TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Aug. 20 announced that the new edition of the Truth in Renting guide is now posted on the department’s website, as a resource for residential tenants and landlords to learn about their legal rights and responsibilities.
According to a release, the reference guide includes information about lease agreements, payment and collection of rent, habitability, evictions, senior citizens and protected tenants, foreclosures, security deposits, and other topics pertaining to residential tenancies, in New Jersey.
“The Truth in Renting guide provides a comprehensive overview of the state’s landlord-tenant laws at a time when people need reliable information,” stated Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, who serves as DCA commissioner. “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how important it is for people to understand the statutes and regulations that concern landlord-tenant relations. We believe New Jersey residents will find the updated edition of the guide a valuable resource as they navigate the ongoing impacts of this public health crisis.”
The Truth in Renting guide is periodically updated to include the most current information available. Because the Truth in Renting guide is a general resource document, it is not meant to reflect the special circumstances that New Jersey is experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the guide does not include Executive Orders or COVID-19 response programs related to housing since they are temporary in nature. While the guide does not reference these specific COVID-19 policies, they remain in effect in accordance with the applicable Executive Orders and program guidelines.
For example, the eviction moratorium that went into effect March 19, when Gov. Murphy issued Executive Order 106 remains in place. The moratorium prohibits lockouts and removals of tenants from their homes during the COVID-19 emergency except in rare circumstances such as when a tenant is endangering others.
Every landlord subject to the Truth in Renting Act is required to distribute a copy of the new edition of the Truth in Renting guide to each of their tenants within 30 days after it has been posted on the DCA website and to provide each new tenant with the updated guide at the time they execute a lease.
The Truth in Renting guide does not constitute legal advice and does not substitute for consulting with a lawyer about specific facts and circumstances. Any person who plans to initiate a legal action resulting from a landlord-tenant dispute may wish to contact an attorney. They may also consult an appropriate enforcing agency, a county legal services agency, or an owner’s, tenant’s, or mobile home organization.
A list of additional agencies and organizations that may be available to provide assistance is located in the appendix section of the guide.
The Truth in Renting guide is posted in English and Spanish, at https://www.nj.gov/dca/divisions/codes/offices/landlord_tenant_information.html on the DCA website.
The DCA offers a wide range of programs and services, including affordable housing production, fire safety, building safety, community planning and development, local government management and finance, and disaster recovery.
For more information about DCA, visit https://nj.gov/dca/ or follow the department on social media.
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