Hamilton rent control: maximum rent increase (2026)
Mercer County — Chapter 5, Article XXIX, Rent Leveling Commission. Full ordinance text ↗
Status disputed
Sources disagree on whether Hamilton's rent control ordinance is currently in force — see open questions below. Confirm directly with the municipality before relying on this page; the notice generator is unavailable until this is resolved.
Summary
- Cap formula
- When the landlord furnishes heat, the increase may equal the average of the percentage change in the CPI-W and the Residential Renters CPI (both released the preceding July); when the landlord does not furnish heat, the allowed increase is 60% of that same average.
- Frequency
- once per 12 months
- Notice required
- Landlord must notify the tenant by certified mail or personal service of the calculations used to compute the increase, and file a copy with the Rent Leveling Commission Secretary.
- Who's covered
- Residential multiple-family dwellings with 4 or more units
- Exemptions
- motels, hotels, and transient-serving buildings
- new construction (30 yrs from certificate of occupancy, N.J.S.A. 2A:42-84.2)
- Vacancy decontrol
- Since 9/1/2002, landlords may set an unrestricted rent on a vacated unit, except when an existing tenant moves within the same building (market rate applies to that move only).
- Surcharges
- Surcharges are prohibited on leases executed after 5/6/1981; existing leases with automatic surcharge clauses are limited to the ordinance's allowable increase.
- Penalties
- Willful violation is punishable under the Township's general penalty provisions for ordinance violations (specific amount not found in retrieved text).
- Status
- unclear
- Confidence
- medium
- Last verified
- 2026-09-23
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Ordinance text
No landlord who furnished heat to tenants may request or receive a percentage increase which is greater than the average of the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index and the percentage increase in the Residential Renters Consumer Price Index released during the July preceding the notice of increase. No landlord who does not furnish heat to tenants may request or receive a percentage increase which is greater than 60% of the average of the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index and the percentage increase in the Residential Renters Consumer Price Index released during the July preceding the notice of increase.Chapter 5, Article XXIX, Rent Leveling Commission — https://ecode360.com/27520936
State survey entry
- Increase limit
- No rent increase limit
- Units covered
- --
- Exceptions
- No rent control ordinance on record
Source: NJ Department of Community Affairs, 2026 Rent Control Survey — nj.gov
Open questions
- The DCA 2026 survey lists 'No rent control ordinance on record' / 'No rent increase limit' for Hamilton Township (Mercer), but Chapter 5, Article XXIX (Rent Leveling Commission) is published on the municipal code site with a CPI-based cap, most recently amended in 2002. Could not independently confirm this ordinance is still in force; recommend verifying with the Township Clerk / Rent Leveling Commission before relying on it.
- No DCA office/board contact information is on file for this municipality (DCA survey fields blank).
Rent board
Not on file — check the ordinance