Joint vs individual leases (this is the big one)
Most whole-house leases in Durham are joint and several: one lease, everyone signs, and the group as a whole owes the full rent. If a housemate drops out mid-year, the rest of you cover their share until you find a replacement. That's not a scam — it's how houses rent everywhere — but it means your real risk is your group, not your landlord. Sign with people you trust to stay.
Some larger properties offer per-person pricing instead, where your obligation is your own room. It usually costs slightly more per bed; what you're buying is insulation from other people's decisions.
Guarantors: sort this out first
A guarantor (or co-signer) promises to pay if you don't. Since most undergrads have no income history, owners typically require one per tenant — usually a parent. The awkward conversation takes five minutes; have it before you tour. A group that shows up with guarantors ready beats a bigger group that doesn't, every time.
What New Hampshire law says
- Security deposits: for most rentals, capped at one month's rent (or $100, whichever is greater), returnable within 30 days of move-out minus documented damage (RSA 540-A). Photograph everything on day one and email the photos to the owner so the condition record has a date on it.
- Habitability: NH requires rentals to meet basic standards (heat, water, no serious code violations). Problems must generally be reported in writing — keep texts and emails.
- Notice and entry: your lease governs most day-to-day rules, so actually read it — lease dates, guest policy, sublet policy, late fees.
(This is orientation, not legal advice — the statutes are short and readable at gc.nh.gov if you want the source.)
Budget the real number, not the rent
Per person per month, a realistic Durham-area budget looks like:
- Rent: your quoted share (cost guide has current ranges)
- Utilities: $60–$120 depending on what's included — winter heat is the swing factor
- Internet: $10–$20 (split)
- Renter's insurance: $10–$20 — often required, always smart
- One-time: security deposit + first month + furniture
Questions to ask at every tour
- What exactly is included — heat, hot water, water/sewer, plowing, yard care?
- What did utilities actually run last winter? (Ask current tenants if you can.)
- How many cars can park here, and where does snow go in a storm?
- What are the exact lease dates? June and July starts are both common.
- What's the sublet policy for summer?
- Who fixes things, and how fast? Get a story, not a promise.
Red flags worth walking away from
- Pressure to pay anything before you've seen a lease.
- No written lease, or one that contradicts what you were told.
- Wire-transfer-only payments or a "landlord" who can't meet at the property.
- Evasive answers about utilities or what's included.
A good owner answers all of this without flinching — it's the cheapest test there is. Try it on us: send the form or call, and ask anything on this list.