When the Landlord Retaliates
RSA 540:13-a — a defense to eviction, and presumed within 6 months of a complaint
Except where the tenant owes a week's rent or more, it is a defense to an eviction from a residence that it was in retaliation for the tenant reporting, in good faith, a violation of the landlord tenant rules or of a housing code to the landlord or an agency, among the other acts the section protects.
Who handles this in New Hampshire: legal aid programs, lawyer referral and the state offices, listed in the New Hampshire directory.
Presumed within 6 months. An eviction, rent increase or substantial change in terms begun within 6 months after the landlord learned of the report, finished the repairs, or learned of a petition is presumed retaliatory, unless the court finds the tenant's report was primarily meant to prevent an eviction.
Sources for this section (2)
- RSA 540:13-a — Defense to Retaliation
- RSA 540:13-b — Evidence of Intent to Retaliate
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed New Hampshire attorney.