What is the security deposit limit in New Jersey?

One and one-half months' rent. Under N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.2, an owner 'may not require more than a sum equal to 1 1/2 times 1 month's rental ... as a security,' and under N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1 the deposit must be returned, with interest and an itemized list of any deductions, 'within 30 days after the termination of the tenant's lease.'

Mobile home park fees in New Jersey

Q: Can a New Jersey park charge a fee it never disclosed?

No. Under N.J.S.A. 46:8C-2(c), a park must 'fully disclose in writing all fees, charges, assessments, rules and regulations prior to a mobile home dweller assuming occupancy,' and under 46:8C-2(d), 'failure ... to fully disclose all fees, charges or assessments shall prevent the park owner or operator from collecting said fees,' and a resident's 'refusal ... to pay any undisclosed charges shall not be used ... as a cause for eviction.' This is general information, not advice about a specific charge — consider consulting a licensed attorney in New Jersey.

Q: Can a New Jersey park make me buy equipment from them?

No. Under N.J.S.A. 46:8C-2(a), a park may not 'require a resident ... to purchase from said owner or operator underskirting, equipment for tying down mobile homes, or any other equipment required by law,' though it may set the style or quality of equipment the tenant buys 'from a vendor of the tenant's choosing.'

New Jersey's mobile-home-park statutes and its Rent Security Deposit Act tightly control park charges: every fee must be disclosed, undisclosed charges can't be collected, forced equipment purchases are barred, and the deposit is capped and must be returned promptly. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone disputing a specific charge should consider consulting a licensed attorney in New Jersey.

What the statute says

N.J.S.A. 46:8C-2 governs park fees. Subsection (c) requires the park to "fully disclose in writing all fees, charges, assessments, rules and regulations prior to a mobile home dweller assuming occupancy," and provides that disclosed fees "must be specifically related to and identifiable with actual costs." Subsection (d) gives that teeth: "failure on the part of the mobile home park owner or operator to fully disclose all fees, charges or assessments shall prevent the park owner or operator from collecting said fees ... and refusal by the dweller to pay any undisclosed charges shall not be used ... as a cause for eviction." Subsection (a) bars requiring a resident to "purchase from said owner or operator underskirting, equipment for tying down mobile homes, or any other equipment required by law," and subsections (e)–(f) make demanding a "donation, gratuity, bonus or gift" for an advantage a disorderly-persons offense with double-damages recovery.

The security deposit is capped by N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.2 — "not ... more than a sum equal to 1 1/2 times 1 month's rental" — and N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1 requires return "within 30 days after the termination of the tenant's lease," with interest and an itemized list of deductions.

How it works in general

In a New Jersey park, every fee, charge, assessment, and rule must be disclosed in writing before move-in, must correspond to an actual cost, and — if not disclosed — can't be collected, with refusal to pay an undisclosed charge protected from eviction. The park can't force residents to buy tie-down or other required equipment from it (only specify quality), and can't demand side payments. The security deposit can't exceed 1.5 months' rent and must come back within 30 days with interest and an itemized accounting of any deductions.

Common scenarios

General examples New Jersey park residents commonly encounter:

A charge appears that was never disclosed. It can't be collected, and refusing it isn't grounds for eviction (N.J.S.A. 46:8C-2(d)).
A park insists residents buy skirting or tie-downs from it. That's barred; the park may only set quality standards (N.J.S.A. 46:8C-2(a)).
A deposit isn't returned after move-out. It must be returned (with interest, itemized) within 30 days, and can't exceed 1.5 months' rent (N.J.S.A. 46:8-21.1, 21.2).

Other authorities that may apply

The mobile-home-park statutes (N.J.S.A. 46:8C-1 et seq.) govern park fees and disclosure, and the Rent Security Deposit Act (N.J.S.A. 46:8-19 et seq.) governs the deposit. These rights cannot be waived (N.J.S.A. 46:8C-5). The written lease supplies the disclosed charges, and the New Jersey DCA publishes an overview of park fee rights. Federal law can apply in particular situations.