New Hampshire · Repairs · Updated Oct 2026

New Hampshire tenant repair rights

What a landlord in New Hampshire must keep in repair, how to ask for repairs, whether you can repair and deduct or withhold rent, and the protection against retaliation.

Short answer

The landlord must provide safe, sanitary housing.

Repair and deduct
No statute
Withholding rent
Allowed (with conditions)
Notice before entry
Reasonable notice

We could not confirm all of New Hampshire's rules yet. Some facts on this page rest on limited sources. Check the official sources below, or ask legal aid, before you rely on them.

Repairs in New Hampshire

The landlord's duty
The landlord must provide safe, sanitary housing. State minimum standards include working plumbing without sewage backups, safe wiring, no falling plaster, sound porches, stairs and railings, enough water and a working water heater, no gas leaks, trash containers/removal (unless you agreed to handle it), freedom from pest infestations, and heat that can keep all livable rooms at an average of at least 65 degrees. Many cities and towns have stricter codes. RSA 48-A:14; RSA 540:13-d.
How to ask for repairs
Make repair requests in writing, date them, and keep a copy. If not fixed, report serious problems to your town's code enforcement officer, health officer or building inspector (fire hazards to the fire chief). For insects, bed bugs, mice or rats, the landlord must investigate within 7 days of your notice and take reasonable steps to fix it.
Repair and deduct
No statute allowing repair-and-deduct was found in the sources reviewed.
Withholding rent
Allowed as a defense to a nonpayment eviction if: you gave written notice of the code violations while current on rent, the landlord did not fix them within 14 days, you and your guests did not cause them, weather did not prevent repairs, and you let the landlord in to fix them. The court can postpone the case for repairs and may eventually dismiss it. Set the rent money aside, because some or all of it will likely have to be paid. RSA 540:13-d.
Law
RSA 48-A:14; RSA 540:13-d; RSA 540-A:3

Landlord entry in New Hampshire

The landlord may not enter without your permission except to make emergency repairs; do not refuse a reasonable request to enter with enough notice. No fixed number of hours was confirmed. Unlawful entry is a prohibited practice you can challenge with an RSA 540-A petition. (603 Legal Aid.)

Retaliation in New Hampshire

You cannot be evicted in retaliation for reporting a code violation to the landlord or a public official, or for exercising other legal rights such as joining a tenants' organization. If an eviction starts within six months after such an action, it is presumed retaliatory unless the landlord shows another good reason (for example, more than one week's rent unpaid). RSA 540:13-a, 540:13-b (as described by 603 Legal Aid).

Get repairs made, step by step

  1. Write down the problem and take dated photos or video.
  2. Ask in writing and keep a copy. In New Hampshire: Make repair requests in writing, date them, and keep a copy.
  3. Give the landlord the time the rule allows, and let them in to do the work with proper notice.
  4. If nothing happens, call your local housing or code inspector and talk to legal aid before you stop paying any rent.
  5. Keep paying rent unless the rule above lets you withhold it and you follow its steps exactly.

Repair request letter for New Hampshire

Ask your landlord in writing to fix the problem by a date. A written, dated request is the first step in almost every state, and it is proof that the landlord knew. Check the problems, add dates, then download the letter as PDF or Word (or copy it). Sign it, keep a copy and photos, and send it in a way you can prove.

Your letter is made in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or anyone else.

The name on your lease or rent receipts.

What needs repair? (required)

Your state's rule on repair requests is shown below the form.

New Hampshire's rule on asking for repairs:Make repair requests in writing, date them, and keep a copy. If not fixed, report serious problems to your town's code enforcement officer, health officer or building inspector (fire hazards to the fire chief). For insects, bed bugs, mice or rats, the landlord must investigate within 7 days of your notice and take reasonable steps to fix it.

Dates, rooms and how the problem affects you. This text goes into the letter as written.

Where to get free help in New Hampshire

Questions about repairs in New Hampshire

How do I ask my landlord for repairs in New Hampshire?

Make repair requests in writing, date them, and keep a copy. If not fixed, report serious problems to your town's code enforcement officer, health officer or building inspector (fire hazards to the fire chief). For insects, bed bugs, mice or rats, the landlord must investigate within 7 days of your notice and take reasonable steps to fix it.

Can I repair and deduct the cost from rent in New Hampshire?

No statute allowing repair-and-deduct was found in the sources reviewed.

Can I withhold rent for repairs in New Hampshire?

Allowed as a defense to a nonpayment eviction if: you gave written notice of the code violations while current on rent, the landlord did not fix them within 14 days, you and your guests did not cause them, weather did not prevent repairs, and you let the landlord in to fix them. The court can postpone the case for repairs and may eventually dismiss it. Set the rent money aside, because some or all of it will likely have to be paid. RSA 540:13-d.

How much notice does a landlord need to enter in New Hampshire?

The landlord may not enter without your permission except to make emergency repairs; do not refuse a reasonable request to enter with enough notice. No fixed number of hours was confirmed. Unlawful entry is a prohibited practice you can challenge with an RSA 540-A petition. (603 Legal Aid.)

Can my landlord retaliate if I complain in New Hampshire?

You cannot be evicted in retaliation for reporting a code violation to the landlord or a public official, or for exercising other legal rights such as joining a tenants' organization. If an eviction starts within six months after such an action, it is presumed retaliatory unless the landlord shows another good reason (for example, more than one week's rent unpaid). RSA 540:13-a, 540:13-b (as described by 603 Legal Aid).

More for New Hampshire renters

Repairs in nearby states

Sources

Last checked: Oct 2026.