Chapter 521 — Chapter 521

PART II. RENT §521-21 Rent. (a) The landlord and tenant may agree to any consideration, not otherwise prohibited by law, as rent. In the absence of such agreement, and subject to section 521-71(e) in the case of holdover tenants, the tenant shall pay to the landlord the fair rent…

§521-3 Supplementary general principles of law, other laws, applicable. (a) Unless displaced by the particular provisions of this chapter, the principles of law and equity, including the law relative to capacity to contract, principal and agent, real property, public health, safe…

§521-35 Attorney's fees. (a) A rental agreement may provide for the payment by the tenant of the costs of a suit, for unpaid rent, and reasonable attorney's fees not in excess of twenty-five per cent of the unpaid rent after default and referral to an attorney not a salaried empl…

§521-38 Tenants subject to rental agreement; notice of conversions. When a period of tenancy is pursuant to any rental agreement and where a landlord contemplates conversion to a condominium property regime under chapter 514B, the landlord shall provide notice to the tenant at le…

§521-39 Medical cannabis; tenant use; eviction. A provision in a rental agreement allowing for eviction of a tenant who has a valid certificate for the medical use of cannabis as provided in section 329-123 in any form is void, unless the rental agreement allows for eviction for …

§521-42 Landlord to supply and maintain fit premises. (a) The landlord shall at all times during the tenancy: Prior to the initial date of initial occupancy, the landlord shall inventory the premises and make a written record detailing the condition of the premises and any furnis…

§521-43 Rental agreement, disclosure. (a) A landlord or any person authorized to enter into a rental agreement on the landlord's behalf shall disclose to the tenant in writing at or before the commencement of the tenancy the name and address of: The information required to be fur…

§521-44 Security deposits. (a) As used in this section "security deposit" means money deposited by or for the tenant with the landlord to be held by the landlord to: (b) The landlord may require, as a condition of a rental agreement, a security deposit to be paid by or for the te…

§521-45 Limitation of landlord and management liability. (a) Unless otherwise agreed, a landlord who conveys premises which include a dwelling unit subject to a rental agreement in a good faith sale to a person not connected with the landlord discloses, in writing, in any form of…

PART V. TENANT OBLIGATIONS §521-51 Tenant to maintain dwelling unit. Each tenant shall at all times during the tenancy:

§521-52 Tenant to use properly. (a) The tenant shall comply with all obligations or restrictions, whether denominated by the landlord as rules, or otherwise, concerning the tenant's use, occupancy, and maintenance of the tenant's dwelling unit, appurtenances thereto, and the prem…

§521-56 Disposition of tenant's abandoned possessions. (a) When the tenant, within the meaning of section 521-70(d) or section 521-44(d), has wrongfully quit the premises, or when the tenant has quit the premises pursuant to a notice to quit or upon the natural expiration of the …

PART VI. REMEDIES AND PENALTIES §521-61 Tenant's remedies for failure by landlord to supply possession. (a) If the landlord fails to put the tenant into possession of the dwelling unit in the agreed condition at the beginning of the agreed term: (b) In any district court proceedi…

§521-63 Tenant's remedy of termination at any time; unlawful removal or exclusion. (a) If any condition within the premises deprives the tenant of a substantial part of the benefit and enjoyment of the tenant's bargain under the rental agreement, the tenant may notify the landlor…

§521-64 Tenant's remedy of repair and deduction for minor defects. (a) The landlord, upon written notification by the department of health or other state or county agencies that there exists a condition on the premises that constitutes a health or safety violation, shall commence…

§521-68 Landlord's remedies for failure by tenant to pay rent. [Section effective until February 4, 2026. For section effective February 5, 2026, see below.] (a) A landlord or the landlord's agent may, any time after rent is due, demand payment thereof and notify the tenant in wr…

§521-69 Landlord's remedies for tenant's waste, failure to maintain, or unlawful use. (a) If the tenant is in material noncompliance with section 521-51, the landlord, upon learning of any such noncompliance and after notifying the tenant in writing of the noncompliance and allow…

§521-7 Exclusions from application of chapter. Unless created solely to avoid the application of this chapter, this chapter shall not apply to:

§521-70 Landlord's remedies for absence, misuse, abandonment and failure to honor tenancy before occupancy. (a) If the rental agreement provides for notification of the landlord by the tenant of an anticipated extended absence and the tenant fails to make reasonable efforts to co…

§521-71 Termination of tenancy; landlord's remedies for holdover tenants. (a) When the tenancy is month-to-month, the landlord may terminate the rental agreement by notifying the tenant, in writing, at least forty-five days in advance of the anticipated termination. When the land…

§521-72 Landlord's remedies for improper use. (a) If the tenant breaches any rule authorized under section 521-52, the landlord may notify the tenant in writing of the tenant's breach. The notice shall specify the time, not less than ten days, within which the tenant is required …

§521-73 Landlord's and tenant's remedies for abuse of access. (a) The tenant shall be liable to the landlord for any damage proximately caused by the tenant's unreasonable refusal to allow access as provided in section 521-53(a). (b) Except for an entry under an emergency such as…

§521-74 Retaliatory evictions and rent increases prohibited. (a) Notwithstanding that the tenant has no written rental agreement or that it has expired, so long as the tenant continues to tender the usual rent to the landlord or proceeds to tender receipts for rent lawfully withh…

§521-74.5 Recovery of possession limited. The landlord shall not recover or take possession of a dwelling unit by the wilful interruption or diminution of running water, hot water, or electric, gas, or other essential service to the tenant contrary to the rental agreement or sect…

§521-76 REPEALED. L 1976, c 77, §1.

§521-78 Rent trust fund. (a) At the request of either the tenant or the landlord in any court proceeding in which the payment or nonpayment of rent is in dispute, the court shall order the tenant to deposit any disputed rent as it becomes due into the court as provided under subs…

§521-8 Definitions. As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise: "Action" with reference to a judicial proceeding includes recoupment, counterclaim, setoff, and any other proceedings in which rights are determined, including an action for possession. "A…

§521-80 Early termination of tenancy; victims of domestic violence. (a) A tenant may terminate a rental agreement of a term of one year or less without penalty or fees for early termination or liability for future rent if the tenant or an immediate family member of the tenant res…