Why Guests Come to New London
New London's appeal is a walkable village surrounded by water.
- Lake Sunapee. New London shares Lake Sunapee's shoreline with Sunapee and Newbury. Summer renters come for boating and swimming.
- Pleasant Lake. Closer to the village, Pleasant Lake is a smaller lake for swimming and paddling.
- Colby-Sawyer College. The college traces its founding to the New London Academy, chartered by the state in 1837. Families visit for move-in, athletics, Commencement and campus tours.
- The New London Barn Playhouse. Founded in 1933 and performing in a converted barn on Main Street since 1934, the Barn is the oldest continuously operating summer theater in New Hampshire and is on the state's Register of Historic Places.
- Nearby skiing and hiking. Mount Sunapee Resort in Newbury is a short drive south, and Mount Kearsarge rises to the east, giving winter and fall guests something to do beyond the lakes.
The New London Rental Year
Summer (late June to Labor Day) is the main season. Lakefront and walk-to-village homes book weekly, and the Barn Playhouse's summer season adds evening demand.
Fall (September to mid October) brings college weekends and foliage visitors. Weekends are strong; midweek softens.
Winter is driven by Mount Sunapee skiers and holiday family visits, and is quieter than in the mountain towns to the north.
Spring has college events, then a quiet stretch before lake season. Use it for dock, deck and septic work.
Pricing each of these windows on its own terms matters; our seasonal pricing guide covers the approach.
Short-Term Rental Rules in New London
New London's zoning ordinance, as amended through the March 11, 2025 town meeting, now defines a short-term rental as "an accessory use of a residential Dwelling-Unit rented for a fee for a period of less than 90-days." The Planning Board proposed that definition at a January 2025 hearing, and it appears in the 2025 ordinance posted on the town website.
As of October 2026, that definition is the extent of what we found. The ordinance treats short-term rental as an accessory use of a home rather than a separate commercial use, and we did not find a short-term rental permit, registration program or day cap on the town site. Note that New London's 90-day threshold is longer than the 30 days many towns use, so stays most owners would call monthly rentals fall inside the town's definition.
Before you list, confirm how the accessory use applies in your district, and whether any shoreland, septic or occupancy rules affect your plan, with the Town Planner and Zoning Administrator at (603) 526-1246 or Planning@NewLondon.NH.Gov. Zoning can change at any March town meeting.
State rules sit on top: a NH Meals and Rooms license and the 8.5% rooms tax on stays under 185 consecutive days. See New Hampshire short-term rental laws and our NH rooms tax guide.
Running a Rental in New London
- Lake rules and docks. Lakefront homes fall under New Hampshire's shoreland protection rules, and docks and boats carry their own rules. Set clear guest rules for watercraft, swimming and quiet hours.
- Septic. The town posts a Septic Requirements FAQ on its home page. An older system sized for a family may not handle a full house of guests, so advertise only the bedrooms your system supports.
- Parking in the village. In and near the village, list only the number of cars your driveway actually fits.
- Winter. Hills down to the lakes can be icy; plowing and sanding before arrivals is essential. Our winter rental management guide has the checklist.
How New England Host Co Works in New London
New London is in Merrimack County, part of our New Hampshire service area. Every home must be within 45 minutes of its crew's base, so send us the address and we will confirm. Full-service management covers listing and photos, daily PriceLabs pricing, guest messaging and reviews, and housekeeping with an inspection after every stay; co-hosting is offered instead for owners who want to stay involved. Contact us for a free property analysis, or browse the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee region.
FAQ
Does New London, NH Regulate Short-Term Rentals?
Its zoning, amended in March 2025, defines a short-term rental as an accessory use of a home rented for less than 90 days. We did not find a separate town permit program as of October 2026.
Why Does New London Use 90 Days Instead of 30?
That is the threshold voters adopted in the 2025 definition. It means rentals of one or two months are short-term rentals under New London's zoning.
Who Do I Ask About My Property?
The Town Planner and Zoning Administrator, at (603) 526-1246 or Planning@NewLondon.NH.Gov.
