Avon by the Sea

Please be advised that all owners or landlords who rent or lease any apartment, cottage, rooms or single family homes, not registered as a Rooming House or Hotel must obtain a Certificate of Occupancy and inspection prior to leasing or renting same. A Certificate of Occupancy is required for ALL summer, winter, online and year round rentals. All applications may be picked up at the Borough Municipal Building or printed through the links below.  Applications must then be either dropped off or mailed in in to the Borough with a check for the appropriate amount in order for your inspection to be scheduled.   Failure to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy is punishable by a $1,250.00 fine and appearance in court. Any questions, please contact Paul at firebureau@avonbytheseanj.com.

• Certificate of Occupancy Inspection, Sales and Rentals: Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Detector Compliance Certificate
• Rental Property Requirements
• Regulations for Fire Extinguishers on All Sales and Rentals Residential Dwellings
• Useful Links

Certificate of Occupancy Inspection, Sales and Rentals:
Smoke Detector and Carbon Monoxide Detector Compliance Certificate
It is the responsibility of all landlords and Realtors to see that all applications for C of O’s are in sufficient time, in order to schedule an inspection, make any necessary repairs and re-inspection prior to occupancy of any housing unit. A period of 14 days is a minimum that will be required for this office, due to the limited scheduled office hours. Any request for inspections under 14 days may be assessed an additional fee.

No housing unit will be issued a Certificate of Occupancy while any outstanding violations exist, and no housing unit will be allowed to be occupied prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy. The penalty for occupancy without a C of O is $1250.00.

Also, the sale or rental of any housing unit without a Smoke Defector or Carbon Monoxide Compliance Certificate is punishable by a $500.00 fine, according to the NJ Uniform Fire Code. 10 Year sealed detectors are required if not hard wired.

The application fee for a certificate of smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm compliance (CSDCMAC), as by N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.9(d) shall be based upon the amount of time remaining before the change of occupant is expected, as follows:

1. Requests for a CSDCMAC received more than 10 business days prior to the change of occupant: $ 45.00

2. Requests for a CSDCMAC received four to 10 business days prior to the change of occupant: $ 90.00

3. Requests for a CSDCMAC received fewer than four business days prior to the change of occupant: $ 161.00

Note: both forms below must be submitted before a C of O can be issued.

CLICK HERE to print out a Certificate of Occupancy & Transfer of Title Application and Certificate of Smoke Detector Carbon Monoxide Alarm Compliance Application (NOTE: You will need to fill out both forms).

For Business/Rental Insurance Registration Requirement information and form, click HERE!

Rental Property Requirements
All rental properties within the Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea are subject to four (4) Borough Ordinances, they are; Chapter 82, Buildings Unfit, Chapter 88, Property Maintenance, which includes 1996 BOCA Property Maintenance Code, Chapter 100, Uniform Fire Code, and Chapter 134, Rental Property. They are also subject to County Health Standards and State Housing Requirements. All owners should contact the Department of Community Affairs Office in Trenton, to receive a copy of the Truth in Renting rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords in New Jersey.

Owners/landlords are required to maintain all rental properties in a clean, neat and sanitary condition and properties must be up to all codes in order to rent and receive a Certificate of Occupancy. The occupying of a rental unit with no Certificate of Occupancy is subject to a summons and fine, along with any fine for violations found in the rental unit.

In order to address any problems which may occur, please find the following common violations which must be addressed, prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.

A. PAINTING: All rentals shall be freshly painted within 3 years, no flaking or chipped paint. Wallpaper must be clean and glued smoothly to wall.
B. GROUND FAULT INTERRUPTERS (GFI) OUTLETS: All electrical outlets within 6 feet of water must be GFI protected.
C. HANDRAILS: All staircases of more than 2 steps must be provided with a handrail.
D. SMOKE DETECTORS: Smoke detectors are required on each level of the building and within 10 feet of every bedroom. Detectors larger than 6 inches must be replaced.
E. CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS: All rental units must have a carbon monoxide detector installed near the bedroom areas.
F. BATHROOMS: All toilet seats shall be replaced with every new tenant. All tile grout shall be intact, all caulking shall be smooth and clean, all bathroom flooring shall be watertight.
G. WINDOWS: All windows shall be intact, no broken glass and all operational, all windows shall be provided with screens.
H. DEAD BOLTS: No keyed dead bolts are allowed on any egress door.
I. FLOORING: All hardwood floors shall be clean and smooth, or resanded and varnished. All rugs shall be free of stains, clean and sanitary.
J. APPLIANCES: All appliances shall be clean, sanitary and in working order.

These are just a few areas which come up often. As the owner, you are also required to see that trash receptacles are present and that the occupancy of your rental is not overtly increased during the rental period. All rentals will be issued an orange sticker to the inside of the kitchen cabinets stating the Certificate of Occupancy Number, date of inspection, unit number and occupancy load.

Conditions of outside property, such as porches, landings, sidewalks and driveway, are also areas in which the owner is responsible, and may be required to be fixed prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.

To print out a Certificate of Occupancy & Transfer of Title Application click here.

Regulations for Fire Extinguishers
on All Sales and Rentals Residential Dwellings
The New Jersey Division of Fire Safety has implemented new regulations with regards to the installation of a Fire Extinguisher, at the change of occupancy, in all residential dwelling units which are sold, leased or rented, effective November 1, 2005.

The following regulations and installation requirements shall be followed:
1. One fire extinguisher shall be installed upon the change of occupancy.
2. The fire extinguisher shall be listed, labeled, charged and operable.
3. The size shall be a minimum of 5 lb. and not greater than 10 lb. ABC Extinguisher for residential use.
4. The extinguisher must be installed on the hangers or brackets supplied by the manufacturer.
5. The extinguisher shall be located with 10 feet of the kitchen.
6. The top of the extinguisher must not be higher than 5 feet from the floor.
7. The extinguisher must be visible and in a readily accessible location, free from being blocked by furniture, storage or other items .
8. The extinguisher must be placed near a room exit or travel path that provides an escape route to the exterior.
9. The extinguisher must be accompanied by an owner’s manual or written information regarding the operation, inspection, and maintenance of the extinguisher.
10. The fire extinguisher must be installed with the operating instructions clearly visible.

.

Useful Links
Application for Fire Safety Permit
National Fire Protection Association
After a fire
Sparky The Fire Dog