SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY, No. 3293

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 4, 2017

     The Senate Commerce Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 3293 (1R).

     This bill, as amended, supplements the “Self-Service Storage Facility Act,” P.L.1983. c.136 (C. 2A:44-187 et seq.), to allow the owner of a self-service storage facility to charge and collect a reasonable late fee for each month that the occupant of a storage space in that facility fails to make timely rental payments.  The bill stipulates that the reasonable late fee is $20 or 18 percent of the monthly rent, whichever is greater.

     The amended bill also authorizes the sale of the personal property contained in a storage space in satisfaction of the owner’s lien for a claim for nonpayment of rental fees by way of an online publicly accessible website, in addition to a public sale held at the self-service storage facility, as currently provided in the law.

     As amended and reported by the committee, the bill is identical to Senate Bill No. 403, as also amended and reported by the committee. 

Committee Amendment:

      The committee amendment provides that the reasonable late fee permitted by the bill is up to $20 or 18 percent of the monthly rent, whichever is greater.  This amendment is intended to clarify that the late fee may be less than these amounts.