Rent Control

Responsible for providing an efficient administration of the rent control provisions and clarifying certain ambiguities that City Council has determined to be in the best interests of the citizens of Camden. The office acts as a mediator between landlords and tenants in an effort to provide safe and affordable rental housing to residents.

Services:
Annual Landlord Registration
Rent Control Booklet
Tenant Complaints

THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT RENT CONTROL

The City of Camden Rent Control Office administer and enforces the provisions of legislation adopted by the City Council for Rent Control on March 12, 1981, as Ordinance No. MC-1719.^[2] The specific powers and functions of said Office of Rent Control are set forth in § 650-12 of the Code of the City of Camden.

The office of Rent Control assists landlords and tenants in understating the impact the Municipal Rent Control Ordinance of the City of Camden, may have on their properties and apartments. Technical assistance is provided on a wide variety of rental issues which cover such matters as: which apartments are subject to local rent control laws; what is the legal base rent; what rent increases the law permits; tax surcharges; water/sewer surcharges; major new improvement surcharges; hardship increases; and annual registration requirements. Files on all residential properties are maintained for public inspection if owners and/or tenants have questions regarding a particular property.

WHAT IS RENT CONTROL?

Rent control is a broad term for legislation that limits rent rates in a city or state. Rent control laws vary by municipality, but they generally put a ceiling on the maximum rent that can be charged for a unit, as well as the that the rent can be increased per year. Rent control laws are one way cities that regulates the housing market.

The aim of these price controls is to maintain a base of affordable rental housing for low and moderate income tenants. In the City of Camden, Rent Control increase rate is determined by Consumer Price Index of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania metropolitan area which is published by the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics

THE CORRECT WAY TO INCREASE RENT

The law requires a landlord to take certain steps in order to make you pay an increase in rent. First, your existing lease at your present rent has to end. This means that the landlord cannot increase the rent during your lease. For example, if you have a lease for a one-year period, the rent cannot be increased during the period of the lease. To raise the rent, the landlord has to wait until your lease is about to expire and then take action to end your lease.