Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in New Hampshire?
No. In New Hampshire, retaliation for reporting a code violation, starting a case over utility shutoffs or lockouts, or meeting with other tenants is a defense to an eviction, and an eviction, rent increase or substantial change within six months after the landlord learns of the report or action is presumed retaliatory. The defense is not available to a tenant who owes a week’s rent or more. Separately, the federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to threaten or interfere with anyone for exercising fair housing rights. This is RSA 540:13-a, 540:13-b.
| What | New Hampshire |
|---|---|
| Retaliation by a landlord | Prohibited by statute |
| Time period in the statute | Presumed within 6 months |
| How the period works | Retaliation is presumed if the landlord acts within it |
Source
Read the statute in the New Hampshire Revised Statutes (General Court of New Hampshire): gencourt.state.nh.us.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
When an owner prepares an eviction in Seayora, it lists any repair request opened on the unit in the last 180 days that is still open, not to stop the case but because the tenant will raise retaliation and the owner should have an answer. Every repair request keeps the date it was filed.
Guides on this rule
- Landlord Retaliation Laws: Protected Tenant Acts and Time Limits — When an eviction, rent increase or cut in services is presumed retaliatory: 180 days in California, six months in Texas, a year in New York.
Compare this rule in every state
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The same question in other states
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