46:8-49.3 Acceptance by landlord of rent payment during three-day period.

2. a. A landlord shall accept a rent payment made within the three business day period established by subsection a. of section 1 of P.L.2019, c.316 (C.2A:42-10.16a), whether made by cash, certified check, or money order, or through any federal, State, or local rental assistance program or bona fide charitable organization on behalf of the tenant. A landlord shall cooperate with any federal, State, or local rental assistance program or bona fide charitable organization which has committed to pay the rent due and owing. If a landlord does not respond to a tenant's efforts to resolve the issue of late payment through a third party, the tenant may seek a remedy by requesting an order to show cause.

b. A landlord shall provide the tenant with a receipt after each rent payment is made within the three business day period established by subsection a. of section 1 of P.L.2019, c.316 (C.2A:42-10.16a), which shall include the date on which the payment was made.

c. In the event that a landlord of a rent-controlled property is entitled to recover attorney's fees or expenses under the lease agreement, incurred as a result of the failure of the tenant to pay rent due and owing, unless otherwise limited by local ordinance, the court shall take into consideration all factors associated with each case and may limit the amount awarded to the landlord to a reasonable fee based on those factors.

d. A landlord who violates any provision of P.L.2019, c.316 (C.2A:42-10.16a et al.), shall be subject to a penalty of not more than $500 for each offense. The penalty shall be collected and enforced by summary proceedings pursuant to the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c.274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.), in a court of competent jurisdiction.

L.2019, c.316, s.2.