor shall the same be permitted by the owner, landlord or title holder,
unless that specific unit is registered in accordance with this article
and issued a current certificate of occupancy.
B.
Only those persons listed within the rental property registration statement as required in § 232-2C of this article will be allowed to reside on the premises of the residential rental property. It shall be unlawful and a violation of this Code and all other applicable ordinances, regulations and statutes for any other person to reside on the premises or for any person not registered to a specific unit to reside therein. Violations of this provision may be enforced against the tenant/occupant and/or the owner, landlord or title holder.
C.
In every written lease by which the owner, landlord
or title holder contracts with a tenant or occupant for rent, let
or lease of a unit within a rental property as defined in this article,
the landlord shall include:
(1)
A statement setting forth the maximum number of residents
permitted in the unit and the location of designated and permitted
sleeping areas;
(2)
A provision that upon entering into the rental or
lease agreement, the tenant or occupant agrees to make arrangements
for and assist in the facilitation of reasonable inspections of the
premises by Township officials, which inspections are to be made upon
reasonable notice to the owner, landlord and/or title holder and the
tenant.
D.
Temporary certificate of occupancy. Upon the inspection of any residential rental unit, the Construction Official or Building Inspector, in his discretion, may cause to be issued a temporary certificate of occupancy conditioned upon the owner removing any conditions which violate the standards set forth in § 232-4 above within a reasonable period of time not to exceed 30 days from the issuance of said certificate. Upon removal of the violations by an owner who has received a temporary certificate of occupancy and satisfactory completion of a reinspection, the Construction Official or Building Inspector shall issue a permanent certificate of occupancy.
E.
Failure to inspect. If the inspection is not made
by the enforcement official and neither a certificate of occupancy
nor a notice of violation is issued to the owner within 15 days of
the application for a certificate of occupancy, the owner may permit
the residential rental unit to be occupied, but subject to the right
of the enforcement official to inspect said residential rental unit
and, if a violation is found, to require the owner to correct said
violation within 30 days of receipt of notice thereof.
F.
Nonliability of Township.
(1)
The Township of Lumberton shall not, by the performance
of inspections and reinspections required hereby, become or be considered
to be a guarantor to any owner, tenant or other person as to the condition
of any building, unit or premises inspected or a participant in any
contractual relationship between any persons or parties to the same.
(2)
The issuance of a certificate of occupancy indicates
that, with the exception of any deficiencies noted, only a general
inspection of the visible parts of the rental unit has been made and
no imminent hazardous conditions were observed which would preclude
the continued legal use of the structure.
A.
It shall be the responsibility of the owner, landlord
and/or title holder to ensure that all residential rental property(ies)
situated within the Township of Lumberton are not operated and maintained
so as to present, create or maintain a nuisance or any unreasonable
disturbance or disruption to the surrounding properties, property
owners or the general public.
(1)
Definition. For the purposes of this section, the
creation and maintaining of a nuisance or disturbance of the peace
by a tenant or tenants of any residential rental property described
herein shall constitute the creation or maintaining of a nuisance
or disturbance of the peace by that/those tenants' houseguests or
other social acquaintances invited to or entertained at the residential
rental property.
(2)
Notice to landlord.
(a)
After receipt by the Township of any complaint(s)
of the creation and/or maintenance of any nuisance or unreasonable
disturbance of the peace at a residential rental property and investigation
by the appropriate Township official(s) confirming the existence of
such nuisance or disturbance of the peace as described herein, the
owner, landlord and/or title holder shall be provided written notice
of same by the same Township official who conducted the investigation.
The notice shall include, at a minimum, the following information:
(b)
The notice shall either be mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested or hand delivered to the party identified in § 232-2C(1) above. A copy of the notice shall also be delivered by way of regular mail or hand delivery to the tenant(s) identified in the rental property registration statement as residing in the residential rental unit.
(3)
Imputation of liability. In the event that a tenant or tenants residing in a specific residential rental property are found to commit three separate and distinct violations of § 232-6A of this article through the creation and maintenance of a nuisance or disturbance of the peace at the specific residential rental property where they reside within a period of 180 days (which period will begin upon the day of the first offense), the violations of that person or those persons will be imputed to the owner, landlord and/or title holder as a single violation, by which the landlord, owner and/or title holder will be subject to the penalties and fines set forth under § 232-7 of this article.
(4)
In the event that the owner, landlord and/or title holder is found to have committed three separate and distinct violations of § 232-6A of this article through the creation and maintaining of a nuisance or disturbance of the peace through their own actions, or as imputed to them as the result of the actions of their tenant or tenants as set forth herein, in any twelve-month period (which period begins upon the date of the commission of the first offense by the owner, landlord and/or title holder or the administrative decision to impute liability to the same for violations set forth in § 232-A(3), whichever is first in occurrence), the owner, landlord and/or title holder will be subject to the fines and penalties set forth in § 232-7 of this article.
B.
All residential rental property(ies) situated within the Township of Lumberton shall be maintained so as to comply with all fire, occupancy, zoning and building regulations, ordinances, statutes and laws promulgated by the Township of Lumberton and the State of New Jersey. The owner, landlord and/or title holder shall be responsible for the maintenance of all residential rental properties, including all maintenance necessary to maintain the safety and appearance of the residential rental property(ies) and individual units therein, which includes all maintenance to the infrastructure of the residential rental property, all maintenance for the proper and safe operation of all permanent fixtures and attachments within and leading to each individual unit (which includes all water, sewer and gas pipes, heat pumps, boilers, water heaters, heating and cooling ducts and vents), the maintenance of all common hallways, passageways, stairs, elevators and doors both within and leading to the outside of the rental property; the maintenance, upkeep and proper operation of all gates (whether electronic, manual or key-operated), fences, yards, landscaping, walkways, sitting areas, playgrounds, parking lots and refuse collection areas. The failure of any owner, landlord and/or title holder to comply with the requirements of this subsection shall be a violation of this article and will subject the owner, landlord and/or title holder to the fines and penalties set forth in § 232-7 of this article.
C.
Every tenant and occupant must provide the owner,
landlord and/or title holder access to any part of a rental facility,
rental unit and/or boarding facility for the purpose of making such
repairs and/or maintenance so as to maintain the safety and upkeep
of the residential rental property and individual units.
A.
Fines for violations. Any person violating any of
the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be
punishable for each violation by a fine of not more than $1,250 or
by imprisonment of not more than 90 days or by community service for
up to 90 days, or any combination thereof. Any person who is convicted
of violating any of the provisions of this section within one year
of the date of a previous violation of the same provision and was
fined for the previous violation shall be sentenced by the court to
an additional fine as a repeat offender. Each act of violation and
each day upon which any such violation shall occur shall constitute
a separate offense. In addition to the penalty prescribed above, the
Township may pursue other remedies such as abatement of nuisances,
injunctive relief and revocation of licenses, permits or certificates
of occupancy.
B.
Fine collectible as lien. In the event of imposition
of a fine or penalty by the municipal court or any other court of
competent jurisdiction against the owner, operator or lessor of any
building or structure in the Township required to be registered for
violation of any Township ordinance or any state law applicable to
the Township, the fine or penalty shall be collectible as a lien against
the premises in addition to any other remedies provided by law.
C.
Revocation of certificate of occupancy. In the event that the owner, landlord and/or title holder of any rental property situated within the Township of Lumberton is found to have violated § 232-6 of this article, the owner, landlord and/or title holder will be subject to all applicable fines and penalties set forth in the preceding subsections of § 232-7 and will also be subject to the revocation of the certificate of occupancy to rent or let properties in the Township of Lumberton. If after a hearing following the procedures set forth in § 232-4 of this article a landlord's, owner's and/or title holder's certificate of occupancy is revoked, and subject to the payment of all fines and the fulfillment of all penalties and conditions imposed therefor, application may be made for the reinstatement of a certificate of occupancy.
Fines or penalties for any violation of this
article shall be enforceable by the Lumberton Township Police Department,
Board of Health, Construction Code Official or such other persons
designated by the Township Committee or having such authority by law.
[Adopted 9-7-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-09]
A.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Township
Code, it shall be unlawful for an owner, landlord, managing agent,
lessor, sub-lessor, any other person or entity with possessory or
use rights in a dwelling unit, their principals, partner or shareholders,
or their agents, employees, representatives and other persons or entities,
acting in concert or a combination thereof, to receive or obtain actual
or anticipated consideration for soliciting, advertising, offering,
and/or permitting, allowing, or failing to discontinue the use or
occupancy of any dwelling unit, or portion thereof, as defined herein,
for a period of 30 days or less.
B.
Nothing in this article will prevent formation of an otherwise lawful
occupancy of a dwelling unit for a rental period of more than 30 days.
Any form of solicitation, promotion, and communication for
marketing, used to solicit, encourage, persuade, or manipulate viewers,
readers, or listeners into contracting for goods and/or services violation
of this article, as same may be viewed through various media including,
but not limited to, newspapers, magazines, flyers, handbills, pamphlets,
commercials, radio, direct mail, internet websites, or text or other
electronic messages for the purpose of establishing occupancies or
uses of rental property, for consideration, which are prohibited by
this article.
Soliciting, charging, demanding, receiving or accepting any
legally recognized form of consideration including a promising or
benefit, a quid pro quo, rent, fees, other form of payment, or thing
of value.
Any structure, or portion thereof, whether furnished or unfurnished,
which is occupied in whole or in part, or intended, arranged or designed
to be occupied, for sleeping, dwelling, cooking, gathering and/or
entertaining, as a residential occupancy, by one or more persons.
This definition includes an apartment, condominium, building, cooperative,
converted space, or portions thereof, that is offered to use, made
available for use, or is used for accommodations, lodging, cooking,
sleeping, gathering and/or entertaining of occupants and/or guests,
for consideration, for a period of 30 days or less.
Constitutes a family-type situation, involving one or more
persons, living together that exhibit the kind of stability, permanency,
and functional lifestyle equivalent to that of a traditional family
unit, as further described in the applicable reported or unreported
decisions of the Superior Court of New Jersey.
Any individual using, inhabiting, living, gathering, entertaining,
being entertained as a guest, or sleeping in a dwelling unit, or portion
thereof, or having other permission or possessory rights within a
dwelling unit.
Any persons and entities, association, limited-liability
company, corporation, or partnership, or any combination, who legally
use, possess, own, lease, sublease or license (including an operator,
principal, shareholder, director, agent, or employee, individually
or collectively) that has charge, care, control, or participates in
the expenses and/or profit of a dwelling unit pursuant to a written
or unwritten agreement, rental, lease, license, use, occupancy agreement
or any other agreement.
An individual firm, corporation, association, partnership,
limited-liability company, association, entity, and any persons and/or
entities acting in concert or any combination therewith.
The use of a dwelling unit by an occupant.
The residential occupancy of an otherwise lawful and lawfully
occupied dwelling unit for a period of 30 days or less by any person
who is a member of the housekeeping unit of the owner without consideration,
such as house guests, is permitted.
Any owner that is renting their property to a person for a term of over 30 days but less than a yearly shall pay a registration and/or inspection fee to the Township. Applicable fees are detailed in the universal fee chart located in Chapter 18, § 18-2, reference number 65, of the Code of the Township of Lumberton.
It shall be unlawful to advertise, solicit or promote by any
means actions in violation of this article of the Township Code.
A.
The provisions of this article shall be enforced by the Zoning Officer,
Building Department, Building Code Official, Fire Official, Fire Marshal,
Health Department, other subcode or Code Official, as their jurisdiction
may arise, or other persons designated by the Township Committee,
to issue municipal civil infractions directing alleged violators of
this article of the Code and/or to appear in court or file civil complaints.
B.
A violation of this article of the Code is hereby declared to be a public nuisance, a nuisance per se, and is hereby further found and declared to be offensive to the public health, safety and welfare. Any person found to have violated any provision of this article of the Code, without regard to intent or knowledge, shall be subject to the fines and fees as provided under § 18-2 of this Code, governing short-term rental offenses. Each day of such violation shall be a new and separate violation of this article. Applicable fees for such short term rental offenses are detailed in the universal fee chart located in Chapter 18, § 18-2, reference number 66, of the Code of the Township of Lumberton.
