All Forum Posts by: Renee R.

I guess the subject says it all... I've got some tenants in Plaistow, NH that need to move on.

@Thomas S. Yes, I have read the regulations. (I can probably recite them in my sleep.) Aside, from the attestation in the actual notices, the law doesn’t state anything else about documenting delivery of the notices. I'm just trying to cover my butt in every way possible so the tenant has no way to wiggle out of this.

Sorry, I wasn't clear in my question. I am clear that in NH there are only two ways to deliver notices. NH statute says: Any notice of a demand for rent or an eviction notice may be served by any person and may be served upon the tenant personally or left at his or her last and usual place of abode.

I would add that U.S.P.S. Mail and Certified Mail are not included in the requirement, but are possible in addition to one of the above methods. In my case, I intend to use both regular mail and certified mail in addition to posting to the door.

My question is about documenting delivery.

I’m interested in knowing how you document that you've served the Eviction Notice? Pictures? Video? If so, how detailed i.e. showing the docs as you put them into the envelope and post them to the unit's door? Or, just the visual of it on their door?

How do you document verification of the date you served it? Is the metadata in the pics/video enough? Or, should I slide in a newspaper into the pic/video showing the date? (as an experienced landlord advised me)

Reason I ask is because I'm in the process of evicting a troublesome tenant for nonpayment of rent, but the tenant claims he never got the Demand for Rent/Eviction Notice—despite it being affixed to the door with packing tape and enclosed in a bright orange belly band clearly stating the contents.

The docs also include my attestation that I posted the docs, including the address, date and time. Since this tenant is a weasel, I want to make sure I’m buttoning this up as tightly as possible.

Advice?

@Michael Noto I agree that works fine for prospective tenants, but it doesn't work for current ones who suddenly claim the need for an emotional support animal. 

Any thoughts on whether you can require the emotional support/service animal be with the tenant at all times i.e. never left alone in the unit? I'm thinking that might weed out the fakes. 

Thanks, @Derreck Wells. That's my conclusion as well. One option for a landlord is to remove the unit from the market and evict the tenants. I assume that would be in the case where the unit has a lead issue, a child has elevated lead in their blood, and the landlord can't afford the remediation (right away). I wonder how the grant application would work if the apartment is not rented--and so there's no tenant income to be reported. Also, the requirement that the landlord has to relocate tenants during the remediation seems a challenge. Where/How would you find a place for tenants to live for 2-3 weeks? Given the number of rental units built before 1978 in NH, I should think this is going to be tough and I want to figure it all out before I'm saddled with a $12K+ bill per unit. Yikes!

Thanks for all the good info here. I've been trying to get myself caught up on the current lead laws in NH as well as the one that @Derreck Wells mentioned that was signed in Sept 2015 (and kicks in in October 2018) that tightens testing, reporting and lead blood levels.

My questions: 

1) One of the grant requirements has been that the tenant's income be less than $60K/yr. I have a couple of units in Concord, NH that each have three unrelated tenants per unit. Each makes about $25K/yr - so about $75K/yr. Any idea how/if this might meet the grand requirement? I've got one child under age 1 and on WIC in one of the units and the mother has asked questions about lead--so I suspect she's on top of this issue.

2) Anyone know of any seminars for landlords to understand the new law and access funding? @Stacy Davis is right about the age of multi units in Concord -- and NH in general. I'm not sure it's on most landlord's radar yet. 

Be sure to know your state laws. In my state, NH, you can't just not renew the lease. (I know, it doesn't seem right, but it's true. There are only a small number of reasons you are allowed to not renew in NH. Your issue isn't one of them.) And, if the other tenants are good, why get rid of all of them? Give them a chance to get back in line and get the sixth guy out.

Request the HOA financials and make sure it's well-capitalized. Ask about special assessments in the past five years and anticipated upcoming assessments.