New Hampshire Landlord-Tenant Law Guide
New Hampshire's landlord-tenant law provides balanced protections with specific requirements for security deposits and rental agreements. The state has clear procedures for lease agreements and evictions.
Security Deposit
Limit: 1 month's rent for security deposits, plus an additional pet deposit of no more than 1 month's rent.
Return Period: 30 days after termination of tenancy. Must provide itemized statement of damages. Deposit must be held in separate account in New Hampshire bank.
Rent Increases
30 days notice required for month-to-month tenancies. Must follow lease terms for fixed-term leases.
Entry Notice
Notice required as specified in lease, but must be reasonable. Typically 24 hours except in emergencies.
Key Statutes
- New Hampshire RSA 540-A:6 - Security Deposits
- New Hampshire RSA 540-A:2 - Landlord Obligations
- New Hampshire RSA 540-A:3 - Right of Entry
- New Hampshire RSA 540:2 - Eviction Process
Common Issues
- Not holding deposits in NH bank accounts
- Charging deposits above legal limits
- Not returning deposits within 30 days
- Failure to provide itemized deductions
- Not maintaining habitability standards
Documents for New Hampshire
- New Hampshire security deposit demand letter ($29, cites N.H. Rev. Stat. §§ 540-A:7, 540-A:8)
Does this statute apply to you? RSA 540-A:5, I puts some small landlords outside this subdivision altogether: a person who rents a single-family residence and owns no other rental property, or who rents units in an owner-occupied building of 5 units or less, “shall not be considered a ‘landlord’ for the purposes of this subdivision, except for any individual unit in such building which is occupied by a person or persons 60 years of age or older.” Where that exclusion applies, the sections cited here — RSA 540-A:7 and 540-A:8 — do not reach the tenancy, and the lease and common law govern instead. A unit rented to someone 60 or older stays covered even in an exempt building.