New Jersey Landlord Selling the House
New Jersey rules on landlord selling the house for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: A tenant protected by the Anti-Eviction Act may not be removed by the landlord's successor in ownership except for good cause (or in narrow federal-law or government-enforcement cases). N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.3(b); N.J.S.A. 46:8-21
The rules in New Jersey
| If the landlord sells the property | A tenant protected by the Anti-Eviction Act may not be removed by the landlord's successor in ownership except for good cause (or in narrow federal-law or government-enforcement cases). The buyer must obtain the security deposits and accrued interest from the seller; whether or not they are transferred, the buyer becomes responsible for investing the deposit, giving the required notices, paying interest, and returning the deposit with interest. A seller who turns the deposit and the tenant's share of interest over to the buyer is released from liability for repaying it. Security deposit text: https://www.nj.gov/dca/codes/publications/pdf_lti/sdepsit_law.pdf. Where a successor is not bound by the former lease, it may offer the tenant a different lease (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.3(b)). The Anti-Eviction Act does not cover owner-occupied premises with two or fewer rental units or transient/seasonal rentals (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.1). |
|---|---|
| Tenants in foreclosure | Foreclosure alone is not grounds to evict. The Anti-Eviction Act's good-cause rules bind the new owner. Within 10 business days after taking title through a sheriff's sale or deed in lieu, the new owner must give tenants a notice in English and Spanish. The notice says where to pay rent, that the tenant is protected by the Anti-Eviction Act, and gives the new owner's contact information. In buildings of 10 or fewer units, it must be posted on each unit door and sent by certified and regular mail. The foreclosing party and new owner may not pressure tenants to leave (except by a bona fide cash-for-keys offer, with a 5-business-day review period). Violations bring $2,000 per violation or other civil remedies at the tenant's choice. 2A:50-71: https://lis.njleg.state.nj.us/nxt/gateway.dll/statutes/1/112/1644?f=templates$fn=document-frame.htm$3.0. The 'no pressure' rule applies during the foreclosure and for 1 year after the transfer of title. Rent increases above rent-control or Anti-Eviction Act limits count as pressure. Owner-occupied buildings of 2 or fewer units are generally outside the Anti-Eviction Act (not re-verified here). |
Related questions
New Jersey vs. neighboring states
| State | If the landlord sells the property | Tenants in foreclosure |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | A tenant protected by the Anti-Eviction Act may not be removed by the landlord's successor in ownership except for good cause (or in narrow federal-law or government-enforcement cases). The buyer must obtain the security deposits and accrued interest from the seller; whether or not they are transferred, the buyer becomes responsible for investing the deposit, giving the required notices, paying interest, and returning the deposit with interest. A seller who turns the deposit and the tenant's share of interest over to the buyer is released from liability for repaying it. N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.3(b); N.J.S.A. 46:8-21 | Foreclosure alone is not grounds to evict. The Anti-Eviction Act's good-cause rules bind the new owner. Within 10 business days after taking title through a sheriff's sale or deed in lieu, the new owner must give tenants a notice in English and Spanish. The notice says where to pay rent, that the tenant is protected by the Anti-Eviction Act, and gives the new owner's contact information. In buildings of 10 or fewer units, it must be posted on each unit door and sent by certified and regular mail. The foreclosing party and new owner may not pressure tenants to leave (except by a bona fide cash-for-keys offer, with a 5-business-day review period). Violations bring $2,000 per violation or other civil remedies at the tenant's choice. N.J.S.A. 2A:50-70, 2A:50-71 (P.L.2009, c.296) |
| Delaware | If the landlord's interest in a rental is sold or transferred and the tenant used a surety bond instead of a cash security deposit, the new landlord must accept the tenant's surety bond and may not require an additional security deposit during the current lease term. When the lease is renewed, the new landlord may not require a bond or deposit that, together with the existing one, is more than one month's rent. 25 Del. C. § 5514A(j) | No state tenant-protection statute found in the Landlord-Tenant Code. The Code only lists, as a ground for summary possession, a tenant holding over more than 5 days after the property is sold at foreclosure and title is perfected. Federal PTFA protections (90-day notice and the right to finish a bona fide lease) govern in practice. 25 Del. C. § 5702(6); 25 Del. C. Chs. 51-57 (checked) |
| New York | When a landlord sells the property (or assigns the lease), whoever holds the tenant's security deposit must turn it over to the buyer at delivery of the deed or within five days afterward, and notify the tenant by registered or certified mail with the buyer's name and address. Once the deposit is turned over, the seller is released from liability for repaying it and the buyer becomes responsible for returning it. Failing to comply is a misdemeanor. N.Y. Gen. Oblig. Law § 7-105 | After foreclosure, a tenant in a unit that is not rent-controlled or rent-stabilized may stay for the longest of: (a) 90 days after the required notice; (b) the rest of the lease, if the tenant lived there when the foreclosure began or got the RPAPL 1303 notice; or (c) the rest of a good-faith, roughly market-rate lease, up to 3 years. The tenancy continues on the existing terms. The new owner must give every tenant written notice of these rights and of its name and address. A successor who will live in the property as a primary residence may limit one unit to 90 days. Rent-regulated and subsidized tenants keep their rights under other law. RPAPL 1305(2)-(5); RPAPL 1303 |
| Pennsylvania | Anyone who buys rental property takes on the same duties, and gets the same rights and remedies, as the seller had (Landlord and Tenant Act § 104). Pennsylvania has no state law in the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 that sets a specific procedure for the seller to transfer the security deposit to the buyer or to notify tenants of the sale. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 § 104; Act reviewed | No state statute found — the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 has no foreclosure or sale protections for tenants beyond the federal PTFA. Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 checked |
City rules that may add to state law
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New Jersey Landlord Selling the House FAQ
What happens to my lease if my landlord sells the house in New Jersey?
A tenant protected by the Anti-Eviction Act may not be removed by the landlord's successor in ownership except for good cause (or in narrow federal-law or government-enforcement cases). The buyer must obtain the security deposits and accrued interest from the seller; whether or not they are transferred, the buyer becomes responsible for investing the deposit, giving the required notices, paying interest, and returning the deposit with interest. A seller who turns the deposit and the tenant's share of interest over to the buyer is released from liability for repaying it. (N.J.S.A. 2A:18-61.3(b); N.J.S.A. 46:8-21)
What are tenants' rights in a foreclosure in New Jersey?
Foreclosure alone is not grounds to evict. The Anti-Eviction Act's good-cause rules bind the new owner. Within 10 business days after taking title through a sheriff's sale or deed in lieu, the new owner must give tenants a notice in English and Spanish. The notice says where to pay rent, that the tenant is protected by the Anti-Eviction Act, and gives the new owner's contact information. In buildings of 10 or fewer units, it must be posted on each unit door and sent by certified and regular mail. The foreclosing party and new owner may not pressure tenants to leave (except by a bona fide cash-for-keys offer, with a 5-business-day review period). Violations bring $2,000 per violation or other civil remedies at the tenant's choice. (N.J.S.A. 2A:50-70, 2A:50-71 (P.L.2009, c.296))
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.