Old Bridge, NJ Rental Inspections: Tenant Complaint Process (2026)
Key Facts
- Daytime heat minimum
- 68 degrees, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Overnight heat minimum
- 65 degrees, 11:50 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Complaint agency
- Township Department of Health and Welfare
- Wait before Township acts
- 24 hours after tenant's complaint
- Outdoor temperature trigger
- Below 55 degrees outside
Summary
When an Old Bridge Township landlord fails to fix broken heating equipment, Section 235-10I lets the Department of Health and Welfare step in as the landlord's agent: after a 24-hour wait once the tenant has notified the landlord and filed a complaint, and only when it is under 55 degrees outside, the Township orders repairs and bills the landlord.
I. In accordance with N.J.S.A. ... 26:3-31, the following regulations shall apply: ... (2) To act as the agent for a landlord in the engaging of repairmen and the ordering of any parts necessary to restore to operating condition the furnace, boiler or other equipment essential to the proper heating of any residential unit rented by the landlord, provided that at least 24 hours have elapsed since the tenant has lodged a complaint with the Township Department of Health and Welfare, prior to which a bona fide attempt has been made by the tenant to notify the landlord of the failure of the heating equipment, and the landlord has failed to take appropriate action, and the outside air temperature is less than 55° F. ( ... a) Any person who supplies material or services in accordance with this article shall bill the landlord directly and by filing a notice approved by the Township Department of Health and Welfare, with the County Clerk, shall have a lien on the premises where the materials were used or services supplied.
Full Breakdown
Section 235-10 sets Old Bridge Township's minimum heating standard: every occupied dwelling must be heated to at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., and at least 65 degrees overnight, from October 1 through May 1 and on any other day the outside temperature drops below 40 degrees. Subsection I, adopted under N.J.S.A. 26:3-31, gives tenants a concrete complaint path when a landlord will not restore broken heating equipment. First, the tenant must make a bona fide attempt to notify the landlord that the furnace, boiler, or other heating equipment has failed.
If the landlord fails to act, the tenant lodges a complaint with the Township Department of Health and Welfare. Once at least 24 hours have passed since that complaint, and only if the outside air temperature has fallen below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the Department is authorized to act as the landlord's agent: it can engage repairmen and order the parts needed to restore the furnace, boiler, or other essential heating equipment to working order. The repair contractor bills the landlord directly, and by filing a notice approved by the Department with the Middlesex County Clerk, the contractor obtains a lien on the rental premises for the cost of the materials or services supplied.
This mechanism runs alongside the general code enforcement process in Section 235-4, under which the Construction Official can also issue a written violation notice with up to 60 days to cure, or, in a genuine health emergency, a verbal order requiring immediate action.
Violations & Fines
A landlord who fails to restore heat after a tenant's complaint faces a lien filed with the County Clerk for the cost of the Township-ordered repairs, billed directly to the landlord under Section 235-10I(2)(a). Separately, failing to maintain the required 68-degree daytime or 65-degree overnight minimum is a housing code violation enforceable through Old Bridge Township Municipal Court under Section 235-4.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can an Old Bridge tenant do if the landlord won't fix a broken furnace?
Who pays for the repairs the Township orders under the heating complaint process?
Is there a minimum temperature landlords must maintain in Old Bridge Township?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Old Bridge
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