Q: My doorman/management has misplaced my spare key. I don’t feel safe. Can I force my landlord to replace the locks?
am a tenant in Jersey city. My apartments spare key is kept with the doorman. I got locked out today and requested the spare key. The doorman showed me that the key was missing from the spare key cabinet. The super let me in but I believe the landlord may have taken the key. I don’t feel safe anymore. The landlord has entered the apartment on one previous occasion without my permission and when I expressly told them not to enter.
Is there any help I can get from nj law’s wrt to getting the landlord to change the locks or get it changed and deduct the cost from the next months rent?
The landlord has discriminated against me and my husband by refusing to renew the lease for me and has refused to add my husband to the lease because we both have emotional support animals
we have applied out security deposit plus 7 % interest as rent for September and October because the landlord never provided us details of our security deposit. It has been more than ayear
A:
It is a violation both of civil law and criminal law in New Jersey to lock you out of your apartment. What I would suggest you do is to change the locks on the door and leave a copy of the key with the doorman, get a signed receipt. In that way the landlord can't accuse you of changing the locks to deny him access. I think you are probably going to be sued for eviction on the basis of nonpayment, given the letter that you have sent him to apply her security deposit to the rent under the rent security act.
The landlord can't evict you for having a service animal in your apartment. I would make sure that the documentation you have for the animal is 1) up to date and 2) documents your need to have the service animal. While landlords can limit the presence of pets in an apartment, they are prohibited from banning service animals.
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