Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Manchester

Find the right Tenant attorney in Manchester, NH

Tenant Law in New Hampshire

Relationships between landlords and tenants in Manchester, New Hampshire can get contentious. It's difficult to be a tenant or a landlord. If one or both parties are not aware of their legal rights and responsibilities, conflicts can arise.

Tenants and landlords have several legal rights and responsibilities. In general, these rights don't conflict with one another, as long as both parties are clear about what they are, and act accordingly.

Landlord's Rights in Manchester, NH

Most obviously, landlords have a right to collect rent from their tenants. When a tenant agrees to pay a landlord a specific amount of money for the right to occupy the landlord's property, a contract is formed. Tenants have to hold up their end of the deal.

They additionally have a right to compensation for any damage that a tenant causes, beyond ordinary wear and tear. Landlords are free to bill the tenants for repairs to damage they caused, and deduct the cost from the security deposit.

Tenant's Rights in Manchester, NH

Most basically, tenants have a right to get what they're paying for: a dwelling fit for human habitation. To this end, landlords have to ensure that the units they rent meet Manchester, New Hampshire's minimum standards for habitability. These requirements are typicallyy not difficult to meet. They include basic amenities such as running water, electricity, a working phone line, heating, and protection from the elements.

Additionally, tenants have rights to common areas that are free of physical obstructions, as well as serious health and safety hazards. Common areas are the places in apartment buildings and other residential complexes which every tenant can access, and include hallways, stairwells, and fire escapes. In Manchester, New Hampshire, these areas must be kept in a safe condition, at the landlord's expense.

Under federal and New Hampshire law, tenants are also entitled to protection against discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, marital status, or gender. Such discrimination can lead to severe civil penalties against the landlord. Landlords additionally cannot discriminate against tenants based on physical disability, and have to make reasonable accommodations for physically disabled tenants. For example, they have to allow disabled tenants to make minor physical alterations to the unit (at the tenant's expense) to make it more accessible. Now, they don't need to allow the tenants to have the building remodeled. We're just talking about things like installing handrails in the bathroom, and similar things. The landlord can, however, require tenants to restore the apartment to its original condition, at the tenant's expense, once the tenant leaves.

Finally, tenants are legally protected from arbitrary eviction. Landlords usually must have a very good reason to evict a tenant before the lease agreement reaches the end of its term (at this point, they are of course allowed to decline to renew the lease). Of course, if the tenant breaches the lease agreement (such as by failing to pay rent, damaging the property, or violating other reasonable rules the landlord has put in the lease), the landlord, like a party to any other contract, is free to terminate the agreement and evict the breaching tenant.

Can a Manchester, New Hampshire Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Whether you are a landlord or a tenant, chances are that you want to avoid conflict. But if you do end up in a seemingly irresolvable conflict with the other party, a Manchester, New Hampshire attorney can help you protect your rights.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Manchester

Manchester, New Hampshire is the largest city in New Hampshire, and the largest city in Northern New England (an area comprising Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont). Its population is about 110,000 people.

In 2009, Manchester, New Hampshire was named by CNNMoney.com as one of the top 100 cities to live in, coming it at number 13. It was also voted by Kiplinger as the second most tax-friendly city in the country. It is also one of the most affordable cities in the country.

Because of these many attributes, many successful, middle-class professionals, such as lawyers, have moved to Manchester, New Hampshire to take advantage of the low cost of living, getting the most "bang for their buck."

If you need legal advice in Manchester, New Hampshire, you should consult with some Manchester, New Hampshire attorneys. Your Attorney in Manchester, New Hampshire will be able to advise you on how to best deal with your legal problem.

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