N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 147: § 147:17
Cleansing Premises; Penalty.
Operative Text
Whenever a building, tenement or room occupied as a dwelling or schoolroom, or any cellar or other appurtenance connected therewith, has become the source of danger to the health of its occupants or others from want of cleanliness the health officers may order the owner, the owner's agents or the occupants, or any of them, to cleanse and put the same in proper sanitary condition, and the occupants to quit the same, within a time limited. If the person so ordered does not cleanse the same as ordered the health officers may do so, and may recover the expense thereof, together with their fees, of the owner; or they may order the same to be closed and to remain so until properly cleansed. Any person who shall fail to comply with an order of the health officers made under the authority of this section, after receiving due notice thereof, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Under N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 147:17, when a dwelling, tenement, room, cellar, or related space becomes a health hazard due to lack of cleanliness, local health officers are empowered to order the owner, the owner's agents, or the occupants to clean and restore the space to proper sanitary condition within a set timeframe. If the responsible party fails to comply, health officers may carry out the cleaning themselves and recover the costs and fees from the owner, or they may order the premises closed until it is properly cleaned. Knowingly ignoring a health officer's order issued under this section, after receiving proper notice, constitutes a misdemeanor under New Hampshire law.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and their agents operating under N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 147:17 are generally expected to respond promptly to any sanitary orders issued by local health officers, completing required cleaning within the timeframe specified in the order. Compliant operators typically document their remediation efforts and maintain records showing the premises were restored to proper sanitary condition. Failure to act can result in health officers performing the cleanup at the owner's expense, closure of the property, and potential misdemeanor liability.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 147:17, occupants of a dwelling may also receive orders from health officers to clean a space or vacate it within a specified period, and ignoring such an order after proper notice can result in misdemeanor charges. Tenants who believe unsanitary conditions stem from an owner's neglect rather than their own actions may wish to document the conditions and contact local health authorities or a tenant-rights organization to understand how responsibility is allocated. General enforcement paths include filing a complaint with local health officials or raising the provision's requirements when responding to any related legal proceedings.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 20, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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