What Can a Landlord Deduct From a Security Deposit in New Hampshire?
If your landlord deducted money from your New Hampshire security deposit, start with two questions:
Is the charge in a category New Hampshire allows?
Was it itemized in writing with evidence where required?
What Landlords May Deduct
New Hampshire permits deductions for:
- damage beyond reasonable wear and tear
- unpaid rent
- the tenant's share of real-estate taxes if the lease requires it
- other lawful unpaid lease charges
That does not mean every claimed charge is valid.
The charge still needs a real basis and a written itemized accounting if money is withheld.
Reasonable Wear and Tear Is Not Deductible
This is one of the most important limits.
New Hampshire excludes reasonable wear and tear from deductible damage.
See the breakdown: Normal Wear and Tear in NH
Repair Evidence Matters
For damage deductions, New Hampshire source materials require more than a vague label.
The landlord should identify the nature of the repair and provide satisfactory evidence that the repair has been or will be completed.
Unsupported or vague deductions are easier to challenge when you can point to condition photos, move-in records, move-out records, possession-delivery proof, and the exact repair-evidence gap.
If the landlord fails to comply with New Hampshire's deposit rule, you could win twice the deposit amount plus applicable interest, less lawful charges, along with attorney's fees and costs. That is leverage, but lawful charges, coverage facts, and proof still matter.
You can work through this yourself. The system gives you the New Hampshire letters, timing, and follow-up sequence in one place.