New Hampshire Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
New Hampshire rules on mold, pests, heat & ac for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: No statute — general habitability standards apply. The state minimum housing standards do not mention mold but prohibit related conditions such as roofs or walls that leak consistently and defective internal plumbing or sewage back-ups. RSA 48-A:14, II and IV
The rules in New Hampshire
| Mold | No statute — general habitability standards apply. The state minimum housing standards do not mention mold but prohibit related conditions such as roofs or walls that leak consistently and defective internal plumbing or sewage back-ups. RSA 48-A:14 applies in municipalities that have not adopted their own housing ordinances or codes; local codes govern elsewhere. Neither RSA 48-A nor RSA 540-A contains a mold disclosure or remediation requirement. Source: RSA 48-A:14, II and IV |
|---|---|
| Pests & bed bugs | The landlord may not maintain premises infested by insects and rodents without a periodic inspection and eradication program, or infested by bed bugs without a periodic inspection and remediation program (remediation = substantially reducing bed bugs for at least 60 days). The landlord must investigate a tenant's report of insects, bed bugs, or rodents within 7 days and take reasonable measures to remediate. Tenants may not refuse access for emergency pest entry or, on 48 hours' written notice, for a bed-bug check when an adjacent, above, or below unit has bed bugs, and must follow reasonable written preparation instructions given at least 72 hours before treatment. Emergency entry for infestations counts as emergency repair if it occurs within 72 hours of the landlord's first notice. No state bed-bug disclosure requirement for new tenants. |
| Heat | Yes. Heating facilities must be properly installed, safely maintained, in good working condition, and capable of heating all habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms to an average of at least 65°F; when the landlord supplies heat as part of the rent, rooms must actually be kept at a minimum average of 65°F. No heating season is specified. A landlord may not willfully interrupt heat or other utility service except temporarily for repairs or emergencies. RSA 48-A:14 applies where the municipality has not adopted its own housing code; local codes may set different standards. Source: RSA 48-A:14, XI; RSA 540-A:3, I |
| Air conditioning | No state requirement to provide air conditioning or a maximum indoor temperature. The state minimum standards address heat but not cooling. Source: RSA 48-A:14 |
| Smoke and CO detectors | Each multi-unit dwelling and rental unit must have automatic fire warning devices (smoke alarms) under the NFPA 101 and NFPA 72 codes and carbon monoxide detectors under NFPA 720. A CO detector is not required if the unit has no attached garage and no fuel-burning appliance, but becomes required if one is added. The owner of a rental unit is responsible for keeping the smoke alarm and CO detector in suitable condition. The state fire marshal (or an appointed municipal authority) enforces this section; stricter local ordinances remain in effect. Source: RSA 153:10-a, I, II-a |
Related questions
- Does a landlord have to fix mold?
- Who pays for pest control and bed bugs in a rental?
- Does a landlord have to provide heat?
- Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning?
New Hampshire vs. neighboring states
| State | Mold | Pests & bed bugs | Heat |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | No statute — general habitability standards apply. The state minimum housing standards do not mention mold but prohibit related conditions such as roofs or walls that leak consistently and defective internal plumbing or sewage back-ups. RSA 48-A:14, II and IV | The landlord may not maintain premises infested by insects and rodents without a periodic inspection and eradication program, or infested by bed bugs without a periodic inspection and remediation program (remediation = substantially reducing bed bugs for at least 60 days). The landlord must investigate a tenant's report of insects, bed bugs, or rodents within 7 days and take reasonable measures to remediate. Tenants may not refuse access for emergency pest entry or, on 48 hours' written notice, for a bed-bug check when an adjacent, above, or below unit has bed bugs, and must follow reasonable written preparation instructions given at least 72 hours before treatment. RSA 48-A:14, I and I-a; RSA 540-A:3, IV-a, V-a to V-c | Yes. Heating facilities must be properly installed, safely maintained, in good working condition, and capable of heating all habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms to an average of at least 65°F; when the landlord supplies heat as part of the rent, rooms must actually be kept at a minimum average of 65°F. No heating season is specified. A landlord may not willfully interrupt heat or other utility service except temporarily for repairs or emergencies. RSA 48-A:14, XI; RSA 540-A:3, I |
| Maine | Yes, by statute. It is a breach of the implied warranty of habitability for a landlord to offer for rent a unit with a leaking event (a water leak from flooding or a roof, window, door, plumbing, foundation or appliance failure), or chronic moisture or humidity outside the tenant's control, that results in the growth of mold, bacteria or other biological organisms. A tenant who gave written notice, is current on rent and did not cause the condition can sue; the court can order repairs, reduce rent to the unit's fair value, or let the tenant temporarily vacate without paying. Municipalities may adopt stricter standards. 14 M.R.S. § 6021(1), (3), (4), (6-B) (added by PL 2025, c. 515) | Detailed bed bug statute. The landlord must inspect within 5 days after written or oral notice from a tenant, contact a licensed pest control agent within 10 days after confirming an infestation, and pay for treatment by an insured agent. Before renting, the landlord must disclose if an adjacent unit is infested or being treated, and on request must give the last date the unit or adjacent units were inspected and found free of bed bugs. A landlord may not rent a unit known or suspected to be infested. Tenants must promptly report suspected bed bugs, allow access on reasonable notice, and follow treatment measures. A tenant who unreasonably fails to cooperate pays for the resulting treatments. A noncompliant landlord owes the greater of $250 or actual damages, plus attorney fees. 14 M.R.S. § 6021-A | When the lease obligates the landlord to provide heat, the heating system must be able to keep at least 68°F (measured 3 feet from exterior walls and 5 feet above the floor, at an outside temperature of -20°F). The landlord must not keep it so cold that it is injurious to health and must keep pipes and systems from freezing. Falling short breaches the warranty of habitability. A landlord and tenant can agree in a separate signed writing to a lower setting, but not below 62°F, with a fair rent reduction. The agreement is revocable and not allowed if anyone over 65 or under 5 lives there. No statewide heating season is set. 14 M.R.S. § 6021(6), (6-A) |
| Massachusetts | Yes, under the State Sanitary Code. Owners must keep buildings and structural elements watertight and free from excess moisture or the appearance of mold. After leaks or flooding, the owner must dry all surfaces within 48 hours of being notified or of the end of the event, whichever is sooner. No room may be used for habitation if it is subject to excess moisture. Code violations are enforced by the local board of health, and any violation not otherwise listed is deemed a condition that may endanger health or safety. Occupants must use building elements with reasonable care. No statute requires mold disclosure to tenants. 105 CMR 410.500(A)(1), (B); 410.510; 410.420(A); 410.630(A)(18); 410.020 ('Chronic Dampness') | Set by the State Sanitary Code. In buildings with 2 or more units (and rooming houses), the owner must keep the building free from infestation and is responsible for extermination, including bed bugs. In single-unit residences, the occupant is responsible unless the owner failed to maintain the structure to keep pests out. Owners must inspect each unit for pests before a new tenancy and keep documented results. Occupants must keep units sanitary and give access and follow preparation instructions for pesticide treatments. Commercial applicators must give 48 hours' written pre-notification. Failure to keep premises pest-free is a condition deemed to endanger health or safety. 105 CMR 410.550; 410.630(A)(17) | Yes. The owner must heat every habitable room and bathroom from September 15 through May 31: at least 68°F from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and at least 64°F from 11:01 p.m. to 6:59 a.m. Temperature is measured 5 feet above the floor, more than 5 feet from an exterior wall. A local board of health may shorten the season, ending it no earlier than May 15 or starting it no later than September 30. Failure to provide required heat is a condition deemed to endanger health or safety. 105 CMR 410.180(A), (C), (D); 410.630 |
| Vermont | No mold-specific statute, but the state Rental Housing Health Code requires every rental unit to be kept free from the regular or periodic appearance of standing water or excessive moisture that may result in visible mold growth, and bars use of humidifiers in ways that raise relative humidity above 60%. The landlord's statutory warranty of habitability requires premises that are safe, clean, fit for habitation and compliant with building, housing and health regulations; the warranty cannot be waived. 9 V.S.A. § 4457(a)-(b); Vermont Rental Housing Health Code §§ 8.2, 10.3 | Yes, by health code. The owner must keep common spaces free from infestation (pests or bed bugs) and exterminate there, and must exterminate inside a unit when the infestation is caused by the owner's failure to maintain the building or exists in two or more units. Rooming-house owners are responsible for all rooms. The tenant must keep the unit free from infestation and pay for extermination when the infestation is caused by the tenant's failure to maintain the unit (except where the owner is responsible as above). Extermination must remove harborage and food sources and use treatments such as spraying, fumigating, heat treating or trapping. Vermont Rental Housing Health Code §§ 4.7, 4.15, 6.1-6.3 | Yes. The landlord must ensure heating facilities capable of safely providing a reasonable amount of heat, and a landlord who provides heat under the lease must supply a reasonable amount at all times (summer rentals and hunting camps excepted). The Rental Housing Health Code requires heating facilities whenever the outside temperature is below 55 degrees F, able to maintain at least 65 degrees F in all habitable rooms, kitchens and bathrooms (measured 3 feet above the floor and 3 feet from an exterior wall) without overheating one room to heat another; unvented fuel-fired space heaters are prohibited. 9 V.S.A. § 4457(c); Vermont Rental Housing Health Code §§ 7.1-7.5 |
More New Hampshire rental law
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- New Hampshire Eviction Laws
- New Hampshire Notice to Vacate Rules
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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 Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
- New Hampshire Landlord Selling the House
- 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
Compare mold, pests, heat & ac in all 50 states and DC →
New Hampshire Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules FAQ
Does a landlord have to fix mold in New Hampshire?
No statute — general habitability standards apply. The state minimum housing standards do not mention mold but prohibit related conditions such as roofs or walls that leak consistently and defective internal plumbing or sewage back-ups. (RSA 48-A:14, II and IV)
Who pays for pest control and bed bugs in New Hampshire?
The landlord may not maintain premises infested by insects and rodents without a periodic inspection and eradication program, or infested by bed bugs without a periodic inspection and remediation program (remediation = substantially reducing bed bugs for at least 60 days). The landlord must investigate a tenant's report of insects, bed bugs, or rodents within 7 days and take reasonable measures to remediate. Tenants may not refuse access for emergency pest entry or, on 48 hours' written notice, for a bed-bug check when an adjacent, above, or below unit has bed bugs, and must follow reasonable written preparation instructions given at least 72 hours before treatment. (RSA 48-A:14, I and I-a; RSA 540-A:3, IV-a, V-a to V-c)
Does a landlord have to provide heat in New Hampshire?
Yes. Heating facilities must be properly installed, safely maintained, in good working condition, and capable of heating all habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms to an average of at least 65°F; when the landlord supplies heat as part of the rent, rooms must actually be kept at a minimum average of 65°F. No heating season is specified. A landlord may not willfully interrupt heat or other utility service except temporarily for repairs or emergencies. (RSA 48-A:14, XI; RSA 540-A:3, I)
Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning in New Hampshire?
No state requirement to provide air conditioning or a maximum indoor temperature. (RSA 48-A:14)
Who is responsible for smoke detectors in a rental in New Hampshire?
Each multi-unit dwelling and rental unit must have automatic fire warning devices (smoke alarms) under the NFPA 101 and NFPA 72 codes and carbon monoxide detectors under NFPA 720. A CO detector is not required if the unit has no attached garage and no fuel-burning appliance, but becomes required if one is added. The owner of a rental unit is responsible for keeping the smoke alarm and CO detector in suitable condition. (RSA 153:10-a, I, II-a)
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.