In this slideshow, Jonathan Bond from VT Tenants explains your rights and responsibilities as a renter in Burlington, VT.

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University
of Vermont
Since 1791

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Off Campus
Living Workshop
u v m . e d u / o s c r

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module 2
V T T e n a n t s : R e n t e r ’ s R i g h t s &
R e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s
Manystudents tell us that they do not understand the
rights &responsibilities they have as renters in
Burlington (and surroundingcommunities). Jonathan
Bond (VTTenants)will explain what laws govern
rentals in Burlington.

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RENTING
MYTHS
“THEREISA 5-DAYGRACEPERIOD ON RENT”
“I CANWITHHOLD RENTIFTHELANDLORD
DOESN’T FIX THINGS”
“I HAVE TO GIVE 30 DAYS NOTICE
MOVING”
“THELANDLORD CAN’TCHARGEMEFORDAMAGE IFIT
WASANACCIDENT.”
“ I CAN’TBE EVICTEDIN THEWINTER”

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LAWS
• R e n t i n g i s n o t a c a s u a l a r r a n g e m e n t .
• T h e r e a r e l a w s t h a t c o v e r t e n a n t a n d
l a n d l o r d r i g h t s a n d r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s .
• M o s t a r e a s o f l a n d l o r d t e n a n t l a w a r e
C I V I L l a w . T h i s m e a n s a c o u r t
p r o c e s s .

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A TENANT’S
LEGAL
RESPONSIBILITIES
• P a y r e n t o n t i m e .
• K e e p t h e u n i t s a f e a n d c l e a n , d o n o t
c a u s e d a m a g e b e y o n d n o r m a l w e a r a n d
t e a r , r e p o r t a l l r e p a i r n e e d s t o t h e
l a n d l o r d .
• T e n a n t s a n d t h e i r g u e s t s s h o u l d n o t
d i s t u r b n e i g h b o r s
• T e n a n t s m u s t g i v e “ A c t u a l N o t i c e ” t o
t h e l a n d l o r d b e f o r e m o v i n g o u t .

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A LANDLORD’S
LEGAL
RESPONSIBILITIES
• E n s u r e t h a t t h e u n i t i s m a i n t a i n e d i n a
s a f e , s a n i t a r y c o n d i t i o n .
• E n s u r e t h a t t h e u n i t i s u p t o h e a l t h a n d
f i r e s a f e t y c o d e s . M a k e r e p a i r s a s
n e e d e d .
• A l l o w t e n a n t s t h e f u l l u s e a n d
e n j o y m e n t o f t h e r e n t a l a n d f o l l o w t h e
l a w o n g o i n g i n t o t h e t e n a n t ’ s h o m e .
• L a n d l o r d ’ s c a n n o t e n f o r c e a n y t h i n g i n a
l e a s e t h a t i s c o n t r a r y t o t h e l a w .
• F o l l o w l e g a l p r o c e d u r e i f t h e y w a n t t h e
t e n a n t o u t .

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STUFF HAS TO
BE IN WRITING!
• A l m o s t a l l t e n a n t p r o t e c t i o n s a r e b a s e d
o n t h e t e n a n t h a v i n g c o m m u n i c a t e d t o
t h e l a n d l o r d i n w r i t i n g .
• E m a i l , t e x t s , a n d F B m e s s e n g e r a r e N O T
c o n s i d e r e d “ i n w r i t i n g ” .
• T h e l e g a l t e r m i s “ A c t u a l N o t i c e ” a n d i t
r e q u i r e s h a n d d e l i v e r y o r r e g i s t e r e d U . S .
M a i l .
• U s e o u r f o r m l e t t e r s f o u n d o n o u r w e b
s i t e o r b y c a l l i n g u s .
• T h e l a n d l o r d h a s t o c o m m u n i c a t e t h i n g s
l i k e r e n t i n c r e a s e s , c h a n g e s i n t h e r e n t a l
a g r e e m e n t a n d a s k i n g a t e n a n t t o l e a v e
i n w r i t i n g t o o .

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LEASES
V T l a w u s e s t h e t e r m “ r e n t a l a g r e e m e n t ” .
T h i s i s d e f i n e d a s :
“ a l l a g r e e m e n t s , w r i t t e n o r o r a l ,
e m b o d y i n g t e r m s a n d c o n d i t i o n s
c o n c e r n i n g t h e u s e a n d o c c u p a n c y o f a
d w e l l i n g u n i t a n d p r e m i s e s . ”
B a s i c a l l y , t h i s m e a n s t h a t t e n a n t s a r e
c o v e r e d b y a l l t h e r i g h t s a n d r e s p o n s i b i l i t y
l a w s w h e t h e r o r n o t t h e r e i s a w r i t t e n
l e a s e .

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A LEASE IS A
LEGAL CONTRACT
• READ before yousign – Call VTTenantsif youdo not
understand something!
• Lists the rulesthe landlord expects tenants to follow.
• Youcan be evicted for breaking these rules.
• BUTthe rules inthe lease must be within tenant landlord
law.
V e r b a l a g r e e m e n t s m a d e w i t h t h e l a n d l o r d
s h o u l d b e a d d e d t o t h e w r i t t e n l e a s e a n d
s i g n e d b y a l l p a r t i e s .
T h e l a n d l o r d s h o u l d g i v e y o u a c o p y o f t h e
l e a s e . K e e p i t i n a s a f e p l a c e .

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Month to
Month
I f a t e n a n t s i g n s a o n e - y e a r l e a s e a n d t h e r e
i s n o n e w l e a s e a t t h e e n d o f i t …
• T H E R E I S S T I L L A L E A S E ! ! !
• T h e t e r m s o f t h e p r e v i o u s l e a s e a r e s t i l l
v a l i d a n d b i n d i n g .
• T h i n k o f i t a s a c o n t r a c t t h a t
a u t o m a t i c a l l y r e n e w s e v e r y m o n t h
u n l e s s s o m e o n e e n d s i t w i t h n o t i c e .
• T h i s i s w h a t t h e t e r m ” m o n t h t o m o n t h ”
l e a s e m e a n s .

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BREAKING A
LEASE
A L E A S E I S A L E G A L L Y B I N D I N G C O N T R A C T .
I F T E N A N T M O V E S B E F O R E T H E L E A S E E N D S
–
• Landlord mayhold tenant liable for termof lease.
• Landlord mayhold tenant liable for expenses incurredin
re-rentingthe apartment
• Landlord must makereasonable effort to re-rent
apartment
• Once apartment is re-rented, tenant is no longer liable.

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SECURITY
DEPOSITS
T E N A N T S C A N L O S E T H E I R D E P O S I T I F
T H E Y :
• Leave before the lease is up.
• Don’t give enoughnotice in writing before they move
out. 2 full months notice inBurlington, one full month
everywhereelse. Notice that does not say “30days”! ?
• A lease canalso dictate a specific amountof notice.
• Have unpaid rentor utilities.
• Causedamage, eitheraccidentally or by failing to report
a needed repair.

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PROTECTING
SECURITY
DEPOSITS
• T a k e p i c t u r e s b e f o r e y o u m o v e i n !
• M a k e a l i s t o f a l l d a m a g e s a n d t h i n g s t h a t
n e e d t o b e f i x e d .
• M a k e a c o p y o f i t a n d s e n d i t t o y o u r
l a n d l o r d .
• B e s u r e t o d a t e t h e l e t t e r .
• K e e p y o u r c o p y i n a s a f e p l a c e
• R e p e a t w h e n y o u m o v e o u t

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Having trouble
getting your
security deposit
back?
1 . C a l l V T T e n a n t s a t 8 6 4 - 0 0 9 9
2 . I f y o u l i v e d i n B u r l i n g t o n , y o u c a n
r e q u e s t a h e a r i n g w i t h t h e B u r l i n g t o n
H o u s i n g R e v i e w B o a r d ( y o u c a n a l s o
b r o w s e t h e i r w e b s i t e t o r e a d p a s t
d e c i s i o n s ) .
3 . I f y o u l i v e o u t s i d e B u r l i n g t o n , y o u
d i s p u t e t h e c h a r g e s i n s m a l l c l a i m s c o u r t .

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Thank You!
RememberVT Tenantsif issuesarise.