Vermont Repair Request Letter to Landlord
A free Vermont repair request letter to landlord that follows Vermont law. Fill in the boxes, check the rules below, then print or copy it. Keep a copy and proof of how you sent it.
What Vermont law says
| Repair and deduct | Yes, for minor defects: if the landlord fails to repair within 30 days of notice, the tenant may repair and deduct the actual and reasonable cost, not to exceed one-half of one month's rent, giving the landlord actual notice of the cost. Source: 9 V.S.A. 4459 |
|---|---|
| Withholding rent | Yes. If the landlord fails to make repairs within a reasonable time after actual notice (from the tenant, a government entity, or a qualified independent inspector) of a habitability noncompliance that materially affects health and safety, the tenant may withhold rent for the period of noncompliance, or seek injunctive relief, damages, costs and attorney's fees, or terminate on reasonable notice. Source: 9 V.S.A. 4458 |
| Landlord retaliation | Landlord may not retaliate (by setting or changing lease terms, or by bringing or threatening an action) because a tenant complained to a government agency about a health/safety violation, complained to the landlord about a chapter 137 violation, or organized/joined a tenants' union. A termination notice (other than for nonpayment) served within 90 days after a state or municipal finding of a health or safety noncompliance is presumed retaliatory (rebuttable). Source: 9 V.S.A. 4465 |
| Heat | Yes. The landlord must ensure heating facilities capable of safely providing a reasonable amount of heat, and a landlord who provides heat under the lease must supply a reasonable amount at all times (summer rentals and hunting camps excepted). The Rental Housing Health Code requires heating facilities whenever the outside temperature is below 55 degrees F, able to maintain at least 65 degrees F in all habitable rooms, kitchens and bathrooms (measured 3 feet above the floor and 3 feet from an exterior wall) without overheating one room to heat another; unvented fuel-fired space heaters are prohibited. |
| Mold | No mold-specific statute, but the state Rental Housing Health Code requires every rental unit to be kept free from the regular or periodic appearance of standing water or excessive moisture that may result in visible mold growth, and bars use of humidifiers in ways that raise relative humidity above 60%. The landlord's statutory warranty of habitability requires premises that are safe, clean, fit for habitation and compliant with building, housing and health regulations; the warranty cannot be waived. |
Fill in your letter
Nothing you type leaves your browser. Replace anything still highlighted. If a lease, city rule or court form requires different wording, that controls.
To: [landlord or manager name], [landlord address]
From: [your name], tenant at [rental address]
I am asking you to repair the following problems at my rental: [describe each problem, where it is, and when it started].
I first reported this on [date first reported] by [phone, text, email, portal or letter].
Please make these repairs by [date]. You may enter to make repairs after giving the notice required by law; times that work for me: [access times].
Vermont law protects tenants from retaliation for asking for repairs (9 V.S.A. 4465).
Date: [today's date]
Tenant: [your name]
Signature: ____________________
How to send it: use a method you can prove — certified mail with return receipt, or email/text if your lease allows notices that way. Write down the date.
Repair Request Letter to Landlord templates for other states · All Vermont landlord-tenant rules · Free legal help in Vermont
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.