Housing & Property Maintenance Division
Click her to see what it means for you.
The Division of Housing and Property Maintenance is responsible for enforcing the laws regarding the safety, health and appearance of Morristown’s residences and businesses. We are dedicated to keeping the housing stock in Morristown safe and comfortable for its inhabitants:
Property Maintenance
Code Enforcement Inspectors are responsible for conducting walk arounds and on-demand Property Maintenance inspections of all Town of Morristown properties and enforce Codes to the benefit of public health and welfare. The Inspectors are also to patrol the Town’s streets and respond to residents’ requests for investigation across the Town.
Enforcement includes but is not limited to:
- Existence of fire hazards
- Impassable walkways
- Lack of essential heat/cool
- Lack of maintenance, deteriorating structures
- Overcrowding of residences
- Registration of vacant properties
- Suspected Infestations
- Trash, litter or debris
- Condition of residential dumpsters
- Unsanitary conditions
Note: Prior to a Sale and or Rentals all open Building Permits shall be closed. Any open permits can be located by logging into the SDL portal Interactive Map and searching your property by using the eyeglass to the left or zooming into the map. The link can be accessed below. Or please contact the Building & Construction Department (973)292-6711.
SDL Portal & Interactive Map: http://www.sdlportal.com/towns/nj/morris/morristown/maps
Housing
Ensure that all properties transferred by sale or lease are up to Town standards, including fire/safety equipment through the Certificate of Habitability inspection process. Maintain Morristown’s Rent Control program by registering and tracking rents in all non-exempt units built before 1981. Click here to register with Rent Control Division
Sales
The owner of any residential building or unit, single or multiple, that is to be sold must receive a Certificate of Habitability before the change in ownership. The seller must submit a Residential Property Sale & Fire Safety Certification Application. A Certificate of Habitability (CH) from the Property Maintenance Division and a Zoning Review from the Zoning Office. Both help protect you from “buyers’ remorse” code compliance issues down the road.
Application for Residential Property Sale
- Both Certificate of Habitability and Zoning Review approvals have been combined in the Application for Residential Property Sale which you must submit with payment to the Division of Housing and Property Maintenance. This combined process applies to single-family homes, two-family homes, co-ops, apartments, condos, townhomes, multi-family homes and dwelling units in mixed-use buildings.
Residential Rentals
If you plan to invest in residential rental property in Morristown, there are a few things you need to know.
As a landlord, prior to each new tenancy you must submit a Residential Tenancy Change & Fire Safety Certification Application and a to obtain a Certificate of Habitability (CH) for each unit you are renting. In addition, the State of New Jersey requires Landlord Registration within 30 days of taking ownership of or creating new rental housing. Only owner-occupied, 2-unit buildings are exempt from Landlord Registration.
- 1 or 2 residential units, not owner-occupied must file Landlord Registration with the Municipal Clerk.
- 3 or more residential units - file Landlord Registration with the Bureau of Housing Inspections in the NJ Dept. of Community Affairs (DCA). DCA will send a copy of the files statement to the Morristown Clerk for the public record.
Application for Residential Tenancy Change
- This applies to any and every change in tenancy in single-family homes, two-family homes, co-ops, apartments, condos, town homes, multifamily homes and dwelling units in mixed-use buildings.
Fire Safety Certification
- During the Certificate of Habitability inspection for a home sale or residential property rental our Housing Inspector will verify the presence of smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers which are required by State law. These requirements must be met before the issuance of a signed Certificate of Habitability, which is necessary at the time of a closing of a home sale, or the change in occupancy of a rental unit.
- The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ (DCA) Division of Fire Safety is informing residents of a new smoke alarm regulation, effective January 1, 2019, which requires 10-year sealed battery smoke alarms be installed in homes built before January 1, 1977. The requirement includes one- and two-family dwellings, motel rooms, and housing units in rooming houses.
Morristown has Rent Control
If your home or multi-family dwelling was built before 1981 you must register with Rent Leveling within 30 days of renting out your first unit and annually thereafter. Morristown’s Rent Control Ordinance has a De-control/Re-control provision which applies to all such properties. This applies even if you are renting out your own single-family home in your absence. Only owner-occupied, 1-to-4-unit buildings are exempt from Rent Control Registration.
If you have questions about the approval process or how to calculate your fees, please call Housing & Property Maintenance (973) 292-6700 on weekdays between 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.