By Type (6)
 Standard Residential Lease Agreement – Standard form which specifies a start and end date for the tenancy. This document is the most commonly used residential real estate contract.
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 Commercial Lease Agreement – Type of real estate contract for properties located in an area used primarily for business-related use. Space is usually defined as office, retail, and/or industrial.
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 Month-to-Month Lease Agreement – A rental contract that gives either party at least 60 days to terminate the contract at any time. If the tenant has been on the property for more than two years, the landlord must grant at least 90 days’ notice.
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 Rent-to-Own Lease Agreement – A standard lease with an added benefit to the tenant/buyer that gives them the right to acquire the property for an agreed-upon price and terms.
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 Room Rental (Roommate) Agreement – When seeking to live in an arrangement where each person gets a bedroom and shares common areas such as the kitchen and recreational quarters. See the Vermonter’s Guide to Homesharing for more detailed information on writing the agreement.
Download: PDF |
 Sublease Agreement – For the act of subletting, such as a tenant that decides to rent their space to another person, the “subtenant,” with the landlord’s consent.
Download: PDF |
Required Disclosures (1)
1. Lead-Based Paint Disclosure & EPA Pamphlet – Federal law requires that the landlord of a property built before 1978 inform their tenants of the possible existence of lead paint in the walls and ceilings.
Security Deposits
Maximum Amount – There is no statewide limit on how much a Vermont landlord can request for a security deposit.
Collecting Interest – Vermont landlords are not required by state statute to collect or pay interest on a tenant’s security deposit.
Returning – The landlord must return the security deposit, except for any withheld amounts, to the tenant within 14 days of the date that the tenant has vacated the property or that the landlord has discovered that the tenant vacated the unit.[1]
- Itemized List – If any portion of the security deposit is deducted to cover the costs of damages or unpaid rent or utilities, the landlord must provide a written statement itemizing these deductions within 14 days of the end of tenancy.[1]
When is Rent Due?
Grace Period – There is no statutory grace period in Vermont; rent is due on the date agreed upon in the lease.[2] If rent is not paid on the due date, the landlord may serve the tenant a 14-day notice to quit or pay the rent.[3]
Maximum Late Fee – According to Vermont case law, a landlord may only impose a “reasonable” late fee to cover the costs incurred by the landlord due to the tenant’s tardiness in paying rent.[4]
NSF Fee – There is no statutory limit on the amount that a landlord can charge a tenant for a bounced check.
Withholding Rent – If the landlord fails to repair a minor defect in the unit within 30 days of having received notice, the tenant may repair the defect on their own and deduct up to one-half of one month’s rent from their next rent payment.[5]
Right to Enter (Landlord)
Standard Access – The landlord must give at least 48 hours’ notice before entering the property for the purposes of making repairs, conducting inspections, or showing the property to prospective tenants.[6]
Immediate Access – The landlord may enter the unit without consent or notice if they reasonably believe that there is imminent danger to a person or to property.[7]
Abandonment
Absence – Vermont law does not set out the length of time that a tenant must be absent for a rental unit to be deemed abandoned. The unit may be considered abandoned if rent is unpaid and if circumstances indicate that the unit is unoccupied.[8]
Breaking the Lease – The tenant may break the lease if the landlord, after receiving notice, fails to comply with their obligations to maintain the habitability of the property.[9] No other right to break the lease is established by Vermont law.
Tenant’s Utility Shutoff – If the tenant’s failure to keep utilities on the property amounts to a violation of the lease agreement or their obligations under the law, the landlord may serve a 30-day notice to quit the premises.[10]
Unclaimed Property – Property left behind at the end of the lease term may be promptly disposed of.[11] If the tenant abandoned the unit without notice, the landlord must store any unclaimed property for 60 days and send written notice to the tenant.[12]