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.