The Vermont roommate agreement (“room rental agreement”) is a contract between multiple tenants sharing the same rental property (“co-tenants”). This document describes each co-tenant’s financial obligations, social responsibilities, and any rules associated with the shared space. All co-tenants must sign this contract in accordance with Vermont state law.
A Vermont room rental agreement is a legally binding agreement that binds cotenants to the original lease signer. These documents are particularly useful for those that are struggling to meet rental payment needs or those that wish to use any extra space in their unit more constructively. Room rental agreements establish the amount of allotted space per roommate, and they also have value breakdowns based on space provided in many situations.
What to Include in a Vermont Roommate Agreement
- The full names of all roommates that will be entering the agreement. There should be extra space for any add-on roommates.
- The location of the property. This should include any identifying characteristics and any side street information.
- The date of the document.
- A copy of the original lease. This will help establish the rules outlined in this document.
- The precise monthly, payable value for each roommate’s share of the rent. The values of the security deposit each roommate pays should also be included.
- Who is responsible for paying which utilities.
- Information about renewing the lease.
- House rules, which can include guest policy and food prep rotation.
- The signatures of all roommates. The signatories will need to print their name and date the document as well.
Roommate’s Rights in Vermont
It’s important to note that when renting with a roommate, no law states that a landlord cannot charge both roommates full rent, so any renters must establish that the rent will be split amongst the cotenants. Vermont law protects anyone that’s been dwelling in the unit more than 60 days, so any protections in place for Vermont renters will cover roommates. For example, if the premises are unsafe based on state law or have health code violations, then the roommate has the right to sue the landlord if he or she does not remedy the situation.
