Vermont Residential Lease Agreement

Last Updated: October 17, 2024 by Roberto Valenzuela

A Vermont residential lease agreement (“rental agreement”) is a legal contract between a landlord overseeing a residential property and a tenant who wishes to rent it. A residential lease may, on or before move-in, additionally require a security deposit from the tenant as assurance against future property damage.

Vermont Residential Lease Agreement Disclosures

This disclosure is required for all Vermont residential lease agreements:

Disclosure Applicable To
Flood Zone All Units
Lead Paint All Units Built Before 1978

Flood Zone Notice

Applicable to all Vermont rentals.

Vermont landlords must, at the beginning of any lease, disclose the flooding risk of any property below the 100-year floodplain, as determined by the National Flood Insurance Program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

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The form of this notice is supposed to be determined by a regulation from the state Department of Housing, but as of late 2024, this regulation is not yet public.

Lead-Based Paint Disclosure

Applicable to any Vermont rentals built before 1978.

For any property built before 1978, federal law requires that a Vermont residential lease must contain a lead-based paint disclosure. This requires landlords to do the following:

Download: Vermont Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Form (PDF)

Optional Disclosures and Addenda (Recommended)

The following lease agreement disclosures and addenda are not required by Vermont law in residential lease agreements, but assist with tenant management and help limit landlord liability.

Optional Disclosure Purpose
Asbestos Informs tenants about any asbestos hazards related to the property. Tenants can take precautions to reduce asbestos hazards by avoiding any disturbance of asbestos fibers.
Bed Bugs Informs tenants whether the property or an adjacent unit has a history of suspected bed bug infestation, and reminds the tenant of the obligation to report suspected infestation immediately.
Landlord’s Name and Address Specifies the name and address of the landlord or authorized agent. This enables smooth communication of any important legal notice.
Late/Returned Check Fees Specifies late fees or returned check fees related to the lease. Vermont caps late fees to solely the amount of actual landlord expenditures. There is no cap on returned check fees.
Medical Marijuana Use Informs tenants about policy related to medical marijuana use on the rental property. Some state laws allow landlords to restrict marijuana usage to non-smoking methods only, or allow use only in designated smoking areas.
Mold Disclosure Informs tenants about actual or suspected mold contamination on the property, along with any remediation efforts, to help limit landlord liability.
Move-in Checklist Provides an inventory of existing property damage, when the tenant takes possession of the rental property. This enables accurate deductions from the security deposit upon move-out.
Non-Refundable Fees Charges not agreed by the tenant in the lease may be refundable upon lease termination. For Vermont landlords to charge a non-refundable fee, it must be disclosed and agreed as such in the lease.
Shared Utilities Arrangements Discloses how charges are billed to individual tenants, when multiple rental units share a utility meter for the whole building or property. This ensures tenants receive fair charges and understand what uses contribute to their bill.
Smoking Informs tenants of designated smoking areas that do not interfere with the quiet enjoyment of other tenants.

Consequences of Not Including Mandatory Disclosures

Mandatory disclosures outline important health, safety, and property information for both landlord and tenant safety. A landlord who fails to provide federally or state-mandated disclosures could face legal consequences or monetary penalties, either from a tenant lawsuit or from state officials.

Failure to comply with the federal lead-based paint hazard disclosure risks fines of tens of thousands of dollars per violation.

 

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