Morristown has Rent Control. Landlords are not allowed to raise rent
without first contacting the Rent Leveling Office, then on approval giving
tenant 60 days notice.

The following brochure (PDF) gives you gneral informaiton about Landlord/Tenant Sectdion of the New Jersey Superior Court.

Information for Tenants
(Superior Court of New Jersey Law Division)

Tenant Complaint Form

Morristown Rent Control Ordinance Synopsis

Registration

Every non-exempt residential rental unit must be individually registered with the Rent Leveling Office once in every twelve month period whether unit is vacant or not, or you lose any allowed increase. Single Family Homes Are Not Exempt.

First-time registrations of residential dwelling units must be registered within 30 days of renting the unit.

A landlord who purchases a dwelling unit must advise the Division of Rent Leveling in writing of the change ownership, along with documentation of Certificate of Habitability inspection/permit, within 30 days of the purchase.

Vacancy Decontrol (164-3.1, effective November 8, 2005)

Upon voluntary, non-coerced vacation of a unit, landlord must file registration with Rent Leveling Manager within fifteen (15) days after entering into lease agreement with new tenant. Landlord may negotiate mutually agreeable new rent with proposed new tenant. Landlord shall certify on re-registration form (a copy of which shall be given to new tenant) that the vacancy was voluntary, not coerced or was result of court ordered eviction. Anti-harassment conditions of the Rent Control Ordinance shall be enforced strictly. Registration fee of $30.oo per unit applies EACH time there is a registration.

Owner Occupancy

An owner is the title owner of a dwelling occupied as his primary residence for at least twelve (12) months continual.  The owner must share on a pro rata basis, based upon the percentage of ownership, in the investments, profits and losses of the dwelling.  Proof of residency is required.  An owner-occupant can only take one exemption.  Registration of owner-occupancy is mandatory and requires no fee.  Only residential dwellings of no more than four (4) units may be exempt as owner-occupied.

PLEASE NOTE:

This synopsis gives a broad overview of the actual Rent Control Ordinance, Chapter 164.  So that all requirements of the Ordinance are understood completely, it is imperative that reliance is not based solely upon the contents of this synopsis.

Copies of the complete Ordinance are available for a fee of $10.00 at the following locations:

Morristown Division of Rent Leveling
Room 212, 200 South Street
Morristown, NJ 07963
(973) 292-6709

or

Morristown Clerk’s Office
1st Floor, 200 South Street
Morristown, NJ 07963
( 973) 292-6636