From 0c25b742be1d580d83febc73405889720ea5a041 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: tony90u8652428 Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2025 14:08:48 +0800 Subject: [PATCH] Update 'Everything About Rental Agreements' --- Everything-About-Rental-Agreements.md | 154 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 154 insertions(+) create mode 100644 Everything-About-Rental-Agreements.md diff --git a/Everything-About-Rental-Agreements.md b/Everything-About-Rental-Agreements.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..69ed5ad --- /dev/null +++ b/Everything-About-Rental-Agreements.md @@ -0,0 +1,154 @@ +
All arrangements between a property manager and a tenant are "rental contracts" according to Vermont's Residential Rental Agreements Act (RRAA). 9 V.S.A. § 4451( 8 ). The rental contract does not have to remain in composing. You and the property manager have all the rights and responsibilities in the law even though there is no written agreement. 9 V.S.A. § 4453.
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The RRAA requires that the responsibilities and rights of property owners and occupants in the law are suggested (made a part of) all rental arrangements. Which ones are suggested in all rental arrangements? See this list of rights and tasks of [tenants](https://salonrenter.com) and property managers. For more details on these rights and responsibilities, visit our Rights and Duties Explained page.
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All of the agreements made by you and the property owner or suggested by the RRAA are called the "terms" of the tenancy. 9 V.S.A. § 4454.
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The RRAA safeguards you and needs you to do (or not do) some things. It likewise safeguards proprietors and needs them to do (or not do) some things. The law is the very same if you have a composed or verbal rental agreement. 9 V.S.A. § 4453.
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Any part of a rental arrangement that tries to get around the RRAA isn't legal. 9 V.S.A. § 4454. See the list of rights and responsibilities in the RRAA for what need to remain in a rental contract.
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The RRAA never ever utilizes the word "lease." [Calling](https://namre.ae) a domestic rental contract a "lease" does not have any unique legal meaning in Vermont. Other statutes (12 V.S.A. § 4851( ejectment), 10 V.S.A. § 6201( 5 )( mobile home parks)), the courts, subsidized housing landlords and [housing authorities](https://campuzcrib.com) do use the word "lease."
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Rental contracts can be for a time period that is defined in the rental contract. For instance, the agreement might be six months or a year. During that time, all of the terms (consisting of the quantity of rent) of the occupancy stay the very same. Or a rental agreement can be "month-to-month." This indicates the length of the occupancy or the amount of rent can be altered as long as you get the notification required by the RRAA.
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As far as rental contracts go, calling it a lease doesn't guarantee that the terms can't be changed for a year. If you desire the occupancy to be for a specific time period, you need to get the landlord to agree.
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All of the rights and commitments of the RRAA are part of the contract even without being documented. 9 V.S.A. § 4453. Any additional terms may not be enforceable unless you and the proprietor have spoken about them and concurred - and then just as long as the RRAA does not forbid the contract. 9 V.S.A. § 4454.
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If you have just a verbal contract, you may "agree" to something without realizing you have actually agreed. For example, if you accept no holes in the walls thinking that does not keep you from hanging pictures, the proprietor might charge you for [repairing](https://ibiolavilla.com) the holes from hanging your pictures.
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When you are choosing to rent a house, you require to pay close attention to what the landlord says.
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Because the RRAA sets out lots of rights and duties of occupants and property owners, and since written rental agreements can't change what remains in the RRAA, a composed rental agreement tends to have more advantages for property managers than for renters.
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Advantages for a landlord:
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- The proprietor could shorten the time length of advance notice required to end the tenancy. 9 V.S.A. § 4467( c), (e). +- The property manager might make the time length of advance notification you require to provide the property owner when you wish to move out longer. 9 V.S.A. § 4456( d). +- A written rental arrangement could need you to pay your landlord's lawyer's costs if a legal representative is utilized to implement any part of the agreement or to evict you. (Note: If you damage the unit or interrupt your next-door neighbors and your landlord evicts you since of it, the RRAA makes you responsible for the landlord's attorney's fees. 9 V.S.A. § 4456( e).). +- A composed rental arrangement can call individuals who can reside in the system, and keep you from letting someone move in. - Note: It would be discrimination for a property manager to evict you for having a baby. 9 V.S.A. § 4503( a). +- A landlord can keep you from subleasing the place you lease, 9 V.S.A. § 4456b( a)( 1 ), and can kick out the individual who subleases your [location](https://arcviewproperties.com) in an "expedited hearing." Expedited means faster than usual. 12 V.S.A. § 4853b.
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A written rental agreement might assist you as an occupant due to the fact that:
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- It may [guarantee](https://zaamin.net) that the lease won't alter until a particular date. +- It can limit the quantity your rent can go up. +- It can say the length of time you can live there. +- If it isn't composed in the arrangement, the property owner can't state you agreed to it. Verbal agreements outside the written arrangement may not be enforceable. For instance, a written arrangement can say who must pay for heating fuel or electricity.
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Generally, a property manager can not charge late fees.
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A late charge is legal just if:
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- The rental arrangement says a late charge will be charged for late lease, and
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- The charge is only the reasonable cost to the proprietor because of the late payment. See Highgate Associates, Ltd. v. Merryfield, 157 Vt. 313 (1991 ). Reasonable expenses to the landlord means the landlord's real extra expense because of late lease, like extra cost in keeping the books, driving over to you, making phone calls, or composing you letters.
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A late cost is not legal when:
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- A flat charge of a certain quantity of money if rent is paid after the rent day is generally not the landlord's affordable expense, and so is unlawful. +- Your property owner can not offer you a rent "discount rate" for paying by a particular date. In one case, the Windham Superior Court held that incentives for early payments are the same as penalties and thus, they are not lawfully legitimate. See Shapiro v. Cormier, Docket No. 220-5-12 Wmcv (Windham Super. Ct., Aug. 22, 2012). (If you need an accessible version of this PDF file, we will offer it on your demand. Please use our site feedback type to do so.)
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A rental agreement can consist of these terms:
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- Only the individuals named in the composed rental arrangement (and their small kids, even if they get here later) can live in the rental system. +- Subleasing is permitted or not allowed. 9 V.S.A. § 4456b( a)( 1 ). +- Smoking is not permitted. +- Pets are not enabled. But, if you need an animal due to the fact that of your disability, see our Reasonable Accommodations page. +- A description of what areas (home, other locations) are included. +- Rules about utilizing typical areas. +- Who is accountable for paying energy expenses. +- The obligation to pay a set amount of lease, for a set time period, even if the tenant chooses to leave early. (The property owner has a responsibility to re-rent the location as soon as possible, however the occupant might owe lease up until somebody else leases it.)
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You can accept a modification but you don't have to.
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If you or the property manager desires to change a term or condition in your rental arrangement, you can ask each other to agree. You or the landlord can't change the rights and responsibilities in the RRAA, however other parts of rental agreements can be altered. If the rental agreement remains in composing, changes ought to remain in composing.
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Generally for things like pets, enhancements (remodeling or upgrading home appliances or components) if a single person asks, and the other concurs, then that term of the rental agreement is changed. But if the property manager wants something, and you don't desire it, then you can disagree.
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The examples listed below assume that the system remains in great repair work, and not being harmed by the occupant:
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- Two months after you move in the proprietor says, "I wish to secure the bathtub and put in a shower." You say, "No, I like the bath tub." The bath tub belongs to what you accepted lease, and you don't consent to change it. Landlord can't renovate the restroom. +- Or, [property manager](https://retehomes.reteicons.com) says, "I am altering my mind. You can't have a pet." You don't need to concur to get rid of your animal. +- Or you say, "I don't like the gas stove in the house. I want an electric stove." Landlord does not have to consent to a brand-new stove.
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Note: There is a difference between [arrangements](https://rechargervr.com) to alter something and repair work needed by law. The RRAA does not allow you or your animal to cause damage, 9 V.S.A. § 4456( a), (c), and the RRAA needs the landlord to keep the system safe and clean, 9 V.S.A. § 4458. See our page about Repair Problems and Tenant's Right to Repair.
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You or the proprietor may want to end the occupancy if one of you wants a modification and the other does not. If your rental agreement is not for a certain amount of time, either of you could provide advance notice to end the tenancy. 9 V.S.A. § 4456( d), 9 V.S.A § 4467( c)( e).
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Staying longer than a composed arrangement
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Do you have a composed rental agreement that says the rental contract was for a certain time period, for example January 1 - December 31? If that time has expired, you may question if there is still a written rental contract, or exists no composed rental contract?
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It depends on what the written agreement says. If it specifies the dates and does not further address what takes place when it ends, the written arrangement ends, however the occupancy does not. That is since when you move in with the contract of a property owner, the landlord should send out a notice to end the occupancy, even if there is a composed rental arrangement which ends. Simply put, the expiration of the contract is not sufficient notice to end an occupancy.
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A written rental arrangement that expires on a certain date could consist of a stipulation that defines the length of the occupancy after that date has passed. It could say, for example, the tenancy continues from month to month. Or it might state if you do not leave, the tenancy continues for another year.
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Whatever it states, if the property owner desires you out, they need to give you a termination notification required by the occupancy you have.
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Discover more on our Rent Increases page.
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A Vermont law that worked on July 1, 2018, legalized possession of up to an ounce of marijuana and two fully grown and 4 immature plants. If you are a tenant, or if you have a rental aid from a housing authority, or if you have some other form of federally helped rental aid, take care. Your lease and program rules may still make it an offense of the guidelines for you to have marijuana or cannabis plants in your rental. Your lease might likewise ban smoking, consisting of smoking cigarettes marijuana.
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The brand-new Vermont law does not change the regards to your lease. The brand-new law does not alter the program guidelines for renters with federal rental support. If you are not sure, inspect your lease or program rules or talk with your landlord or housing authority. You can also contact us for help. Your information will be sent to Legal Services Vermont, which screens requests for assistance for both Vermont Legal Aid and Legal Services [Vermont](https://ninestarproperties.ae).
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Print. +
+Housing. +Discrimination/ Fair Housing. +Housing Discrimination Does Happen in Vermont
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Have You Been Discriminated Against? +Disability Discrimination. +Who is Protected?
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Reasonable Accommodations and Modifications
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Assistance Animals
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Mortgages and Residential Or Commercial Property Taxes After a Disaster
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COVID-19 Crisis, Mortgages and Foreclosures
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Foreclosure Process
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Mediation
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Special Loans and Situations
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Mortgage and Foreclosure Form Letters
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More Help
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+Renter Rights After a Catastrophe
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Vermont Law on Renting: The RRAA
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What to Know Before You Rent
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All About Rental Agreements
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Rights and Duties Explained
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Rent Increases
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Bedbugs
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Repair Problems
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Guests, Roommates & Trespassers
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Can the Landlord Enter My Unit?
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Lockouts, Utility Shutoffs & Your Belongings
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[Housing Protections](https://tsiligirisrealestate.gr) for Victims
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Leaving
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Down payment
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Evictions
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Notice to Terminate Tenancy
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Court Process: General
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Court Process: Eviction
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Court Process: Suing Landlord
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Court Process: Small Claims
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Abandoned Rental or Residential Or Commercial Property
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Rights of Tenants When a Property Manager is in Foreclosure
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Renter Credit/ Rebate
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Subsidized Housing/ Subsidies
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+Health and wellness
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Mobile Home Park Leases
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Lot Rent Increases
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Mobile Home Park Evictions
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[Selling](https://onedayproperty.net) Your Mobile Home
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Abandoned Mobile Homes
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When a Park is Sold or Closes
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Links to Vermont law
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