New Hampshire Roommate Agreement

Quick Guide To Writing a New Hampshire Room Rental Agreement

1. Parties Involved: Specify who is making the agreement, the property location, and the landlord’s identity. Include current contact information for all signatories.
2. Lease Term: Note the term of the existing lease and the duration of the roommate agreement.
3. Security Deposit: Discuss the security deposit, including how it will be divided among roommates and the rules for its return or any deductions.
4. Rent Payment: State the total rent amount and how it will be split among roommates.
5. Utility Payments: Determine how utility payments will be divided and who is responsible for sending payments to the utility companies.
6. Lease Violations: Set rules for violations of the lease or roommate agreement and outline the process for when a roommate needs to move out early.
7. House Rules: List any house rules regarding food, cleaning, guests, etc.
8. Room Assignments: Assign bedrooms and decide which areas will be shared or private.
9. Signatures: Ensure all parties sign and date the agreement, and attach the completed landlord consent form.

Types of Roommate Arrangements in New Hampshire

Before entering into a roommate agreement, it is important to understand the different types of roommate arrangements recognized by law:

• Co-tenancy: All roommates are on the same lease, sharing equal responsibility for the lease terms. They cannot evict each other and must go through the landlord for any misconduct issues.

• Subtenancy: The original tenant acts as the landlord for the subtenant, receiving rent and handling rental issues. The original tenant can evict the subtenant for misconduct. Subleasing typically requires the landlord’s permission.

• At-Will Tenancy / Guest Tenancy: This informal arrangement may or may not have the landlord’s consent. The roommate is initially a guest, but if they stay longer than a couple of weeks, they may be treated as a subtenant, requiring eviction for removal.

Lease Violations in Roommate Situations

Co-tenants are “jointly and severally liable” for the lease terms. This means any co-tenant can be held fully responsible for lease violations. For instance, if one roommate fails to pay rent, the landlord can seek full payment from any of the co-tenants. If a roommate has not signed the original lease and the landlord has not consented to the roommate agreement, the original tenant is liable for any violations committed by the roommate.

Resolving Roommate Disputes in New Hampshire

In the event of a dispute, the original lease takes precedence over the roommate agreement. House rules regarding shared responsibilities are generally not enforceable in court. Co-tenants with disagreements unrelated to the lease may consider using a neutral third-party service, such as mediation or arbitration, to resolve their issues.

Statutes

• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540:1-a – Definitions
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:5(I) – Definitions
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:5 – Definitions
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:6(I)(a) – Procedure
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:6(I)(b) – Procedure
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:6(IV) – Procedure
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:6 (II)(a) and (IV)(a) – Procedure
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:6(IV)(b) – Procedure
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:6(I)(c) – Procedure
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:7(I) – Return of Security Deposit
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:7(II) – Return of Security Deposit
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:8 – Remedies
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540:9 – Payment after notice
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540:1 – Tenancies, nature of
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540:2(IV) – Termination of tenancy
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540:2(VII) – Termination of tenancy
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540:2(VII)(a) – Termination of tenancy
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540:2(VII)(b) – Termination of tenancy
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540:3(II) – Eviction Notice
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:3(I) – Prohibition on Utility Shut-offs
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:3(V) – Required Notice Before Entry
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:3(II) – Prohibition on Lockouts
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:3(IV) – Emergency Entry Allowed without Notice
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:3(V-a) – Infestations & Pest Treatment
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:3(VII) – Abandonment of Personal Property
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540-A:2 – General Prohibition
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540:13 – Writ; Service; Discovery; Record; Default
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540:13-a – Defense to retaliation
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540:13-b – Evidence of Intent to Retaliate
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 540:13-d – Defenses to Violations of Fitness
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 503:1 – Small Claim Defined
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 508:4 – Personal actions
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 358-A:10 – Private actions
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 48-A:14 – Minimum Standards Established
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 638:4(III) – Issuing bad checks
• N.H. Rev. Stat. § 638:4(IV) – Issuing bad checks