New Hampshire Rental Lease Agreement Templates (7)

Demand for Rent Notice: Landlords issue this document which requires tenants to submit delinquent renth charges to avoid consequences (e.g., eviction).

1.) Move-In Checklist (§ 540-A:6): The landlord provides the tenant with notice of the requirement to inform the owner of any issues with the property upon moving in and five days to report issues.

2.) Lead-Based Paint (42 U.S. Code § 4852d): Pre-1979 residences necessitate an extra informational packet explaining the potential for exposure to lead-based paint.

3.) Manufacturing of Methamphetamines on Premises (§ 477:4-g): Landlords must divulge the specifics of properties with a past with Methamphetamines, especially the production of.

Grace Period: New Hampshire does not regulate grace periods, but will enforce a lease containing reasonable provisions.
Unpaid Rent: Landlords issue a demand for rent with a 7-day notice to evict, then pursue the matter in court ((NH Rev Stat § 540:9), (NH Rev Stat § 540:3)).

New Hampshire allows the lease to set lawful late fees, while ensuring compliance from both landlords and tenants (NH Rev Stat § 540:9).

Landlords serve tenants with a notice of nonpayment in cases of bounced checks, and if ignored, landlords may pursue the tenant for:

• The amount of the check
• Court costs
• Service costs
• Collection fee costs NH Rev Stat § 544-B:1.

Security deposits are specifically limited to one month’s rent or $100 (whichever is greater) (N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:6(I)(a)).

Returning to Tenant: Landlords in this state have 30 days from the date of termination to return the security amount and any interest gained (NH Rev Stat § 540-A:7).
Itemized List: All deductions from security (e.g., damages, unpaid rent) must be explicitly spelled out in writing when returning the balance (NH Rev Stat § 540-A:7).

Standard Entry: Landlords must gain consent to enter tenant residences and, therefore, often give advance notice (e.g., 24 hours) (NH Rev Stat § 540-A:3).
Emergency Entry: Emergency situations do not require consent and include emergency repairs like pest control (e.g., bed bugs) (NH Rev Stat § 540-A:3).

Whenever landlords believe abandonment, they issue a property abandonment notice through certified mail or posting on the property (NH Rev Stat § 540-A:4).

Tenants issue a 14-day notice to repair; however, they must go to court if the issue remains noncompliant with habitability (RSA 540:13-d(I)(a)).

Duty to Mitigate: New Hampshire does not explicitly demand landlord mitigation as a result of tenant abandonment.
Domestic Violence: Victims issue 30 day notice to terminate, so long as:

• The date of notice is less than 150 days from the most recent domestic violence incident.
• Verification of the victimization in writing from “a law enforcement official, victim’s advocate, attorney, or health care provider.”
• Self-certification from the circuit court (NH Rev Stat § 540:11-b).

Military Service: Federal law calls for lease terminations with 30 day notice whenever a service member must report or return to duty.
Landlord Noncompliance: New Hampshire does not excuse tenant abandonment regardless of whether landlords are lease compliant (RSA 540:13-d).
Landlord Harassment: While tenants may not simply terminate the lease, they may:

• Issue a demand letter calling for the behavior to stop
• Seek emergency relief through a court order (RSA 540-A:4).

Inhabitability: Beyond court action, tenants may only abandon for inhabitability if they can prove a constructive eviction (RSA 540:13-d).

Every oral is complete within one year and is therefore only enforceable during that time (NH Rev Stat § 506:2).

New Hampshire does not explicitly forbid counties from initiating rent control laws; however, such mandates remain unlawful (Girard v. Allenstown, 121 N.H. 268 (1981)).

Landlords must “exercise reasonable care” for abandoned tenant property for 7 days, then dispose of it accordingly (NH Rev Stat § 540-A:3).

For further investigation into the complexities involving the rental of residential properties, review the legislature on Action Against Tenants § 540-1 and New Hampshire Consumer Sourcebook – Renting, Security Deposits, and Evictions.