Many people were furloughed from work for months or lost their jobs altogether during the public health crisis that began in 2020. Without an income, they could not pay rent.
In response, the federal and state governments issued eviction moratoriums. During these periods, tenants could not be evicted for failing to pay rent.
Now, the moratoriums have ended, and eviction notices are piling up. Still, there are some ways to stall or stop eviction in New Jersey.
Pay what you owe in full
If you are being evicted because you did not pay rent, you can stop your eviction by paying everything you owe to your landlord. You can do this any time up to three business days following your eviction. If you do this, your case will be dismissed.
Hardship stays
You can request a “hardship stay.” This means you ask the court if you can stay in your home because of the hardships that moving out would cause.
The court can approve your hardship stay and grant you six months to continue living in your home. You still must pay all rent you owe during your hardship stay.
Order for orderly removal
You can request an order for orderly removal from the court. This gives you seven more days to move out of your home if you are evicted because you could not pay rent.
Asking for a vacated judgment
If you think you have a good reason why you should not be evicted, you can ask the court to vacate the judgment against you. If successful, this means you will not be evicted.
For example, landlords must provide you with notice of the problem before evicting you. They must send you a summons and complaint. If you offer to pay in full, your landlord must accept it.
If your landlord failed to meet any of these requirements, you may have grounds for pursuing a vacated judgment.
Seek help if you are facing eviction
These tactics to stop or stall eviction can be complex. They have many legal requirements that must be met, or they will not work in your favor. You may need to work with a professional who is experienced in residential legal issues to ensure you understand what to do.
