New Hampshire Landlord Selling the House
New Hampshire rules on landlord selling the house for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: When a landlord sells the building, the landlord must turn the security deposit over to the buyer (grantee) at the time the deed is delivered or within 5 days afterward, and must notify the tenant by registered or certified mail, giving the name and address of the new holder of the… RSA 540-A:6, III
The rules in New Hampshire
| If the landlord sells the property | When a landlord sells the building, the landlord must turn the security deposit over to the buyer (grantee) at the time the deed is delivered or within 5 days afterward, and must notify the tenant by registered or certified mail, giving the name and address of the new holder of the deposit. A landlord who turns over the deposit with any interest due is relieved of liability for repaying it; the buyer then becomes responsible for returning the deposit to the tenant. The same rule applies when a landlord assigns the lease, and to a receiver or foreclosure-sale purchaser. The security deposit subdivision's definition of 'landlord' excludes an owner-occupied building of 5 units or fewer, except for units occupied by someone 60 or older (RSA 540-A:5). The statute does not say in so many words whether the lease binds the buyer. Source: RSA 540-A:6, III |
|---|---|
| Tenants in foreclosure | A purchaser at a foreclosure sale may recover possession only through the regular possessory (eviction) action after a written notice to quit (RSA 540:12). Good-cause eviction rules continue to protect tenants of restricted property after foreclosure, except single-family houses taken by banks or mortgagees through foreclosure, which are exempt (RSA 540:1-a, I(d)). When property is sold or foreclosed, the landlord must turn the security deposit over to the buyer, receiver, or foreclosure purchaser within 5 days (RSA 540-A:6, III). RSA 540-A:6: https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LV/540-A/540-A-mrg.htm. The federal PTFA 90-day notice also applies. Whether a sale itself counts as 'other good cause' for restricted property was not separately researched. |
Related questions
New Hampshire vs. neighboring states
| State | If the landlord sells the property | Tenants in foreclosure |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | When a landlord sells the building, the landlord must turn the security deposit over to the buyer (grantee) at the time the deed is delivered or within 5 days afterward, and must notify the tenant by registered or certified mail, giving the name and address of the new holder of the deposit. A landlord who turns over the deposit with any interest due is relieved of liability for repaying it; the buyer then becomes responsible for returning the deposit to the tenant. RSA 540-A:6, III | A purchaser at a foreclosure sale may recover possession only through the regular possessory (eviction) action after a written notice to quit (RSA 540:12). Good-cause eviction rules continue to protect tenants of restricted property after foreclosure, except single-family houses taken by banks or mortgagees through foreclosure, which are exempt (RSA 540:1-a, I(d)). When property is sold or foreclosed, the landlord must turn the security deposit over to the buyer, receiver, or foreclosure purchaser within 5 days (RSA 540-A:6, III). RSA 540:12; RSA 540:1-a, I(d); RSA 540-A:6, III |
| Maine | When a landlord's interest ends by sale (or by assignment, death, receivership or otherwise), whoever holds the security deposits must either return them to the tenants (less lawful deductions) or give the new owner an accounting of each deposit and transfer the money, and mail each tenant notice of the transfer, the new owner's name and address, and a copy of the accounting. In a sale, the accounting and transfer must happen no later than the real estate closing, with written proof given to the buyer at closing. After compliance, the seller is released and the buyer holds the deposits with all of a landlord's duties. Separately, a buyer or assignee of the tenant's premises cannot bring an eviction against a tenant at will unless the tenant got a proper termination notice under 14 M.R.S. §6002 (§6001(2)). 14 M.R.S. §6035; 14 M.R.S. §6001(2) | A bona fide tenancy in a building in foreclosure, or with a foreclosure judgment, can be ended only under the federal Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act (Maine incorporates PTFA protections into state law). After an ordinary sale, a new owner cannot evict a tenant at will unless the tenant received a proper § 6002 termination notice from the old or new owner. 14 M.R.S. § 6001(1-A), (2) |
| Massachusetts | A tenancy at will in a home is not ended by the owner's sale, transfer or lease of the property, or by foreclosure (G.L. c. 186, §13). When a landlord holding a security deposit transfers the property by sale, assignment, death, receivership or otherwise, the landlord must transfer the deposit plus accrued interest to the successor, who then becomes liable for holding and returning it. Within 45 days of the transfer, the successor must notify the tenant in writing that it holds the deposit, with names, business addresses and phone numbers. If the old landlord fails to transfer the deposit, the successor still owes it to the tenant; a successor may satisfy that duty for a tenant still in the unit by giving rent-free occupancy equal to the deposit amount (c. 186, §15B(5)). G.L. c. 186, §13; G.L. c. 186, §15B(5) | Strong state protections. A foreclosing owner (lender or its affiliate) may not evict a tenant except for just cause, or once there is a binding purchase-and-sale agreement with a bona fide third-party buyer. Within 30 days of foreclosure, the owner must post notice in the building, mail it to each unit, and slide it under each unit's door, giving the owner and manager contact information and where to send rent, plus a written notice of the right to a court hearing. Evictions for nonpayment, uncured violations, or refusing a lease renewal can't start until 30 days after that notice. A tenancy at will is not ended by sale, transfer or foreclosure. M.G.L. c. 186A, §§ 2, 3, 4; c. 186, § 13 |
| Vermont | When the landlord's interest in the unit ends (for example, by sale), the security deposit must be transferred to the new landlord, and the new landlord must give the tenant actual notice of the new landlord's name and address with a statement that the deposit has been transferred. If there is no written lease, a landlord who has contracted to sell the building may end the tenancy with at least 30 days' actual notice; the statute does not give that right when there is a written lease. 9 V.S.A. §§ 4461(f), 4467(d) | In a mortgage foreclosure of residential rental property, the foreclosing party must join as defendants the tenants occupying under a rental agreement when the complaint is recorded (service by first-class mail is sufficient), and the summons must carry a 14-point warning that the home is being foreclosed. On receiving the complaint, the owner must tell each NEW tenant that a foreclosure is pending and they may have to leave on 30 days' notice (or longer federal notice). After judgment, the writ of possession must be served on a residential tenant and the plaintiff cannot be put in possession until at least 30 days after service (or longer if federal law requires). On an ordinary sale with no written lease, a landlord who has contracted to sell may end the tenancy on 30 days' actual notice. 12 V.S.A. § 4932(c); 12 V.S.A. § 4941; 9 V.S.A. § 4467(d) |
More New Hampshire rental law
- New Hampshire Security Deposit Law
- New Hampshire Eviction Laws
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- New Hampshire Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- New Hampshire Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in New Hampshire
- Squatters' Rights in New Hampshire
- New Hampshire Rental Fee Rules
- New Hampshire Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- New Hampshire Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- New Hampshire Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- New Hampshire Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Retaliation
- New Hampshire Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All New Hampshire landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in New Hampshire
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New Hampshire Landlord Selling the House FAQ
What happens to my lease if my landlord sells the house in New Hampshire?
When a landlord sells the building, the landlord must turn the security deposit over to the buyer (grantee) at the time the deed is delivered or within 5 days afterward, and must notify the tenant by registered or certified mail, giving the name and address of the new holder of the deposit. A landlord who turns over the deposit with any interest due is relieved of liability for repaying it; the buyer then becomes responsible for returning the deposit to the tenant. (RSA 540-A:6, III)
What are tenants' rights in a foreclosure in New Hampshire?
A purchaser at a foreclosure sale may recover possession only through the regular possessory (eviction) action after a written notice to quit (RSA 540:12). Good-cause eviction rules continue to protect tenants of restricted property after foreclosure, except single-family houses taken by banks or mortgagees through foreclosure, which are exempt (RSA 540:1-a, I(d)). When property is sold or foreclosed, the landlord must turn the security deposit over to the buyer, receiver, or foreclosure purchaser within 5 days (RSA 540-A:6, III). (RSA 540:12; RSA 540:1-a, I(d); RSA 540-A:6, III)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.