New Jersey Repair Request Letter to Landlord
A free New Jersey repair request letter to landlord that follows New Jersey law. Fill in the boxes, check the rules below, then print or copy it. Keep a copy and proof of how you sent it.
What New Jersey law says
| Repair and deduct | Allowed by case law, not statute. For defects in vital facilities, after giving the landlord notice and a reasonable time to repair, the tenant may make the repair and deduct the reasonable cost from rent. |
|---|---|
| Withholding rent | Allowed by case law: if the landlord breaches the implied warranty of habitability (vital facilities), the tenant may withhold all or part of the rent and raise habitability as a defense or set-off in a nonpayment case. By statute, a tenant or public officer may also sue to have rents deposited into court and used to fix conditions in substantial violation of housing or health codes (lack of heat, running water, light, electricity, or sewage disposal, or other dangerous conditions), or to correct a wrongful diversion of utility service. |
| Landlord retaliation | A landlord may not serve a notice to quit, sue for possession, or substantially change the tenancy (including refusing to renew without cause) as a reprisal for the tenant: trying to secure or enforce rights under the lease or law; making a good-faith complaint to a government authority about a health or safety violation (after first notifying the landlord and allowing reasonable time to fix it); or organizing, joining, or taking part in a lawful organization. The tenant wins the possession case if reprisal is shown, and may sue for damages and injunctive relief. Source: N.J.S.A. 2A:42-10.10 to -10.13 |
| Heat | Yes, for buildings of three or more units: from October 1 to May 15, every unit and habitable room must be kept at least 68°F from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and at least 65°F from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. The owner must supply the fuel or energy and keep the heating system in good operating condition, regardless of lease terms, unless the tenant agrees in writing to heat a unit served by its own separately billed heating equipment. Source: N.J.A.C. 5:10-14.3, 5:10-14.4 |
| Mold | No statute — the implied warranty of habitability and state/local housing maintenance codes apply. New Jersey has no enacted mold disclosure, testing, or remediation standard for rentals. |
Fill in your letter
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To: [landlord or manager name], [landlord address]
From: [your name], tenant at [rental address]
I am asking you to repair the following problems at my rental: [describe each problem, where it is, and when it started].
I first reported this on [date first reported] by [phone, text, email, portal or letter].
Please make these repairs by [date]. You may enter to make repairs after giving the notice required by law; times that work for me: [access times].
New Jersey law protects tenants from retaliation for asking for repairs (N.J.S.A. 2A:42-10.10 to -10.13).
Date: [today's date]
Tenant: [your name]
Signature: ____________________
How to send it: use a method you can prove — certified mail with return receipt, or email/text if your lease allows notices that way. Write down the date.
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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.