×
×
homepage logo
LOGIN
SUBSCRIBE

Sununu: No free rent, mortgage during SoE

By Nancy West - InDepthNH.org | Apr 5, 2020

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu speaks at a Cops for Trump rally, Monday, Feb. 10, 2020, in Portsmouth, N.H. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

CONCORD – Gov. Chris Sununu modified his emergency order temporarily prohibiting evictions and foreclosures Friday night to make clear if tenants and property owners can’t pay rent or mortgage now, they will still have to pay in full when the state of emergency is lifted.

“Let me be clear: Emergency Order #4 does not relieve a tenant of an obligation to pay rent. We all have an obligation to be good neighbors and treat each other fairly, and this extends to both landlords and tenants,” Sununu said in releasing Emergency Order 24 Friday night.

Sununu also extended the state of emergency on Friday for an additional 21 days.

Landlords around the state had publicly expressed concern that they could lose their property without tenants paying rent.

Sununu encouraged all tenants who have difficulty paying their rent to work with their landlord to develop a payment plan and pay what they can. Many tenants should be able to pay using the expanded unemployment benefits to pay all or part of their rent.

“At the same time, I strongly encourage all landlords to comply with the protections provided by the State and seek to form a workable arrangement with their tenants,” Sununu said.

The new order says landlords may initiate eviction proceedings against tenants during the state of emergency who damage property or are a threat to the health and safety of their neighbors.

“During these challenging times, we must continue to balance the need to provide relief to those struggling financially while ensuring that individuals do not take unfair and harmful advantage of the protections that the State has provided. These orders I am issuing today are intended to do just that,” Sununu said.

The new order included guidance from Attorney General Gordon MacDonald dated April 3 that said it also applies to property owners who stop making mortgage payments.

“At the conclusion of the state of emergency, all tenants and property owners will be subject to eviction and foreclosure if they have not remained current with rent and mortgage payments,” MacDonald said.

“It is important for tenants to understand that the order does not entitle anyone to free rent during the state of emergency. All rent that is unable to be paid during the state of emergency must be paid in full once the state of emergency is lifted,” MacDonald said. “Tenants who have not experienced a loss of income and can afford to pay rent during the state of emergency are required to do so during the state of emergency.”

——

EDITOR’S NOTE: This content is being provided for free as a public service to our community during the coronavirus outbreak. Please support local journalism by subscribing to The Telegraph at https://home.nashuatelegraph.com/clickshare/checkDelivery.do;jsessionid=40C089D96583CD7318C1C1D9317B6162.

Newsletter

Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter.

Interests
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *