§ 54:5-97 — 1 Fees allowed.

7. No search fee, counsel fee or other fee related to certified mailings shall be allowed a plaintiff other than a municipality in the foreclosure of a tax lien unless, prior to the filing of the complaint, the plaintiff shall have given at least 30 days' written notice to the parties entitled to redeem whose interests appear of record at the time of the tax sale. The notice shall be sent by certified mail with postage prepaid thereon, addressed to the last known address of such persons, and the owner's address based upon the last deed of record with the county clerk. The notice shall also contain the amount necessary to redeem the outstanding tax sale certificate as of the date of the notice. The notice shall also advise the owner that the owner, or the owner's heirs, shall have the right to request a judicial sale as in the manner of the foreclosure of a mortgage or an Internet auction of the property through the office of the county sheriff to preserve any equity that may be in the property, except if the property meets the definition of abandoned property. A copy of the notice shall also be filed with the municipal tax collector's office. Upon the filing and service of such notice, a plaintiff shall be entitled to such fees and expenses. A municipality, by ordinance, may authorize the tax collector to charge to a lienholder a fee not to exceed $50 for the calculation of the amount due to redeem the tax lien required to be provided pursuant to this section. Any request for a redemption calculation shall specify the date to be used for the calculation, which shall be the date of the notice. Neither the tax collector nor the municipality shall be liable for an incorrect calculation. L.1965, c.187, s.7; amended 1994, c.32, s.13; 2009, c.320, s.11; 2024, c.39, s.4.