Vermont Month-to-Month Lease Agreement

Required Landlord Disclosures (2) 

Vermont law requires landlords to give tenants two disclosures during the month-to-month lease signing process. These disclosures provide tenants with important property details to inform them about property conditions or relevant hazards.

1. Lead-based paint: Per federal law, landlords must notify the tenant in writing about any lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards used on the property if the home was constructed in 1978 or earlier.

2. Flood zones: If any portion of the rental property falls in an FEMA-designated flood zone, a new law (effective June 2024) makes it mandatory for the landlord to give the tenant a document specifying such (9 VSA § 4466).

TurboTenant includes these disclosures with every lease agreement. 

Required Notice to Terminate Month-to-Month Agreement

Required notice for landlord: 90 days (tenancies of 2+ years) or 60 days (tenancies of less than 2 years) (9 VSA § 4467).

Required notice for tenant: 90 days (tenancies of 2+ years) or 60 days (tenancies of less than 2 years) (9 VSA § 4467).

Rent Increase Laws

Rental control and stabilization do not exist in Vermont. That means landlords can increase the rent at their discretion, but to do so, 60 days’ notice is required by law (9 VSA § 4455(b)).

Rent Payment Laws

Grace period: Landlords are not required to set a grace period for rent in Vermont.

Late rent fees: Landlords cannot charge late fees in Vermont, though they can charge tenants for qualifying expenses due to late rent.

Tenant’s right to withhold rent: A tenant can withhold a rent payment in Vermont if the landlord fails to take care of a major health or safety concern in a timely manner. Alternatively, the tenant reserves the right to fix the issue and deduct the amount from their next rent payment, only if they provide the landlord with a written notice that they fixed the problem. In some situations, a tenant could get injunctive relief or end the lease early (9 VSA § 4458).

Pet rent laws: There are no laws governing pet rent in Vermont, which means landlords can charge a reasonable amount for pet rent at their discretion. However, it is important to check the local laws and regulations, as specific cities’ laws could restrict pet rent amounts.

Security Deposit Rules

Maximum security deposit: Vermont landlords can charge any amount for security deposits in general. The two exceptions are Barre and Burlington. These cities legislate one month’s rent as the maximum security deposit.

Security deposit receipt: Vermont law doesn’t require landlords to give tenants a security deposit receipt, but keeping a record of security deposits is a good idea.

Interest: Landlords in Vermont have to pay security deposit interest, but cities can determine the interest payments and the laws governing such (9 VSA § 4461(g)). For properties in Barre and Burlington, security deposits must go into an account that gains interest over time.

Deduction tracking: A Vermont landlord reserves the right to take money out of the security deposit to cover rent or property damage exceeding standard wear and tear, when applicable. They may also deduct any costs associated with getting a tenant’s personal property left behind off the premises. All deductions must be furnished to the tenant in written form (9 VSA § 4461(b-c)).

Returning a tenant’s security deposit: Landlords have 14 days to send the tenant their security deposit after the move-out date, minus deductions, if applicable (9 VSA § 4461(c)).

Pet deposit rules: Vermont law does not have a maximum on how much landlords can charge for a pet deposit. However, local jurisdictions can set their own maximums. For example, Barre and Burlington restrict pet deposits to no more than 50% of the total monthly rent.

Property Access Regulations

Advance notice: Vermont landlords must give 48 hours’ notice to enter a property. The law restricts the hours to 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. (9 VSA § 4460(b)).

Immediate access: The only instance when a Vermont landlord could enter a rental property without sufficient notice is if they are under the impression that something hazardous is happening to the property or tenant (9 VSA § 4460(c)).

Landlord harassment: Going onto a property multiple times without reason or notifying the tenant is a type of landlord harassment. The tenant could request a court order to prevent the landlord from doing this in the future. Additionally, the landlord could be considered a trespasser, resulting in fines and/or jail time. A tenant may also have the right to break the lease early if landlord harassment applies.

Rental Agreement Violations

Missed rent payment: Vermont landlords have the right to send the tenant a 14-day notice to pay or quit when rent remains unpaid past the due date (9 VSA § 4467(a)).

Lease violation: If a tenant breaches the terms of their Vermont month-to-month lease agreement, landlords may give a 30-day notice to quit. Landlords do not have to allow the tenant the opportunity to fix the issue (9 VSA § 4467(b)(1)).

Self-help evictions: It is illegal for Vermont landlords to engage in self-help evictions (removing a tenant from a property without going through the proper legal channels – aka the eviction process).

Lease abandonment: If a tenant moves out before the end of their rental term without adequate notice or reason, they may have to pay the rest of the rent due for the rental term, in addition to forfeiting the security deposit and being subject to legal proceedings. In Vermont, landlords must attempt to find someone to rent the property promptly (9 VSA § 4462(a)).

Disclaimer: TurboTenant does not provide legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only. All users are advised to check all applicable local, state, and federal laws, and consult legal counsel should questions arise.