Nashua, NH Code Violation Reporting: How to Report (2026)
Key Facts
- Primary trigger
- Citizen complaints
- Enforcing office
- Code Enforcement Dept., Community Development Division
- Retaliation
- Barred against tenants and landlords
- Formal petition
- 10+ residents can petition on unfit structures
Summary
Nashua's Code Enforcement Department responds primarily to citizen complaints under the Housing Code, and the ordinance bars landlords from retaliating against tenants who report violations to the department.
Housing Code Inspectors shall direct their attention primarily to dwellings based on: (1) Citizen complaints; (2) Exterior inspections, where they have reasonable cause to believe there are housing code violations present; (3) Target areas of the City given priority by the Community Development Division.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4805762; v29 updated 2026-02-10; through 02-10-2026).
Full Breakdown
Nashua's Code Enforcement Department, created within the Community Development Division under § 182-7, targets housing violations that residents flag. Under § 182-21(A), Housing Code Inspectors direct their attention first to citizen complaints, then to exterior inspections showing probable violations, then to target areas the Community Development Division prioritizes. Reporting is protected: § 182-27 bars a landlord from reprisal -- eviction, rent hikes, or altered lease terms -- against a tenant who reports a violation, and presumes retaliation if such action follows within six months of a complaint. Ten or more residents can also file a formal unfit-structure petition under § 182-14, triggering a Board of Housing Appeals hearing.
Violations & Fines
Violating the Housing Code is punished under City Code § 1-12; every day a violation continues after notice has been served is a separate offense (§ 182-26).
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Nashua find out about housing code violations?
Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant who reports a violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashua
Compare Nashua to another location·View the New Hampshire code violation reporting overview
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How to Report in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle how to report.