Secaucus, NJ asked in Landlord - Tenant for New Jersey

Q: My landlord wants myself to vacate by next month, gave a text message notice last wk. What are my options?

My property manager reached out to myself towards the end of March saying that my landlord wants a lease by June and that they wanted a rent increase in the same month, this was all through text message too. I’ve been scrambling to try and move out in this short amount of time but the lease was still an option for myself if I chose to stay. My property manager then reached out to myself this past weekend saying I need to vacate the apartment by June. I asked the property manager one on one if the lease was still an option and they said it wasn't and that the landlord wants to do renovations which is why they want myself to vacate. After renovations would be done, my property manager said the landlord would do a lease.

The landlord doesn’t live on the property and there is no written lease. No court order was given to me saying I have to vacate.

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1 Lawyer Answer
Matthew Schutz
Matthew Schutz
Answered
  • Landlord Tenant Lawyer
  • Flemington, NJ
  • Licensed in New Jersey

A: The property you live in the subject to the Anti-Eviction Act. Under the act the landlord must have a recognized cause to evict. There are roughly 20 different grounds in the act. The act also provides that if the lease has expired the tenant to continue to live on as a month-to-month tenant under the same circumstances and regulations.

The fact LL wants to renovate the premises is not a reason to evict you. If I were you I would ignore the demand you move out by June. Furthermore since your landlord sounds like such an honest man, I would consider not paying June rent. I am somewhat suspect that is going not to return your security deposit at the end of the day.

I would take the rent money that you are not paying and put into a separate account. If he does decide to sue for failure to pay the rent you have the money to pay him and that is a defense to the eviction. I also wonder if she is registered the property with the appropriate authorities. The landlord-tenant court does not have jurisdiction unless the property is registered and you should have a copy of the registration.

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