Roommate Agreement in Vermont

An agreement between roommates on rent shares, bills, chores and moving out. It is a contract between you — it does not change your lease with the landlord.

What Vermont law says

Roommate not on the lease	A tenant is a person entitled under a rental agreement (written or oral) to occupy a residential unit to the exclusion of others. Vermont recognizes subleases between a tenant (sublessor) and a sublessee, and 'landlord' includes a sublessor. A landlord may condition or prohibit subleasing in a written rental agreement and may require the tenant to give written notice of any sublessee's name and contact information; with no written agreement, the tenant must give that notice. A person occupying a unit without right or permission who is not a tenant is outside the landlord-tenant chapter. Source: 9 V.S.A. §§ 4451(4), (8)-(10); 4452(a)(9); 4456b
Removing a roommate or subtenant	A roommate who is the tenant's sublessee is a tenant under a sublease, with the tenant as sublessor/landlord, so the chapter's notice and court eviction rules apply. If the written lease prohibits subleasing, the landlord or the tenant may bring an ejectment action against a person occupying without right or permission and may file a motion for immediate possession; the hearing may be held after 10 days' notice, and if the court grants judgment the sheriff serves a writ of possession and restores possession no sooner than five days later. Sublease rules: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/09/137. Source: 9 V.S.A. §§ 4451(4), (9), 4456b(a)(2); 12 V.S.A. § 4853b

Roommate not on the lease

A tenant is a person entitled under a rental agreement (written or oral) to occupy a residential unit to the exclusion of others. Vermont recognizes subleases between a tenant (sublessor) and a sublessee, and 'landlord' includes a sublessor. A landlord may condition or prohibit subleasing in a written rental agreement and may require the tenant to give written notice of any sublessee's name and contact information; with no written agreement, the tenant must give that notice. A person occupying a unit without right or permission who is not a tenant is outside the landlord-tenant chapter.

Source: 9 V.S.A. §§ 4451(4), (8)-(10); 4452(a)(9); 4456b

Removing a roommate or subtenant

A roommate who is the tenant's sublessee is a tenant under a sublease, with the tenant as sublessor/landlord, so the chapter's notice and court eviction rules apply. If the written lease prohibits subleasing, the landlord or the tenant may bring an ejectment action against a person occupying without right or permission and may file a motion for immediate possession; the hearing may be held after 10 days' notice, and if the court grants judgment the sheriff serves a writ of possession and restores possession no sooner than five days later.

Sublease rules: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/fullchapter/09/137.

Source: 9 V.S.A. §§ 4451(4), (9), 4456b(a)(2); 12 V.S.A. § 4853b

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ROOMMATE AGREEMENT for [rental address]

Roommates: [roommate names]

Rent: total $[total rent] per month. Shares: [each roommate's share]. Each share is paid to [who pays the landlord] by [due date].

Security deposit paid by each roommate: [deposit shares]. When someone moves out, their share is returned [how and when].

Utilities and internet: [how bills are split and who holds each account].

Rooms and shared spaces: [who has which room; shared areas].

Cleaning and chores: [chore plan]. Quiet hours: [quiet hours]. Guests: [overnight guest limits].

Moving out: a roommate who leaves gives [notice period] written notice to the others and [finds a replacement approved by the landlord / pays their share until the lease ends].

Disputes: we will first try to talk it out, then [mediation or small claims court].

Signatures and dates: [signatures]

Roommate Agreement for other states · Vermont tenant rights

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.