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Florence Township is a mid-sized residential community in Burlington County, New Jersey, situated along the Delaware River between Trenton and Philadelphia. While Florence does not have a large renter majority, a meaningful share of residents occupy rental housing ranging from single-family homes to apartment complexes. Renters in Florence most commonly ask about their rights regarding rent increases, security deposit returns, repairs, and eviction protections.
Unlike cities such as Newark or Jersey City that have enacted local rent control ordinances, Florence has no municipal-level tenant protections. Instead, renters here depend entirely on New Jersey's robust body of state landlord-tenant law — including the Truth in Renting Act (N.J.S.A. 46:8-43 et seq.), the Security Deposit Law (N.J.S.A. 46:8-19 et seq.), and the Anti-Eviction Act (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1 et seq.). These statutes provide meaningful protections around habitability, deposits, eviction procedures, and retaliation.
This page summarizes the tenant rights rules most relevant to Florence renters based on current New Jersey law. This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not legal advice. If you have a specific legal dispute or question, consult a licensed New Jersey attorney or contact a local legal aid organization.
Florence has no local rent control ordinance. The township has never enacted municipal rent stabilization or rent control legislation. New Jersey state law does not impose a statewide rent control mandate — instead, the Local Rent Control Law (N.J.S.A. 40:48-1.1) expressly permits but does not require municipalities to adopt rent control. Because Florence has chosen not to do so, landlords in Florence are free to raise rents by any amount, provided they give the legally required advance written notice.
In practice, this means a Florence landlord can raise rent at the end of a lease term or, for month-to-month tenants, with at least one full month's written notice under N.J.S.A. 2A:18-56. There is no cap on the percentage increase a landlord may impose, and there is no rent registration requirement locally. Renters who feel a rent increase is retaliatory — for example, issued shortly after complaining about repairs — may have protections under the New Jersey anti-retaliation statute (N.J.S.A. 2A:42-10.10), but the increase itself is not regulated.
New Jersey provides a comprehensive framework of tenant protections that apply to all renters in Florence:
Warranty of Habitability (N.J.S.A. 2A:42-10.16; common law): Landlords must maintain rental units in a safe, sanitary, and habitable condition throughout the tenancy. This includes functioning heat, hot water, plumbing, electrical systems, and freedom from pest infestations. If a landlord fails to make necessary repairs, tenants may have the right to repair-and-deduct, rent withholding, or rent abatement through the courts, depending on the circumstances.
Security Deposit Rules (N.J.S.A. 46:8-19 through 46:8-26): Landlords may collect a maximum security deposit of one and one-half months' rent. Deposits must be held in a separate interest-bearing bank account, and the landlord must provide the tenant with written notice of the bank name, branch, and account number within 30 days of receiving the deposit. Interest on the deposit belongs to the tenant and must be applied annually or returned at move-out.
Anti-Retaliation Protection (N.J.S.A. 2A:42-10.10 through 2A:42-10.14): Landlords may not retaliate against tenants for reporting housing code violations, organizing with other tenants, or exercising any legal tenant right. Prohibited retaliatory acts include rent increases, service reductions, and eviction proceedings initiated within 90 days of protected tenant activity. A court may presume retaliation if adverse action follows within that window.
Notice Requirements (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-56): Landlords must provide tenants with at least one month's written notice before terminating a month-to-month tenancy. For fixed-term leases, the lease terms govern the end of the tenancy, but the Anti-Eviction Act still applies and landlords must have a just-cause ground to evict.
Lockout and Utility Shutoff Prohibition (N.J.S.A. 2A:39-1 et seq.): Self-help eviction is illegal in New Jersey. A landlord may not change locks, remove doors or windows, shut off utilities, or physically remove a tenant's belongings to force them out. Any such act may expose the landlord to civil liability, and tenants may seek immediate court-ordered restoration of possession.
Truth in Renting Act (N.J.S.A. 46:8-43 et seq.): Landlords with more than two rental units must provide each new tenant with the State's official Truth in Renting statement summarizing key tenant rights. Failure to provide it may be grounds for a complaint with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.
New Jersey's Security Deposit Law (N.J.S.A. 46:8-19 through 46:8-26) governs all security deposit transactions for Florence rentals:
Maximum Deposit: Landlords may not collect more than one and one-half (1.5) months' rent as a security deposit at the beginning of a tenancy. After the first year, annual increases to the deposit are capped at 10% of the current deposit amount (N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.2).
Deposit Holding Requirements: The landlord must deposit the funds in a federally insured interest-bearing account at a New Jersey financial institution, kept separate from the landlord's personal funds. Within 30 days of receiving the deposit, the landlord must give the tenant written notice stating the bank name, address, branch, account type, and account number (N.J.S.A. 46:8-19).
Return Deadline: After the tenancy ends, the landlord has 30 days to return the deposit (plus accrued interest), along with an itemized written statement of any deductions. If the unit was rendered uninhabitable by fire, flood, or similar casualty, the return deadline is shortened to 5 business days (N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1).
Penalty for Wrongful Withholding: If a landlord fails to return the deposit within the required period or wrongfully withholds any portion without a valid itemized reason, the tenant is entitled to double the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees and court costs, under N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1. Tenants should send a written demand letter and retain proof of delivery before filing in Small Claims Court (Special Civil Part).
Florence renters are protected by the New Jersey Anti-Eviction Act (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1 et seq.), which requires landlords to have a legally recognized just-cause ground before they can evict any residential tenant. The following outlines the eviction process:
Step 1 — Notice to Quit: Before filing in court, the landlord must serve the tenant with a written notice specifying the cause for eviction and, in most cases, giving the tenant an opportunity to cure the violation. Common notice periods include: 3 days for nonpayment of rent (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.2), 1 month for termination of a month-to-month tenancy without fault (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-56), and 3 months for certain lease violations in buildings of three or more units.
Recognized Just-Cause Grounds (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1): Lawful eviction grounds include nonpayment of rent, habitual late payment, disorderly conduct, destruction of property, violation of a lease covenant after written notice, refusal to accept reasonable lease changes, conviction of drug-related offenses on the premises, landlord's good-faith intent to permanently retire the unit from residential use, and a few other specific grounds. A landlord cannot evict simply because a lease has expired.
Step 2 — Court Filing: If the tenant does not comply with the notice or vacate, the landlord must file a complaint with the Burlington County Special Civil Part (Landlord-Tenant Section) at the Burlington County Courthouse in Mount Holly. The tenant will receive a summons and a hearing date.
Step 3 — Hearing: Both parties appear before a judge. Tenants have the right to present defenses such as payment of rent, improper notice, retaliation, or habitability issues. Tenants may also request a hardship stay of up to 6 months in certain circumstances (N.J.S.A. 2A:42-10.6).
Step 4 — Warrant for Removal: If the court rules in the landlord's favor, a Judgment for Possession is entered. The landlord must then obtain a Warrant for Removal, and a court officer (not the landlord) must carry out any physical removal. The warrant generally may not be executed sooner than three business days after issuance (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-57).
Self-Help Eviction is Illegal: It is unlawful for a landlord to lock a tenant out, remove the tenant's belongings, shut off utilities, or otherwise attempt to force a tenant out without a court order. Tenants subjected to self-help eviction may seek immediate injunctive relief and damages under N.J.S.A. 2A:39-1 et seq.
The information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tenant rights laws in New Jersey can change, and the application of these laws depends on the specific facts of each situation. Renters in Florence, NJ who face eviction, security deposit disputes, habitability issues, or other landlord-tenant problems should consult a licensed New Jersey attorney or contact a legal aid organization such as South Jersey Legal Services or Legal Services of New Jersey. RentCheckMe makes no representation that all information is current or complete, and readers should independently verify any statute or rule cited here before relying on it.
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