Summary of N.J. Landlord Tenant Defense
It is an unfortunate truth that while most landlords are responsible and hard working, there are a small group of landlords who give the rest a bad name. These are landlords who cut corners in the pursuit of the almighty dollar, regardless of how much their behavior hurts others.
I’m all too familiar with the challenges people face when they rent an apartment from an unethical, greedy landlord. Such people never cease to shock my conscience. Landlords can take advantage of tenants in a number of ways. Sometimes the landlord may fail to maintain the premises in a safe and healthy condition. For example, there may be issues with mold, heat, air conditioning, plumbing, broken windows, electricity, etc. Perhaps you have problems with mice, squirrels or insects. These inconvenient problems can become dangerous when elderly people or small children are present in the residence.
Other times, the landlord may try to play complicated legal and accounting games in order to cheat the tenants out of their money. For example, a landlord might insert additional language and conditions to the lease agreement without the tenant’s consent, halfway through the term of the lease. Sometimes, landlords will try to raise the rent midway through the term of the lease, or charge the tenant 3 to 4 months rent for the security deposit. Most landlords do these things with the knowledge that they are against the law in the state of New Jersey. Sadly, their tenants are unknowingly duped.
The State of New Jersey provides its citizens with some of the best tenant protection laws in the nation. Unfortunately, there are numerous landlords throughout the state who refuse to follow these laws. Many landlords know that people fear eviction and the prospect of homelessness or business loss that comes with it. As such, tenants that don’t assert their rights come from all walks of life, from the residential tenants just trying to get by to commercial tenants trying to run an honest business. As a result, too many landlords get away with behavior that’s not only unethical, but also illegal. This behavior continues and unethical landlords are encouraged to behave the same way against new tenants in new places, with each passing year.
My South Jersey Law Office regularly serves the NJ communities of Bellmawr, Runnemede, Deptford, Westville, Gloucester Township (Blackwood, Glendora, Erial, Sicklerville, Blenheim, Lambs Terrace, Chews Landing, and Hilltop) and Washington Township, (Turnersville, Sewell, Hurffville, Grenloch, CrossKeys, Bunker Hill and Chapel Heights).
If you live in these areas, or any other area of South Jersey and have found yourself in a situation where your landlord is not upholding his or her end of your mutual lease agreement, then contact my office immediately for a free consultation. I treat every client with extra-special care and go over the evidence and facts of their case, in-depth, so that no stone is unturned in their legal case.
Call us for quality, compassionate, and individualized representation: 856-873-3730