The law in plain English
Return deadline
Under N.H. Rev. Stat. Sections 540-A:5 to 540-A:8; 540-B:10, the deposit response usually has to be sent within 30 days of the move-out timeline described by the state rule.
Required notice
New Hampshire generally caps the deposit at 1 month's rent or $100, whichever is greater, unless the landlord and tenant share facilities, and the landlord usually has 30 days to send the refund and itemized statement.
This dispute type
Painting deductions are usually weakest when the landlord is refreshing the unit for the next tenant, covering faded walls, or addressing minor marks from normal occupancy. In New Hampshire, the refund deadline and deduction notice rules still apply even if the landlord claims the walls needed work.
Penalty leverage
If the withholding was wrongful or in bad faith, the exposure allowed under the statute is: You can recover double the deposit amount for any violation, plus attorney's fees; willful violations may add up to treble damages