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Rent Regulations

N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A: § 540-A:2

General Prohibition.

In Force
Verified 10/20/2026 · Next check 10/27/2026
effective 10/8/2026New HampshireRetaliation Protections

Operative Text

N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A: § 540-A:2
I. No landlord shall willfully violate a tenant's right to quiet enjoyment of his tenancy or attempt to circumvent lawful procedures for eviction pursuant to RSA 540.
II. No tenant, members of the tenant's household, guests, or other occupants of the premises shall willfully damage the property of the landlord or willfully deny tenants their right to quiet enjoyment of their tenancies.
III. No tenant, members of the tenant's household, guests or other occupant of the premises shall willfully engage in behavior which unreasonably and adversely affects the health or safety of other tenants, the landlord, or the landlord's agent; or willfully prevent the landlord from making emergency repairs.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

New Hampshire Revised Statutes § 540-A:2 establishes a mutual set of prohibitions designed to protect the peaceful use and enjoyment of rental housing. Landlords are barred from intentionally interfering with a tenant's quiet enjoyment or attempting to sidestep the formal eviction process set out in RSA 540. Tenants, their household members, guests, and other occupants are equally prohibited from intentionally damaging the landlord's property, disrupting other tenants' quiet enjoyment, engaging in behavior that unreasonably threatens health or safety, or blocking the landlord from making emergency repairs.

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

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 540-A:2, compliant property owners and managers refrain from any deliberate interference with a tenant's right to quiet enjoyment — such as unauthorized entry, utility shutoffs, or removal of belongings — and rely exclusively on the formal eviction procedures outlined in RSA 540 when seeking to end a tenancy. Operators who need to address tenant misconduct, property damage, or health-and-safety concerns generally document incidents carefully and pursue remedies through lawful channels. Familiarity with both § 540-A:2's prohibitions and the corresponding RSA 540 procedures helps operators maintain compliance and avoid exposure to statutory claims.

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

For Tenants

Section § 540-A:2 gives tenants a statutory right to quiet enjoyment of their tenancy, and landlords who willfully interfere with that right or attempt to evict outside the procedures of RSA 540 may be in violation of this provision. Tenants who believe a landlord has violated § 540-A:2 may have grounds to raise the violation as a defense in eviction proceedings or to pursue a separate legal claim; tenant-rights organizations and legal aid offices in New Hampshire can help explain available options. The provision also places obligations on tenants themselves, so household members, guests, and other occupants should be aware that willful property damage, disruption of neighbors' quiet enjoyment, health-or-safety threats, or interference with emergency repairs can constitute violations under the same section.

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 8, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:6
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:6
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:6
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:7
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:4
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:1
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:7
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:3
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:4
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:1
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:2
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:3
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:4
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:6
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 540-A:7

Related Rules

§ 2A
Reprisal for reporting violations of law, for tenant's union activity, or actions taken pursuant to laws protecting tenants who are victims of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault or stalking; defense; presumption
§ 47a-20
(Formerly Sec. 19-375a). Retaliatory action by landlord prohibited.
§ 47a-20a
Actions deemed not retaliatory.

Source Information

Source:https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LV/540-A/540-A-2.htm
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