N.J. Admin. Code § 5:25-5.4

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 23, December 2, 2024

Section 5:25-5.4 - Warranty contributions, amount, date due

(a) Each builder not participating in an approved private plan shall contribute to the State plan in an amount equal to a percentage of the purchase price of the home, or of the fair market value of the home on its completion date if there is no good faith arms' length sale, determined in accordance with (b) below, each time such builder sells a home. When the cost of land is not included in the sale, the purchase price shall be deemed to be 125 percent of the contract amount and shall be the basis for calculating the premium and the dollar value placed on the Certificate of Participation.

1. Whenever the seller of a new home is not the builder who constructed it, or a builder taking from the builder who constructed it, such as a mortgagee in possession, receiver in bankruptcy, or executor of an estate, such person shall not be excused from payment of premiums or from taking corrective action on complaints, dispute settlement, or the like in the same manner as would any builder. Such person may contract with a builder for follow-up services that may be required pursuant to the warranty or may, at such person's option, pay 0.68 of one percent of the purchase price of the new home and be relieved of the obligation to provide such follow-up services. The State plan shall then stand in such person's place with regard to any claims made pursuant to this subchapter, but shall not stand in such person's place if the homeowner elects not to file a claim in accordance with this subchapter and elects, rather, to pursue any other remedy against the seller. The claims procedure established by this subchapter shall be the exclusive remedy whereby the State plan shall stand in place of the seller. The Department shall inspect the new home for any defects. The list of defects shall be attached to the Certificate of Participation. Uncompleted portions shall be excluded from the warranty coverage until completed, in accordance with 5:25-3.4(a)1. The additional amount paid shall not be passed through to the owner.

2. Where a builder is under contract with a property owner to fully construct a new home and provide the required warranty coverage, and fails to complete the contract and obtain a certificate of occupancy, the owner may apply to the Department for a new home warranty and pay a premium of 0.68 of one percent of the purchase price of the home. Such procedure, and the coverage thereby secured, shall be as defined in 5:25-5.4(a)1. A warranty shall not be issued when the home is less than 80 percent complete or it is determined by the Department that the cause of the builder's not completing the home was the owners' failing to meet their responsibility under the contract.

3. Each payment shall be forwarded to the Department at least 10 days prior to date of settlement and shall be accompanied by a completed and executed Certificate of Participation on the form prescribed by the Director. The Department shall then validate the Certificate of Participation and return four validated copies to the builder.

4. In such instances where the Department determines that there have been an excessive number of awards against the New Home Warranty Security Fund on the part of an individual builder, due to negligent construction practices, the Department may levy a surcharge against such builder.

(b) The contribution percentage to be paid for each new home by a builder not participating in an approved private plan shall be determined as follows:

1. If, for at least 10 years, there has been no payment made, and no final determination that a payment must be made, under either the State Plan or an approved private plan, as a result of a claim against the builder or a major structural defect, the contribution percentage shall be 0.17;

2. If, for at least seven years, but less than 10 years, there has been no payment made, and no final determination that a payment must be made, under either the State Plan or an approved private plan, as a result of a claim against the builder or a major structural defect, the contribution percentage shall be 0.213;

3. If, for at least five years, but less than seven years, there has been no payment made, and no final determination that a payment must be made, under either the State Plan or an approved private plan, as a result of a claim against the builder or a major structural defect, the contribution percentage shall be 0.255;

4. If, for at least two years, but less than five years, there has been no payment made, and no final determination that a payment must be made, under either the State Plan or an approved private plan, as a result of a claim against the builder or a major structural defect, the contribution percentage shall be 0.298;

5. If a builder has not previously been registered, or has been registered for less than two years and there has been no payment made, and no final determination that a payment must be made, under either the State Plan or an approved private plan, as a result of a claim against the builder or a major structural defect, the contribution percentage shall be 0.319;

6. If, within the previous two years, there has been any payment made, or any final determination that a payment must be made, under either the State Plan or an approved private plan, as a result of a claim against the builder or a major structural defect, the contribution percentage shall be 0.425;

7. If, at any time while the builder's contribution percentage is in an amount determined in accordance with (b)6 above, by reason of the builder's having been responsible for a payment having to be made on a claim under either the State Plan or an approved private plan, there is any further payment made, or any final determination that a payment must be made, under either the State Plan or an approved private plan, as a result of another claim against the builder or a major structural defect, or if a petition in bankruptcy filed by or against a builder and the builder has not yet been discharged or is under the supervision of the court, the contribution percentage shall be 0.595;

8. Whenever a builder is or has been a builder designee, officer, or stockholder or partner with at least a 10 percent ownership interest, of any builder entity, the claim and payment record of that other entity, shall, if less favorable than that of the builder individually, be attributable to the builder for purposes of this subsection.

9. Whenever a builder is a corporation, partnership or subsidiary, the claim and payment record of any builder designee, officer, or stockholder or partner with at least a ten percent ownership interest, or of any corporation, partnership or subsidiary, having any builder designee, officer, or stockholder or partner with at least a 10 percent ownership interest, in common with the builder, shall, if less favorable than that of the builder, be attributable to the builder for purposes of this subsection.

10. If a builder is an individual or group of individuals who is or are the sole owner(s) of another builder that is a corporation, partnership or subsidiary, or if a builder is a corporation, partnership or subsidiary having the same builder designee, officers, and stockholders or partners with at least a ten percent ownership interest, as another builder, the claim and payment record of the one builder shall be attributable to the other for purposes of this subsection.

11. For purposes of this subsection, "10 years" shall mean the 120 month period immediately prior to the date of enrollment of a new home under the State Plan, "seven years" shall mean the 84 month period immediately prior to such date, "five years" shall mean the 60 month period immediately prior to such date, and "two years" shall mean the 24 month period immediately prior to such date; exclusive, in all cases, of any consecutive 12 month period in which no new homes were enrolled in the State Plan or in any approved private plan. Thus, for example, a builder who had no payments or adverse final determinations for 10 years but enrolled no homes during one of those years would not be eligible for the 10 year rate until another year had passed in which he both enrolled at least one new home and had no payments or adverse final determinations.

(c) The establishment of a contribution percentage for a builder that is in excess of the minimum amount shall be in addition to, and not to in lieu of, any punitive action taken pursuant to 5:25-2.5 or 2.6 or any surcharge levied pursuant to (a)4 above.

(d) The initial contribution percentage for each builder shall be established as of January 1, 1993 of this subsection. Thereafter, the contribution percentage rate for each builder shall be reviewed by the Division, and revised if necessary, when the builder's registration is renewed. The Department may change the contribution percentage, and make the change effective at a time prior to renewal at any time that a payment is made or there is a final determination that a payment must be made.

(e) There shall be no appeal from the establishment of a contribution percentage except upon the grounds that the record used by the Division for that purpose is either incorrect or incomplete. In any case in which a determination of builder responsibility for a payment was not appealed as required in this chapter or was unsuccessfully appealed, the builder shall not have the right to appeal a contribution percentage determination based on any such prior determination of builder responsibility.

(f) "Claim against the builder" shall include any claim covered by the one-year, two-year, and/or 10-year warranty, as set forth in 5:25-3.2. No major structural defect that a builder is not obligated to repair shall be charged against a builder for purposes of determining the builder's contribution percentage, if the Department finds that such major structural defect was entirely attributable to a product failure that was not known to the builder at the time of construction and was caused by factors beyond the builder's control.

N.J. Admin. Code § 5:25-5.4

Amended by R.1980 d.316, eff. 7/17/1980.
See: 12 New Jersey Register 303(b), 12 New Jersey Register 452(d).
Amended by R.1986 d.141, effective 5/5/1986.
See: 17 New Jersey Register 2816(a), 18 New Jersey Register 959(a).
Substantially amended.
Amended by R.1992 d.246, effective 6/15/1992.
See: 24 New Jersey Register 1149(a), 24 New Jersey Register 2244(b).
Use of State plan as remedy specified.
Amended by R.1992 d.395, effective 10/5/1992.
See: 24 New Jersey Register 2663(a), 24 New Jersey Register 3525(c).
Fixed rate builder's premium deleted; premium rate now based on builder's record.
Administrative Correction.
See: 25 New Jersey Register 2546(a).
Amended by R.1996 d.93, effective 2/20/1996.
See: 27 New Jersey Register 4058(a), 28 New Jersey Register 1225(a).
Amended by R.1997 d.306, effective 7/21/1997 (operative January 1, 1998).
See: 29 New Jersey Register 2206(a), 29 New Jersey Register 3249(b).
In (a) and (b), decreased the warranty contribution amounts.