N.J. Stat. Ann. § 2A:18-51 et seq. § 2A:18-75
Storing abandoned property
Operative Text
4. After notifying a tenant as required by sections 2 and 3 of P.L.1999, c.340 (C.2A:18-73 and C.2A:18-74), a landlord shall store all goods, chattels, manufactured or mobile homes and other personal property of the tenant in a place of safekeeping and shall exercise reasonable care for the property, except that the landlord may promptly dispose of perishable food and shall allow an animal control agency or humane society to remove any abandoned pets or livestock. A landlord may store a tenant's manufactured dwelling or residential vehicle on the space previously rented, elsewhere on the premises or in a safe location off the premises. A landlord shall be entitled to reasonable storage charges and costs incidental to storage. A landlord may store property in a commercial storage facility, in which case the storage cost shall include the actual storage charge plus the reasonable cost of removal of the property to the place of storage. L.1999,c.340,s.4.
Under N.J.S.A. 2A:18-51 et seq. § 2A:18-75, once a landlord has provided the required notices to a tenant, the landlord must store the tenant's personal property—including manufactured or mobile homes—in a safe place and take reasonable care of it. Perishable food may be promptly discarded, and abandoned pets or livestock may be turned over to an animal control agency or humane society. The landlord is entitled to recover reasonable storage charges, including actual costs if a commercial storage facility is used, plus reasonable removal costs.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Compliance with N.J.S.A. 2A:18-51 et seq. § 2A:18-75 generally means that after delivering the notices required by §§ 2A:18-73 and 2A:18-74, a landlord secures the tenant's belongings in a safe location—whether on the vacated premises, elsewhere on the property, or at an off-site commercial facility—and exercises reasonable care over them. Operators typically document the condition of stored items and keep records of all storage-related costs, since the statute allows recovery of reasonable storage charges and incidental costs. Perishable food may be disposed of promptly, and arrangements with an animal control agency or humane society can be made for any abandoned animals.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.J.S.A. 2A:18-51 et seq. § 2A:18-75 gives tenants the assurance that a landlord who has taken possession of a unit must safeguard any personal property left behind, rather than simply discarding it, and must exercise reasonable care over those belongings. If a landlord fails to store property properly or charges unreasonable fees, tenants may have grounds to raise that failure as a legal issue, file a complaint with a relevant New Jersey court or housing authority, or consult a tenant-rights organization for guidance on available remedies. Tenants should be aware that storage costs—including commercial facility fees and removal expenses—may be charged against them under this provision.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 6, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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