As the expenses associated with property ownership continue to escalate, many landlords have begun to pass their expenses onto their tenants through the use of rent increases. Since tenants very often cannot afford to pay the requested increases, New Jersey tenancy Courts are trying an alarming number of contested rent…
The matter of O’Neill v. Township of Tewksbury Zoning Board provides a lesson for property owners who rely on municipal Zoning Officials. Mark and Kathy Wood were delighted to learn that a municipal zoning ordinance stating that tennis courts could not be constructed within forty feet of a property line…
In 2004, the New Jersey Legislature revised the Rent Security Deposit Act. Under the revised Act, there are three major components, which are very often misinterpreted by inexperienced landlords, tenants and their attorneys. In this week’s article we will discuss and explain those provisions. Initial Notification The first component to…
One unique aspect of New Jersey tenancy law is the notion that a residential tenant is a “tenant for life” who cannot be evicted simply by letting the lease run out. In fact, even in cases where the residential lease states that the tenant must vacate on a certain date,…
In 2000, the International Code Council developed a comprehensive set of property maintenance regulations designed to provide municipal code enforcement officials with guidance on a variety of issues concerning the construction and occupancy of structures. Like its predecessor, the BOCA Maintenance Code, nearly all municipalities in the State of New…
As the population of New Jersey continues to increase, expansions and changes to existing roads becomes necessary. Such changes often require the conversion of privately owned lands into publicly owned lands. This requires a proceeding known as a condemnation (sometimes called a taking). While a landowner in this situation will…
In a previous blog, we discussed some of the potential consequences for landlords who have acquired title from their tenants. The main issue at hand, was the fact that landlords who have acquired title from their tenants may lose the advantage of having their eviction actions heard in Landlord Tenant…
As a result of unsound real estate purchasing and borrowing decisions, coupled with the recent epidemic of losses of income, many property owners have found themselves in severe risk of foreclosure. Some owners have looked for creative ways to avoid the possibility of losing the home, which they cannot afford…
The Section 8 Program was designed to enable the government to assist low income families with their rent by paying a subsidy directly to the landlord. There are currently about 60 Public Housing Authorities in New Jersey administering Section 8 Housing Vouchers and Certificates for approximately 60,000 households. The rules…
As real estate taxes skyrocket, many taxpayers have begun to look for ways to reduce their tax payments. One common method of accomplishing this is filing a tax appeal. However, since tax appeal procedure affords relief to very few taxpayers, the decision of whether to file an appeal will require…