New Hampshire Landlord Responsibility Statement

Effective Date: November 1, 2025
Jurisdiction: State of New Hampshire
Applies To: All landlords, property managers, agents, and listing entities using the Tentunit platform for residential student, young-professional and family housing in New Hampshire.

1. Purpose

This Statement sets forth the governance, operational, compliance and ethical obligations for landlords listing within the Tentunit platform in New Hampshire. Use of the Tentunit platform constitutes the landlord’s acknowledgment and agreement to abide by this Statement, the Tentunit Terms of Service, Payment Terms, Fair Housing & Equal Access Policy, and applicable federal, state and local laws. This statement is not legal advice; landlords should consult counsel for full compliance.

2. Listing Accuracy, Transparency & Advertising Standards

Landlords must ensure listings are truthful, up-to-date and wholly represent the unit and terms offered.

Required Disclosures

Each listing must clearly and upfront disclose:

Monthly rent, lease term or renewal/notice terms, earliest occupancy/availability date.
All fees and charges: application fees, move-in fees, administrative/amenity fees, parking fees, pet fees or deposits, utility allocation/rebilling charges.
Security deposit (or fee-in-lieu) amount, conditions for return, timeframe and deduction policy.
Utility responsibility: which utilities tenant pays, which landlord pays, and method of sub-metering or allocation if used.
Unit condition: photographs must reflect the actual unit being offered, not a model unit or unit in substantially different condition unless clearly disclosed.
Screening criteria: income standard, credit requirements, guarantor/co-signer policy, student eligibility, rental history requirements.
Availability: the unit must genuinely be available, listing must be updated immediately if status changes.

Prohibited Practices

Advertising properties no longer available without removing or updating listing promptly.
Misrepresenting square-footage, configuration (bedroom/bath count), finishes, condition, amenities, view, common-area features.
“Starting at” rent offers or teaser pricing without full disclosure of eligibility, timing and unit availability.
Omitting or hiding required fees so that the effective rent or cost is materially different than advertised.
Bait-and-switch tactics where a listing suggests one unit/conditions and the tenant is offered materially different unit.

Note on Local/State Overlays

New Hampshire law does not prescribe every aspect of advertising (many duty obligations are implicit), so landlords must also ensure compliance with any municipal/regional ordinances regarding rental advertisement or disclosures.

3. Fair Housing & Equal Access

Landlords must comply with federal and applicable state/local non-discrimination laws:

Federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.)
New Hampshire statutes and regulations concerning discrimination in housing

Landlords must:

Apply screening criteria uniformly without regard to protected classes (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, familial status).
Provide reasonable accommodations and modifications for persons with disabilities.
Avoid wording in advertising, screening or communications that conveys preference, limitation or discrimination.
Maintain documentation to demonstrate consistent application of criteria and non-discriminatory process.

4. Communication Standards & Platform Responsiveness

To support the target demographics (students, young professionals) and maintain platform integrity:

Acknowledge tenant inquiries, applications or maintenance messages via Tentunit (or documented channel) within 24 hours, and provide a substantive response within 48 hours.
Keep applicants informed of status, and keep tenants updated on scheduled repairs, inspections, entries or significant changes.
Update listing details when terms, availability, rent, fees or policies change to reflect actual offering.
Maintain professionally courteous, non-discriminatory communication. Repeated failures or abusive conduct may trigger Tentunit enforcement.

5. Lease Execution & Legal Compliance

All leases executed via Tentunit in New Hampshire must be in writing (or documented digitally) and must comply with statutory minimal requirements and best-practice standards:

Required Lease Elements

Landlord or agent full name and mailing address for service of process.
Clear rent amount, term, renewal/termination mechanics, security deposit policy, move-in fees, utility responsibilities, screening criteria.
Disclosures required by federal law (lead-based paint for pre-1978 units) and any applicable state/local disclosures (e.g., housing code, habitability).
Acknowledgement that landlord holds deposit in trust, conditions for deductions, deposit return timeline. (RSA 540-A:6, 540-A:7) 603 Legal Aid+3Justia+3Justia+3
Entry rights, repair obligations, termination rights, default/eviction process must comply with statute and may not include unlawful self-help (lock-outs, utility shut-offs).

Notice & Termination

For month-to-month tenancy or lease renewal, appropriate written notice must be given in compliance with statute or as contractually permitted. (See RSA 540:3) Landlord Studio+1
Leases must not include unconscionable terms that waive tenant statutory rights.

6. Habitability, Maintenance & Repair Obligations

Landlords must deliver and maintain premises in a safe, sanitary and habitable condition consistent with the implied warranty of habitability and state/local housing codes (RSA 48-A:14 and related). concordnh.gov+1

Core obligations include:

Roofing, floors, walls, ceilings, stairs, porches, handrails must be structurally sound.
Plumbing, heating, electrical, sanitation must function properly, without sewage backups, leaks, unsafe wiring.
Secure locks on doors/windows, adequate entry/egress lighting, required smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms where applicable.
Prompt response to tenant repair requests that materially affect health or safety.
Maintain logs of repair requests, work orders, completion and tenant communication.

Landlords must not retaliate against tenants for exercising rights or reporting required repairs.

7. Entry, Inspections & Tenant Privacy

Landlords must respect tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment and comply with statutory entry rules:

Under RSA 540-A:3, V, landlords must provide reasonable notice before entry for non-emergency purposes. (Industry standard: at least 24 hours, entry during reasonable hours).
Emergency entry permitted without notice if necessary to address immediate health/safety risk.
Document entry notices, time and reasons, tenant response, inspection results.
Offer tenant opportunity to attend move-out inspection (strong best-practice even if not explicitly statutory) and provide condition checklist/photos.

8. Security Deposit Handling & Escrow Administration

The New Hampshire security deposit statute (RSA 540-A:5-8) provides detailed rules. Key obligations:

Deposit Amount Limit

A landlord shall not demand or receive any security deposit in an amount in excess of one month’s rent or $100, whichever is greater. (RSA 540-A:6 I(a))
Exemptions: e.g., single-family home rentals by landlords who do not own other rental property may be exempt.

Holding & Interest

Security deposits remain the tenant’s property and must be held in trust, not mingled with landlord’s personal funds. (RSA 540-A:6 II(a))
Landlord must provide a signed receipt stating deposit amount and where held, and notify tenant to report existing defects within 5 days of occupancy. (RSA 540-A:6 I(b))
Interest must be paid to the tenant on deposits held longer than one year at a rate equal to the financial institution’s savings rate. (RSA 540-A:6 IV(a))

Return of Deposit

Within 30 days after tenancy termination, the landlord must return the security deposit plus interest (if any), or provide the tenant with a written, itemized list of damages, their nature, evidence of repair necessity, and estimated/actual costs. (RSA 540-A:7)
Permitted deductions include: unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, share of real estate tax increase only if lease explicitly required that. (RSA 540-A:7 II)
Failure to comply can expose landlord to statutory penalties (double deposit plus costs) for wrongful withholding.

Transfer of Deposit on Sale/Foreclosure

If the landlord sells or transfers the property, the deposit must be transferred to the new owner or receiver within five days, and the landlord must notify the tenant by registered or certified mail providing new holder details. (RSA 540-A:6 III)

Tentunit Requirements for Landlords

Use a move-in condition checklist signed by tenant and landlord, preserved digitally.
Provide forwarding address request for tenant.
Clearly disclose deposit amount, conditions of return, deduction policy, timeframe in listing and lease.
Ensure deposit is held in trust and interest obligations are met.
Maintain full ledger of deposit account(s), deductions, return dates and communications for audit.

9. Student-Housing & Young-Professional Focused Standards

Given Tentunit’s focus on student and young-professional renters:

Disclose in listing: distance to campus, transit/parking policy, sub-letting/early-termination policy, lease renewal options.
Provide digital onboarding materials: move-in guide, utility setup instructions, emergency contact information, shared-housing rules.
Avoid exploitative practices directed to student renters (e.g., excessive fees, mis-representing campus access, forced guarantor without alternative).
Maintain accessible communication channels suitable for student schedules (mobile/app notifications, after-hours contact).
House rules must align with statutory tenant rights; cannot conflict with law or limit access to basic rights.
Must uphold enhanced responsibility for habitability and rapid response to repair issues given younger, potentially less-experienced renters.

10. Documentation, Audit, Compliance & Platform Enforcement

Landlords must maintain full documentation and operate at an institutional level of compliance; Tentunit retains robust enforcement rights.

Record-Keeping Requirements

Landlords must maintain, for each property and tenancy:

Listing metadata: upload date, photos, version history, fee schedule, availability updates.
Application logs: inquiries, screening criteria, approvals/denials, dates, communications.
Lease files: executed document (digital or paper), amendments, renewals, disclosures.
Maintenance logs: tenant requests (date/time), vendor/work-order, completion date, tenant communications, photos of before/after.
Entry/inspection logs: notices, purpose of entry, date/time, attendees, outcomes.
Security deposit records: deposit amount, location/account, interest payment records, deduction statements, return date, forwarding address documentation.
Communication logs: tenant inquiries, responses, inspection/entry notices, repair scheduling documentation.

Tentunit Enforcement Rights

Tentunit may:

Audit landlord compliance without prior notice.
Suspend or remove listings from the platform for material non-compliance with this Statement, Tentunit policies or law.
Freeze or withhold landlord payouts tied to non-compliant properties.
Terminate the landlord’s platform account permanently for repeated or severe violations.
Report landlord violations to appropriate state or local regulatory or enforcement authorities.
Seek recovery of damages, attorney fees, and compliance costs caused by landlord’s misconduct.

11. Indemnification

Landlord shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Tentunit, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents and contractors from and against all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, costs (including attorney’s fees) arising out of or related to:

Landlord’s breach of this Statement or any Tentunit policy.
Landlord’s violation of federal, state or local housing laws.
Landlord’s misrepresentation of listing, unit condition, availability, terms or fees.
Tenant claims or disputes arising from landlord’s acts or omissions.
Platform investigations or regulatory enforcement triggered by landlord non-compliance.

12. Governing Law & Reference Statutes

New Hampshire Statutes & Reference Sources

RSA 540-A:6 – Procedure for Security Deposits including limits, holding, interest, change of ownership. Justia+1
RSA 540-A:7 – Return of Security Deposit, itemization, timelines. Justia+1
Additional deposit handling guidance: 603 Legal Aid “Security Deposits” guide. 603 Legal Aid
Overview of landlord-tenant laws: Nolo, Landlord Studio. Landlord Studio+1
Local tenant rights and habitability: City of Concord “Tenant Rights” pamphlet. concordnh.gov

Federal Law Foundations

Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.)
Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (units built pre-1978)
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) for eligible tenants