Rule text
a. No Joinder of Actions. Summary actions between landlord and tenant for the recovery of premises shall not be joined with any other cause of action, nor shall a defendant in such proceedings file a counterclaim or third-party complaint. A party may file a single complaint seeking the possession of a rental unit from a tenant of that party and from another in possession of that unit in a summary action for possession provided that (1) the defendants are separately identified by name or as otherwise permitted by R. 4:26-5(c) or (d) and R. 4:26-5(e), and (2) each party's interests are separately stated in the complaint.
b. Acquisition of Title From Tenant; Option to Purchase. When the landlord acquired title from the tenant or has given the tenant an option to purchase the property, the complaint shall recite those facts.
c. Form of Complaint in Residential Cases. Complaints in summary actions for possession of residential premises must be in the form set forth in Appendix XI-X to these Rules. The amount of rent owed for purposes of the dispossess action can include only the amount that the tenant is required to pay by federal, state or local law and the lease executed by the parties.
d. Notices. Complaints in all tenancy actions shall have attached thereto copies of all notices upon which the plaintiff intends to rely.
Notes
Note: Source - R.R. 7:5-12. Caption and text amended July 14, 1992 to be effective September 1, 1992; amended July 27, 2006 to be effective September 1, 2006; caption amended, former text allocated into paragraphs (a) and (b), captions to paragraphs (a) and (b) adopted, and new paragraphs (c) and (d) added July 9, 2008 to be effective September 1, 2008; paragraph (a) amended July 19, 2012 to be effective September 4, 2012; paragraph (c) amended July 31, 2025 to be effective September 1, 2025.