RR
Rent Regulations

N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540: § 540:15

Neglect to Enter, etc.

In Force
Verified 10/20/2026 · Next check 10/27/2026
effective 10/20/2026New HampshireEviction & Just Cause

Operative Text

N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540: § 540:15
If the plaintiff neglects to enter his action, or fails to support it, judgment shall be rendered for the defendant for his costs.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Under N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:15, if a landlord (plaintiff) who has initiated an eviction action fails to formally enter the case into court or does not present sufficient support for the action, the court is required to rule in favor of the tenant (defendant) and award the tenant court costs. The provision essentially penalizes a landlord's procedural inaction or failure to prosecute by treating it as a loss on the merits of costs.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 20, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 540:15, property owners and managers who initiate eviction proceedings in New Hampshire are generally expected to follow through by properly entering the action with the court and presenting adequate support for their claims. A compliant operator ensures that all required filings are completed on time and that the case is actively pursued once begun. Failing to take these steps can result in a judgment against the landlord and an obligation to pay the tenant's court costs.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Section 540:15 provides tenants with a procedural protection: if the landlord who filed an eviction action fails to enter it with the court or does not adequately support the claim, the tenant is entitled to a judgment in their favor along with an award of costs. Tenants who find themselves in eviction proceedings may want to monitor whether the landlord has properly followed through with the required court steps. Tenant-rights organizations or legal aid services can help tenants understand how this provision might apply to their circumstances.

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.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 20, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:14
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:4
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:5
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:13-d
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:13-a
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:1-b
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:3
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:11-b
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:13-a
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:5
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:1-a
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:20
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:13-a
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:1-a
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:5
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:14
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:9
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540:3
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540

Related Rules

§ 151.20
TEMPORARY EVICTION CONTROLS AND RENT REDUCTIONS FOR MOBILE HOMES DAMAGED IN THE JANUARY, 1994 EARTHQUAKE
§ 1
Definitions
§ 2
Eviction of tenants prohibited; exceptions

Source Information

Source:https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LV/540/540-15.htm
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