In accordance with the authority granted N.J.S.A. 2A:42-72 and
further pursuant to N.J.S.A. 46:8-28, every landlord is required to
file a certificate of registration with the Township Clerk identifying
each and every residential rental property owned by said landlord
and located within the Township. The certificate of registration shall
include the name and address of the record owner or owners and the
name and address of any agent in charge of the premises residing in
the Township, as well as any and all information required pursuant
N.J.S.A. 46:8-28.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Shall mean and include that portion of a dwelling unit, rented
or offered for rent for living and dwelling purposes, to one individual
or family unit, together with all privileges, services, furnishings,
furniture, equipment, facilities and improvements connected with the
use and occupancy of such portion of the property.
Fit for habitation as defined by the statutes of the State
of New Jersey and the codes and ordinances of the Township of Hazlet.
Shall mean and include that portion of a building or structure
rented or offered for rent to one or more tenants or one family unit.
Shall mean and be treated as separate and individual residential
properties.
Those persons who have leased the unit from the owner regardless
of the type of tenancy under which they occupy the unit.
The primary residential living unit of the owner.
Any person who owns any legally cognizable interest in any
rental property including, but not limited to, outright ownership,
ownership through a partnership, corporation or limited liability
company.
The cleanliness and proper working order and upkeep of all
areas used by tenants and the public.
Any structure or building which contains one or more individual
residential rental units, including modular and/or mobile homes offered
for rental.
Shall mean and include that portion of a rental property
rented or offered for rent for living and dwelling purposes to an
individual or to one family unit.
Shall mean and include that portion of a dwelling, building
or structure rented or offered for rent for living and dwelling purposes
to individuals or family units.
No person(s), corporation(s) or business entity(ies) shall offer
any residential property for rent or shall rent or lease any residential
property to any person or persons without first obtaining a rental
property license. Application for said rental property license shall
be made to the Code Official on the form provided by the Township.
Each rental property within the Township shall be required to
obtain an annual rental property license from the Code Inspection
Bureau, and every landlord shall be required to register and to pay
an annual nonrefundable rental property license fee, as follows:
A.
Single dwelling unit.
(1)
First year: $250.
(2)
Second year: $125 if the subject property has not violated any provision
of the Property Maintenance Code and/or of the Township ordinances
regulating residential properties and use.
(3)
Third year: and every year thereafter: $75 if the subject property
has not violated any provision of the Property Maintenance Code and/or
of the Township ordinances regulating residential properties and use.
(4)
In the event any rental property shall be cited for a violation of
the Property Maintenance Code and/or the Township ordinances regulating
residential properties and use, the rental property license fee in
the immediately following year shall revert to the first-year amount,
and the cycle of decreasing fee amounts as described above shall begin
anew.
(5)
Properties that are registered as rental units paying the "single-dwelling" annual rental licensee fees are exempt from any other CCO inspection fees during tenancy changes. Landlords or owners with rental properties containing more than 10 rental units will be charged the residential inspection multifamily fee for every tenancy change as described in § 170-9C.
B.
Multiple dwelling units.
(1)
Landlords operating rental properties containing 10 or fewer dwelling units, including mobile home parks of 10 units, shall be charged the same annual rental property license fees per unit or per rental space for mobile homes as the single dwelling unit rental properties described in Subsection A above.
(2)
Landlords operating rental properties containing more than 10 rental
units, including mobile home parks of more than 10 units, shall be
charged an annual rental property license fee of $10 per dwelling
unit or per rental space for mobile homes.
C.
An annual rental property license shall not be issued until all rental
property license fees and any late fees have been paid in full. Annual
rental property license fees shall be due and payable by the 15th
of January each year. A late fee of $250 per month or part thereof
shall be assessed with respect to any rental property license fee,
regardless of the number of units, which has not been received by
the Code Inspection Bureau by the 25th day of January. The late fee
shall increase to $1,000 per month or any part thereof if the fee
and penalty have not been received by the Code Inspection Bureau by
the 25th day of April.
[Amended 9-1-2015 by Ord.
No. 1574-15]
D.
In the event ownership of the rental property shall be transferred
during the license year, the new owner shall apply for a license within
10 days of the transfer of title, and the fee shall be prorated accordingly.
In addition to any other penalty provided for in this article,
in the event of a violation(s) of this or any other Township ordinance,
statute, or regulation concerning rental property in the Township
of Hazlet by a licensee of rental property, the rental property license
may be revoked after written notice has been given to the licensee
and the opportunity for a hearing before the governing body has been
provided. Under no circumstances shall a rental property license be
revoked until at least five days' prior written notice of the
grounds therefor has been served upon the licensee and a reasonable
opportunity has been provided to the licensee to be heard.
