Landlord kept your deposit in New Hampshire? Find your next step.
No refund, only part of your money back, or charges you disagree with? Start with what you received, then build a response using your records and New Hampshire law.
Analysis free · Full case package $29-$49, one time · mailing optional
The deadline check is optional. See what you get
What do you need help with?
Open the situation that fits. Each route gives you something to check, something to keep, and a next step.
I received nothingNo refund and no list of deductions.
Check the trigger, then the date. Deposit (with any interest due) must be returned within 30 days of termination; any damage deductions require a written itemized list within the same 30 days (RSA 540-A:7).
Keep: your deposit payment, move-out or key-return record, forwarding-address notice and any earlier written request. These establish the timeline behind your demand.
Analyze my missing refund - free →I received part of my depositSome money came back. Find out what explains the difference.
Reconcile the refund. Compare the original deposit, what was returned and each deduction. Separate charges you accept from charges you dispute.
Check the amount they kept - free →Enter the refund and deductions in the case builder. You do not need a separate worksheet first.
The New Hampshire accounting rule: The written itemized list must state 'with particularity the nature of any repair necessary'; similar written accounting for unpaid rent or real-estate-tax shares.
Check interest too. Deposits held 1 year or longer earn interest at the institution's regular savings rate; the tenant may request a payout every 3 years (RSA 540-A:6, I(c), II).
Keep: the refund record, deduction list and notice envelope or delivery record. If money is still unexplained, identify that gap in your written request.
I disagree with the deductionsYou have a charge list, whether or not a refund arrived.
Respond to the specific charges. Note each amount, why you dispute it, and which photo, message or record supports your position. Check the notice instructions above before choosing how and when to reply.
Check my deductions - free →The records rule in New Hampshire: The landlord must give a signed receipt for the deposit stating where it is held (except when paid by check); deposits go into a NH bank/escrow-type account, with interest owed if held a year or longer.
No move-in photos? Use an inventory checklist, inspection report, dated repair request, messages or witness accounts to explain the condition.
I already sent a demandThe landlord has not paid, or the dispute is still unresolved.
Compare any repair, rent or tax-share deductions with their separate accounting. Check coverage before relying on the statutory additional-damages remedy.
See the New Hampshire court route →Keep: your sent demand, delivery record and any reply. Use the court guide to check where to file, which forms to use, and the filing and service costs.
Turn the dispute into a documented demand
- Free: understand your dispute
- Add your refund, charges and records. Get a charge-by-charge analysis of the deposit rules and potential remedies under N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 540-A:7.
- Optional: your case documents, $29-$49
- Your demand letter, damages summary and evidence checklist, ready to review and send with your records. Mailing is optional and costs extra.
One charge, backed by a reason and records
Fictional New Hampshire example. Assumes coverage under the cited law; not a customer outcome.
- The charge
- Repainting ordinary wall scuffs: $900
- Records to attach
- move-in photos and move-out photos
Open PDF ↗In the generated letter
Ordinary wear and tear - not deductible. Repainting after a tenancy is ordinary wear and tear unless the walls were damaged beyond normal use (large holes, unauthorized colors). Dated move-in and move-out photos help distinguish ordinary wear from tenant-caused damage.
Prefer to write it yourself? Use the free New Hampshire letter template.
Before you call the refund late
Deposit (with any interest due) must be returned within 30 days of termination; any damage deductions require a written itemized list within the same 30 days (RSA 540-A:7).
Check coverage: New Hampshire's deposit rules do not apply to certain small landlords (RSA 540-A:5): a single-family house rented out by an owner who has no other rental property, and owner-occupied buildings of 5 or fewer units - although the exemption does not apply to a unit occupied by a tenant aged 60 or older. If your landlord fits one of these exemptions, the deadlines and double-damages penalty here do not cover your tenancy.
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 540-A:5 to 540-A:8 ↗Deposit statute reviewed August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules.
Check the return timeline
Optional date estimate. Read the start conditions above; a passed date alone does not establish a violation. Your date and deposit amount carry into the free analysis.
Already know the dates? Go straight to the refund and charges.
Continue to my free analysis →Questions before your next step
What should I do first if my landlord kept my deposit in New Hampshire?
Check the statutory deadline. Deposit (with any interest due) must be returned within 30 days of termination; any damage deductions require a written itemized list within the same 30 days (RSA 540-A:7). Save your move-out records, any refund and the itemized statement. Compare them with the deadline and deduction rules below.
Do I need a lawyer to get my deposit back in New Hampshire?
You can write a demand yourself. If you consider a court claim, small claims court (limit: $10,000) is designed for self-represented tenants - filing fees run $105-$160 depending on claim size.
What happens if my landlord doesn't return my security deposit in 30 days in New Hampshire?
Noncompliance with the interest or return/itemization rules makes the landlord liable for double damages (RSA 540-A:8); deposit-handling violations are also NH Consumer Protection Act violations. Deposits unclaimed for 6 months become the landlord's.
Am I owed interest on my deposit in New Hampshire?
In at least some cases, yes. Deposits held 1 year or longer earn interest at the institution's regular savings rate; the tenant may request a payout every 3 years (RSA 540-A:6, I(c), II).
What can I ask to recover in a New Hampshire deposit dispute?
Damages equal to twice the sum of the deposit plus any interest due, less lawful charges (RSA 540-A:8) - the doubled figure is the total award.
Read the full New Hampshire deposit-law guide for the return, deduction and remedy rules.