Updated July 12, 2022
A Vermont lease agreement is a document used to legally bind a tenant paying rent to a landlord for the use of the property. The landlord will commonly perform a credit and employment verification before authorizing a lease. The first (1st) month’s rent and security deposit will be due and payable at the time of lease signing.
Table of Contents |
Agreement Types (6)
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.
Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Month-to-Month Lease Agreement (§ 4467) – A rental contract that gives either party sixty (60) days to terminate the contract at anytime. If the tenant has been on the property for more than two (2) years the landlord must grant at least ninety (90) days’ notice.
Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Rent-to-Own Lease Agreement – A standard lease with an added benefit to the lessee/buyer that gives them the right to acquire the property for an agreed-upon price and terms.
Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word (.docx), OpenDocument
Room Rental (Roommate) Agreement – When seeking to live in an arrangement where each person gets a bedroom and share common areas such as the kitchen and recreational quarters. See the Vermonter’s Guide to Homesharing for more detailed information on how to construct the agreement.
Download: Adobe PDF
Standard Residential Lease Agreement – Standard form which specifies a commencement and end date for the tenancy. This document is the most commonly used residential real estate contract.
Download: Adobe PDF, MS Word (.docx), OpenDocument
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: Adobe PDF
Required Disclosures (1)
Lead-Based Paint Disclosure – Law provided by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that requires all landlords of property built prior to 1978 to inform their tenants of lead paint in the walls and ceilings. Must be signed by all new tenants at the time of commencement.
Access
The landlord may access the tenant’s property with at least forty-eight (48) hours notice and must do so from the hours of 9:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. (§ 4460).
Security Deposits
Maximum – There is no State cap for landlords on how much they may charge a prospective tenant.
Returning (§ 4461) – Within fourteen (14) days of the time the landlord has discovered the tenant has vacated or abandoned the property they must return the deposit. If the residence was used seasonally, not for the intended use of a primary residence, the landlord has sixty (60) days to return the funds.
Guides
- Vermont Practical Guide to Leasing with Questions and Answers
- Vermont Rental Housing Health Code
- Vermont Renter’s Handbook