TITLE LV
PROCEEDINGS IN SPECIAL CASES

CHAPTER 540-A
PROHIBITED PRACTICES AND SECURITY DEPOSITS

Prohibited Practices

Section 540-A:3

    540-A:3 Certain Specific Acts Prohibited. –
I. No landlord shall willfully cause, directly or indirectly, the interruption or termination of any utility service being supplied to the tenant including, but not limited to water, heat, light, electricity, gas, telephone, sewerage, elevator or refrigeration, whether or not the utility service is under the control of the landlord, except for such temporary interruption as may be necessary while actual repairs are in process or during temporary emergencies.
II. No landlord shall willfully seize, hold, or otherwise directly or indirectly deny a tenant access to and possession of such tenant's rented or leased premises, other than through proper judicial process.
II-a. Notwithstanding paragraph II, and subject to the notice requirements of paragraph II-b:
(a) A landlord may remove, at the expense of the item's owner, any vehicle, motorcycle, trailer, ATV, or other property that blocks vehicular access to a common driveway, fire lane, parking area, or travel lane, or blocks access to a dumpster.
(b) A landlord may remove, at the expense of the item's owner, any property that is leaking fluids that are damaging the parking surface or creating an environmental hazard.
(c) A landlord may remove, at the expense of the item's owner, any property that is located in a posted no-parking area, is unregistered or inoperable, or is parked or stored in a manner prohibited under the terms of a lease agreement.
II-b. Prior to removing an item pursuant to paragraph II-a, the landlord shall provide notice as follows:
(a) In cases under RSA 540-A:3, II-a(a), prior to removal of the item the landlord shall make such efforts to notify the tenant who owns or possesses the item, if the landlord knows such tenant's identity, as are reasonable under the totality of the circumstances. If there is an immediate threat to the health or safety of another tenant or person, no notice shall be required.
(b) In cases under RSA 540-A:3, II-a(b), the landlord shall provide written notice no fewer than 48 hours prior to removing the property by:
(1) Placing a written notice on the item; and
(2) If the landlord knows the identity of the tenant who owns or possesses the item, placing a written notice on the door of such tenant's unit; or
(3) If the landlord does not know the identity of the tenant who owns or possesses the item, placing a written notice in a conspicuous location in one common area of each building in the apartment complex.
(c) In cases under RSA 540-A:3, II-a(c), the landlord shall provide the following notices to the tenant prior to removing the property:
(1) First notice, at least 7 days prior to removal of the item, by:
(A) Placing a written notice on the item; and
(B) If the landlord knows the identity of the tenant who owns or possesses the item, placing a written notice on the door of such tenant's unit; or
(C) If the landlord does not know the identify of the tenant who owns or possesses the item, placing a written notice in a conspicuous location in one common area of each building in the apartment complex; and
(2) Final notice, at least 24 hours, but not more than 48 hours, prior to removal of the item, by:
(A) Placing a written notice on the item; and
(B) If the landlord knows the identity of the tenant who owns or possess the item, placing a written notice on the door of such tenant's unit; or
(C) If the landlord does not know the identity of the tenant who owns or possesses the item, placing a notice in a conspicuous location in one common area of each building in the apartment complex.
II-c. A landlord who removes a tenant's property pursuant to paragraphs II-a and II-b shall not initiate any possessory action based on the tenant's failure to remove the item; provided that if such failure caused substantial damage to the property of the landlord or another tenant, or injury to another person, the landlord may initiate eviction pursuant to RSA 540:2, II(b) or (d).
III. No landlord shall willfully seize, hold, or otherwise directly or indirectly deny a tenant access to and possession of such tenant's property, other than by proper judicial process.
IV. No landlord shall willfully enter into the premises of the tenant without prior consent, other than to make emergency repairs.
IV-a. Entry to make emergency repairs as authorized by RSA 540-A:3, IV includes, but is not limited to, entry by the landlord to evaluate, formulate a plan for remediation of, or engage in emergency remediation of an infestation of rodents or insects, including bed bugs, provided such infestation-related emergency entry took place within 72 hours of the time that the landlord first received notice of the infestation.

[Paragraph V effective until October 8, 2026; see also paragraph V set out below.]


V. No tenant shall willfully refuse the landlord access to the premises to make necessary repairs, or to perform other reasonable and lawful functions commonly associated with the ownership of rental property, at a reasonable time after notice which is adequate under the circumstances.

[Paragraph V effective October 8, 2026; see also paragraph V set out above.]


V. No tenant shall willfully prevent completion of necessary repairs, or refuse the landlord access to perform other reasonable and lawful functions commonly associated with the ownership of rental property, at a reasonable time after notice which is adequate under the circumstances.
V-a. No landlord shall willfully fail to investigate a tenant's report of an infestation of insects, including bed bugs, or rodents in the tenant's rented or leased premises, within 7 days of receiving notice of such alleged infestation from the tenant or a municipal health or housing code authority, or fail to take reasonable measures to remediate an infestation.
V-b. No tenant shall willfully refuse the landlord access to the premises to:
(a) Make emergency repairs as authorized in paragraphs IV and IV-a of this section; and
(b) Evaluate whether bedbugs are present after the landlord has received notice that bed bugs are present in a dwelling unit adjacent to the premises or a dwelling unit that is directly above or below the premises, provided the landlord gives the tenant 48 hours written notice of his or her need to enter the premises to evaluate whether bed bugs are present.
V-c. No tenant shall willfully refuse to comply with reasonable written instructions from a landlord or pest control operator to prepare the dwelling unit for remediation of an infestation of insects or rodents, including bed bugs, provided that such instructions are given to an adult member of the tenant household such that the tenant household has a reasonable opportunity to comply, and in all cases at least 72 hours prior to remediation.
V-d. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a landlord may only enter a tenant's dwelling unit without the consent of the tenant:
(a) To make emergency repairs pursuant to paragraphs IV and IV-a; or
(b) If the landlord has obtained an order authorizing the entry from a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to RSA 540-A:4.
VI. No tenant shall willfully damage the property of the landlord.
VII. Other than residential real estate under RSA 540-A:4, VII(c) or RSA 540-B, a landlord shall maintain and exercise reasonable care in the storage of the personal property of a tenant who has vacated the premises, either voluntarily or by eviction, for a period of 7 days after the date upon which such tenant has vacated. During this period, the tenant shall be allowed to recover personal property without payment of rent or storage fees. After the 7-day limit has expired, such personal property may be disposed of by the landlord without notice to the tenant.
VIII. Prior to collecting any fee as part of the rental application or renewal process, the landlord shall clearly disclose, in writing to prospective tenants, the amount of the fee and the requirement for a satisfactory criminal background and credit check, if any. If such fee is collected from an applicant, but the unit is not rented to that applicant, the landlord shall return any amount beyond the actual cost of the documented background check, credit check, and/or reasonable administrative costs to the applicant within 30 days of receipt. Nothing in this paragraph shall require the landlord to conduct a criminal background or credit check or prohibit the landlord from renting to an applicant who does not pass the criminal background or credit check.
IX. No person or legal entity, that is not a tenant, subtenant, or implied tenant, as defined in RSA 540-A:1, II, shall occupy residential real estate without permission of the owner, landlord, or their agent.
X. A landlord shall not require a tenant or prospective tenant to pay any amount due under a residential lease, renewal, or extension agreement solely via electronic funds transfer, including, but not limited to, any automatic, recurring electronic funds transfers. The landlord shall allow at least one other non-electronic form of payment for the purposes of this section.

Source. 1979, 305:1. 1991, 373:2, eff. Jan. 1, 1992. 1998, 25:8. 2001, 277:2. 2003, 271:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2004. 2011, 247:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2012. 2013, 48:4, 5, eff. Jan. 1, 2014. 2015, 225:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2016. 2024, 46:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2025; 370:4, eff. Jan. 1, 2025. 2025, 176:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2026. 2026, 308:6, eff. Oct. 8, 2026.