Permit for Suspended / Drop Ceiling?

Current codes? No! Unless work had been done w/o a permit. Then they might enforce current. Otherwise I'm sure typical grandfathering applies.

And I can tell you that my personal experience in selling is contrary to your belief. The AHJ did inspect prior to closing, and did require repairs before closing could take place.

As I said before, I have no first hand experience with "as-is" sales, dilapidated or otherwise. I am sure provisions exist.

My personal experience says you are, at least around here. And not just for the initial sale of new construction, but for resale as well.

I'll have to dig and see if I kept any of that paperwork ...

Reply to
Art Greenberg
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If that's so, then I'm definitely w/ Edwin on being glad I'm not there... :)

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Reply to
dpb

Based on this thread, I'm now REALLY sure that NJ is a good place to be "from". :)

Having been "from" NJ for nearly 50 years!

Even the People's Republic of Kalifornia is less intrusive (but not by much), who woulda thunk?

cheers Bob

Reply to
BobK207

"BobK207" wrote

I have had inspectors in my NJ house any number of times and they never even blinked at any things I had done without permits. I think the permit inspection thing is overstated. Just my experience in my town.

nancy

Reply to
Nancy Young

Well, I got curious again and did do (actually repeated because I discovered pretty quickly my previous search _had_ been NJ as I thought I recalled) a fairly long search of NJ statute and what I could find of real estate buy/sell advice. I found _NO_ indication of any state law requiring a jurisdictionally sponsored or required inspection other than the seller disclosure form nor any other indication that any of these restrictions are actually law, at least at the State level. In perusing this, I found several sites of NJ-licensed inspectors and all of them indicated their services were optional to the buyer except possibly by the lending institutions, etc., as we all know.

My conclusion is still that many/most/(all?) of the hoops Art has jumped through are either very local (and I found several sections in NJ statute Sect. 46 that mentioned they overrode the localities' ability to write their own regulations altho I can't swear in such a quick review those cover all possible items) or a case of a realtor/broker/agent handling the transaction and masking the actual legal _minimum_ requirements by handling it at a "higher level" if you will.

I'll be interested to see what additional info Art actually has as it would be interesting to see just how bad it has gotten in some localities if it is indeed that bad...

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Reply to
dpb

Experience in NJ- two towns needed CO- one didnt -the one that didnt only checked fir CO and smoke detector and fire extinguishers

Reply to
bigjim

Why would NJ inspectors be in your house numerous times? Private house or multiple dwelling?

Reply to
Proctologically Violated©®

Haven't you learned that government believes people can't possibly be trusted to make such decisions on their own behalf?

Reply to
Larry Bud

"Proctologically Violated©®" wrote

New air conditioner, new furnace, new water heater ... the company who does that stuff for me always files permits.

Personally, I think if you have work done by licensed professionals, you shouldn't need an inspection, but hey, who doesn't love hanging around all day for someone to look at a wire and walk off.

It is stated on the permit that the inspector will look for smoke and CO detectors while they are there, but they never do.

Also, they aren't NJ inspectors, they are my town's inspectors.

Reply to
Nancy Young

"Nancy Young" wrote

Ooops, I forgot to mention, I handled the sale of 2 homes and purchase of 1 for my inlaws, that is where the CofOs came in. All they looked for were safety issues, not what work was done with or without permits. This was in 2 other municipalities.

nancy

Reply to
Nancy Young

.14decay at optonline2.718 dot net; remove pi and e to reply--ie, all d'numbuhs

I've heard from business owners that NJ can be a real pain, much like NYS--real revenue raisers. But what you describe is reasonable.

When I filed for a tax reduction here in Yonkers (and got it!), they sent someone over, whose primary concern was ferreting out illegal bathrooms/kitchens. I pointed out that not only were none illegal, but also that none of them worked. :)

I suspect--sheeeit, I KNOW-- that the next New Wave of Paper Terrorism, which is now pretty much limited to our effing driver's licenses/insurance and tax returns, will be extended to our homes, with profound intrusion, looking for violations, un-filed work, anything at all to generate boucou revenue via hefty fines. This paragraph of the NWPT bill is called the Municipal Home Invasion Act. Basically they will extend their inspection policy of multiple dwellings/apt. buildings to private homes. NYC generated hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue from landlords via housing code violations in apt. buildings.

You are already being held hostage via the absolute and likely corrupt whim of the tax assessor/officials. Oh, we need new luxury county offices, and I need a top floor corner office with a private elevator--no problem, let's raise taxes.... Your tax bill may already be more than your effing mortgage.

Your Home Invasion Bill will be another $100K over 10 years, guaranteed. You will never ever ever be able to retire.

Some here have reported that some counties require permits for

*wallpapering* yer house, or for *any* work over $1000. It is increasingly common that municipalities require filings for a changed water heater, or even a sink!

Get ready. Itsa comin. See my sig.

Reply to
Proctologically Violated©®

Well, I've been away on business and unable to follow up. I did a quick search for paperwork relating to my previous home sales, and didn't find anything germane.

But I did find something useful ... here is the relevant section of the Code of Hamilton Twp., Mercer County:

Sec. 66-63. Inspection prior to change in occupancy; certificate of approval.

(a) Prior to any change in occupancy of any house, hotel, dwelling, dwelling unit, roominghouse, rooming unit, boardinghouse, motel, apartment unit or premises which is used, partially used or intended to be used for human occupancy, a certificate of approval shall first have been obtained from the office of the superintendent of inspections, stating that the building and premises comply with the requirements of the township ordinances. In the case of a hotel or motel, this section shall only apply in those cases involving permanent, rather than transient, residence.

(b) An inspection shall be obtained either by the owner or the owner's agent prior to a change in occupancy and shall be performed by the office of the superintendent of inspections for the purpose of determining if a certificate of approval may be issued.

(c) Inspections pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall be conducted using the following criteria:

(1) All violations of township ordinances shall be reflected in the inspection report in order to provide notice to the owner or prospective owner or occupant of such violations.

(2) A violation of the plumbing code which poses a positive or obvious major threat to the health, safety or welfare of any potential occupancy, a violation of the electrical code which poses a positive or obvious major threat to the health, safety or welfare of any potential occupancy, or any other condition which poses a positive or obvious threat to the health, safety or welfare of any potential occupancy shall be deemed a major violation of the housing code and shall be designated to the owner, potential owner or occupant separately on the inspection report.

(d) Violations of the kind described in subsection (c)(2) of this section must be corrected by the owner of the unit before the issuance of a certificate of approval. The responsibility for correction of a violation of the housing code which is not a major violation may, except in the case of a rental, be assumed by the buyer, with the written notification and approval of the seller, buyer and superintendent of inspections. At the time of such assumption of responsibility, a conditional certificate of approvalmay be issued, and the violations shall be corrected by the buyer within 30 days of the date of issuance of the conditional certificate of approval. The director of engineering, planning and inspections may grant an extension not exceeding 30 days for just cause.

(e) An unconditional certificate of approval shall be issued by the office of the superintendent of inspections at such time as the superintendent is satisfied that all violations have been corrected.

(f) The completed certificate of approval shall contain the names of both the seller or landlord and the buyer or tenant. One copy of the completed certificate of approval as provided by the township shall remain each with the seller or landlord and the buyer or tenant.

(g) In the case of a rental, the landlord shall ensure that the tenant shall sign a tenant's receipt as provided by the township upon receiving the tenant's copy of the certificate of approval. The landlord shall then, within ten days, upon securing the tenant's signature, forward the signed tenant's receipt to the superintendent of inspections.

(h) A certificate of approval is valid for the authorization of occupancy for a period of 90 days after issuance. The director of engineering, planning and inspections may authorize extensions of 30 days only upon presentment of sufficient proof that the extension is necessary due to unforeseeable circumstances beyond the control of parties involved.

(i) The purpose of this section is to continue to ensure compliance with the various township ordinances and the housing code in order to maintain high standards of housing both for homeowners and apartment dwellers within the township. However, the township, by this section, is not acting as a guarantor of any property insofar as any potential owner or occupant is concerned, nor shall the township be considered to be involved in any manner in the contractual relationships between the parties.

Reply to
Art Greenberg

...

...snip code for brevity...

OK, that is TWP, not state as I surmised must be local.

While somewhat onerous and, imo, somewhat overbearing, it doesn't actually prohibit transfer of title and there is the "out" clause of a conditional COA and the lesser of buyer-accepted qualification.

One would presume they couldn't enforce it for the sale of a currently unoccupied residence, either to prohibit the transfer of title, only that they can prevent actually occupancy until serious deficiencies are addressed.

But still, makes one glad to not be in NJ... :)

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Reply to
dpb

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Wow, that is a very restrictive set of rules. Thanks for posting it so I never move to the Socialist Republic of Hamilton Township.

The way I read this, if your tenant bails on you in six months, you have to go through the same inspection BS again. And again when he moves.

For comparison sake, the city of Hartford is supposed to annually inspect commercial buildings for fire safety. Some have not been inspected in 20 years due to lack of funding. I cannot image the budget and work force needed to do every home or apartment when it changes occupants.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

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