Renting is a two-way street. A successful rental relationship is much more likely when both renters and owners understand their rights and responsibilities. The following materials will help landlords and tenants understand everything one needs to know about renting a home in Vermont. These materials include a comprehensive guidebook, three tri-fold brochures, a video on the legal eviction process, and four classroom modules.
Guidebook
Finding Common Ground: The Definitive Guide to Renting in Vermont - This extensive handbook covers everything that landlords and tenants need to know about Vermont’s landlord-tenant laws. Finding Common Ground puts information for landlords and tenants into one place and explains the meaning of Vermont’s statutes surrounding the housing rental relationship. It also includes strategies for working through problems with a tenancy and a collection of tools and resources. Co-created by the Vermont Tenants program and the Vermont Landlord Association, the guidebook is updated annually by Vermont Tenants. Vermont Tenants is a statewide tenant advocacy program run by the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO). The Vermont Landlord Association is a trade association that helps landlords throughout Vermont.
Fair Housing Resources
Fair Housing is the right to equal opportunity in housing choice and the right to rent, buy, finance, and live in a home free from discrimination or harassment. The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, and family status. Vermont has additional protections based on age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, receipt of public assistance, being a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and denial of development permitting based on the income of prospective residents. More resources and materials are included on CVOEO and the Vermont Housing Division's web pages.
Fair Housing Handbook: https://www.cvoeo.org/client_media/files/HAP/VT-FH-Handbook-English-Web.pdf
Fair Housing Guide for Landlords: https://coordhousvt.egnyte.com/dl/9lMq6B8Hfu
Tri-Fold Brochures
Designed for easy distribution, these trifolds brochures include basic renting information, including an overview of 1) landlord-tenant responsibilities, 2) what to expect during a health inspection, and 3) Vermont’s fair housing anti-discrimination laws.
Renting 101: The Rights and Responsibilities of Landlords and Tenants in Vermont - This tri-fold is intended to provide basic information that a tenant and a landlord should know about Vermont’s law before entering into a rental agreement. It also underscores that a rental agreement is a business relationship and suggests best practices for each party to ensure that the rental experience benefits both parties. Additionally, this trifold includes references to additional resources for landlords and tenants.
Rights During an Inspection - When there is an alleged violation of the Rental Housing Health Code, it is most often the Town Health Officer or municipal Code Inspector who will be the first authority contacted. This Tri-Fold explains what landlords and tenants should expect in the case of a health code inspection. It also outlines the limitations of the Town Health Officer’s authority and is a great tool for the Town Health Officer to have when doing a residential rental inspection.
Fair Housing Law - Written for use by landlords, the Fair Housing Law tri-fold covers the basics of Vermont’s anti-discrimination laws. This includes information about what is prohibited in advertising and introduces Reasonable Modifications and Accommodations with references for more detailed information.
Workshops
Vermont Tenants offers workshops for tenants across multiple formats. In addition to live in-person and remote workshops, the following fully online, self-paced workshops include videos, readings, links to resources, and downloadable reference materials:
- Tenant Skills – Tenant Skills covers the fundamentals of tenant rights and responsibilities, leases, security deposits, repairs, health code violations, terminations, evictions, fair housing and disability law. This workshop is designed for anyone looking to rent, currently renting, or assisting others in navigating the renting process. To sign-up, click here: https://www.cvoeo.org/renters-workshops/tenant-skills-on-demand-186
- Finding Housing – The Finding Housing workshop begins with an overview of “affordable housing,” what the term means, how to determine if you qualify, and where to get help if you experience homelessness. Following activities focus on how to approach a housing search, establish a tenant-landlord relationship, work through barriers, navigate fair housing rights, develop application materials, organize a housing search, and negotiate a lease. To sign-up, click here: https://www.cvoeo.org/renters-workshops/finding-housing-on-demand-257
The Fair Housing Project offers workshops and trainings for landlords and other housing and service providers, municipal officials, and the public. Each session is tailored to the needs of the group and covers the history of the Fair Housing Act and the resulting protections under Federal and Vermont law; how and when fair housing law applies in Vermont, exemptions, the complaint and investigation process, and remedies; access requirements for people with disabilities, including reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications; and best practices. The interactive sessions are held in-person and via Zoom. Contact the Fair Housing Project at fhp@cvoeo.org for scheduling.
Classroom Modules
These four classroom modules go into depth on numerous topics of interest to Vermont landlords and tenants. While best experienced as part of a presentation by Vermont Tenants and the Vermont Landlords Association, these modules are designed to be useful for interested people to self-teach at their own pace.
Vermont’s Renting Laws - Based on the collective experience of the Vermont Landlords Association and Vermont Tenants program, this module examines some of the commonly held myths about Vermont’s landlord-tenant laws and potential remedies for violations. It aims to debunk long-held myths and provides accurate information about what is and is not required in a rental unit, valid lease terms, and legal remedies.
Rent and Rent Issues for Landlords and Tenants (Court Process) - The Legal Eviction Process can be confusing and even frightening. This module explains what the eviction process should look like and suggests steps to avoid making the eviction process more costly and time-consuming. In three parts, the Rent Issues module discusses things both parties need to know and then focuses specifically on landlord considerations, with a section advising tenants on the eviction process from their perspective.
Warranty of Habitability - This module covers the minimum health and safety requirements for a unit to be legally rented in Vermont. It breaks down the meaning of statutes surrounding habitability into plain English and includes a discussion on landlord obligations and tenant remedies. The module also describes Town Health Officer inspections and what a landlord can do when a tenant is causing a health code violation.
Fair Housing Law - This module covers the minimum health and safety requirements for a unit to be legally rented in Vermont. It breaks down the meaning of statutes surrounding habitability into plain English and includes a discussion on landlord obligations and tenant remedies. The module also describes inspections and what a landlord can do when a tenant is causing a health code violation.
Additional Resources
Solid Waste and Recycling Program Want to learn more about how to dispose of waste properly? Take a look at the Waste Not Guide, the Vermonter's Guide to Recycling, and a map of local waste management districts and towns. Call (802) 828-1138 or visit VTrecyles.com for more information.
Vermont Legal Aid helps eligible people (low income, elderly, and disabled) with legal issues in housing such as accessibility, discrimination, evictions, foreclosure, unsafe housing conditions, and subsidized housing issues. Call 1-800-889-2047 or visit Vermont Law Help for information and referral.
Vermont Landlords Association is a trade association that helps landlords throughout Vermont. Currently they run a landlord-tenant mediation program. For those who qualify, this program can help landlords and tenants come to mutually agreeable solutions without the expense, time, and stress of going through the courts.