New Jersey Window Guard Disclosure

Protecting children is important. Making sure the child’s living quarters is important lays mostly within the parent’s responsibility, however a landlord shares the burden when it concerns the rental property. On July 31, 2006 Governor Corzine, the former Governor of New Jersey signed into law the “Child Protection Window Guard Law”. This law is named after three children from the state of New Jersey who lost their lives because of falling from windows.

Many children are hurt and worse some even die from falling from windows. Although a law was put in place in 1995 which required the landlord to install window guards at the request of a tenant, these falling accidents were still occurring. Hence the new law was created and signed into law, creating additional safe-guards. There are now specifics regarding window stops, how the guard may be installed, and who will install these and when they must be installed.

Under the new law, owners of multiple rental units are mandated upon written request by the tenant to furnish, install and maintain window guards on public hallways in addition to the rental unit of any tenant with a child that is ten years old or younger who resides in the apartment or who visits regularly for a considerable amount of time.

This very important “New Jersey Window Guard Disclosure” conforms to the disclosure requirements of the law. The “ezLandlordforms’ New Jersey Window Guard Disclosure” will be provided at the beginning of the Lease, and annually thereafter.

This form will be included in the lease package. A landlord would use this form when he rents an apartment of defined specifications and when the tenants have a child 10 or under, or a child 10 years of age or younger who is frequently present in the residence.

Important Notice: Landlord must also verbally notify the tenant of this requirement.

More information may be found at: www.lsnjlaw.org