Are Attic Apartments Legal

Adding an apartment in the basement attic or garage without obtaining approval or permits from the department of buildings.

Are attic apartments legal.

Are attic apartments legal or illegal in new jersey. The basement apartment in bellerose queens was the best deal around one bedroom with a big living room and kitchen for 950 a month. I am afraid it might not be legal. The law is intended to both penalize and dissuade landlords from renting out apartments which present serious health and safety concerns to their tenants.

We lived here since january 2011. I had him in may. Security is not a prerequisite for renting a room space. I live in an attic apartment with my finace and my 5 month old son.

Buildings with over 4 residential dwelling units require private garbage containers and pick up. Fire as a cause of injury and death is the main reason for these restrictions. A basement rises at least 50 above street level while a cellar has the majority of its space below street level and different laws can apply to each to be declared legal a basement cellar. Most illegal conversions are basements or attics which have been turned into separate rented apartment units or an existing single dwelling unit which is partitioned into two dwelling units.

Tenants should be wary of attic basement and garage apartments and when in doubt check with their town to ensure that the apartment is legal under zoning ordinances. Vasquez also said to avoid units without two separate exits out in. Or creating a rooming house single room occupancy or dividing an apartment into single room occupancies. It is legal for an apartment building to have attic access in adjoining apartments so everyone has access to each other s apartment by just crawling up into the attic and dropping down into the neighbors apartment in the same way it is legal to rent apartments that don t have a door at all.

Vasquez said tenants should be wary of basement and attic apartments as well as units with small windows or no windows at all. I have been out of a job since march due to complications during my pregnancy and i was. I rent an attic in a one family home with one exit.