New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 5 - COMMUNITY AFFAIRS
Chapter 28 - NEW JERSEY STATE HOUSING CODE
Subchapter 1 - STANDARDS OF HABITABILITY
Section 5:28-1.10 - Maintenance

(a) Every foundation, floor, wall, ceiling, door, window, roof, or other part of a building shall be kept in good repair and capable of the use intended by its design, and any exterior part or parts thereof subject to corrosion or deterioration shall be kept well painted.

(b) Every inside and outside stairway, every porch, and every appurtenance thereto shall be so constructed as to be safe to use and capable of supporting the load that normal use may cause to be placed thereon, and shall be kept in sound condition and good repair. Every stairway having three or more steps shall be properly banistered and safely balustraded.

(c) Every porch, balcony, roof, and/or similar place higher than 30 inches above the ground, used for egress or for use by occupants shall be provided with adequate railings or parapets. Such protective railings or parapets shall be properly balustraded and be not less than three feet in height.

(d) Every roof, wall, window, exterior door, and hatchway shall be free from holes or leaks that would permit the entrance of water within a dwelling or be a cause of dampness.

(e) Every foundation, floor, and wall of a dwelling shall be free from chronic dampness.

(f) Every dwelling shall be free from rodents, vermin and insects. Rodent or vermin extermination and rodent proofing and vermin proofing may be required by the local health agency. Rodent and vermin extermination shall be carried out in accordance with 5:28-1.12(k). Every openable window, exterior door, skylight, and other opening to the outdoors shall be supplied with properly fitting screens in good repair from May 1st until October 1st of each year. Such screens shall have a mesh of not less than No. 16.

(g) Every building, dwelling, dwelling unit and all other areas of the premises shall be clean and free from garbage or rubbish and hazards to safety. Lawns, hedges and bushes shall be kept trimmed and shall not be permitted to become overgrown and unsightly. Fences shall be kept in good repair.

(h) The Public Officer may order the owner to clean, repair, paint, whitewash, or paper such walls or ceilings, when a wall or ceiling within a dwelling has deteriorated so as to provide a harborage for rodents or vermin, or when such a wall or ceiling has become stained or soiled, or the plaster, wallboard, or other covering has become loose or badly cracked or missing. Nothing in this subsection shall be so construed as to place upon the nonresident owner responsibilities for cleanliness contained in 5:28-1.12(f).

(i) Every water closet compartment floor and bathroom floor shall be so constructed and maintained as to be reasonably impervious to water so as to permit such floor to be kept in a clean condition.