How long does a landlord in Vermont have to return a security deposit?
Fourteen calendar days is the ordinary deadline, but the number itself forks on the kind of tenancy: for the seasonal occupancy and rental of a dwelling unit not intended as a primary residence, § 4461(c) gives the landlord sixty days instead. The fourteen days run from the date the tenant vacated the dwelling unit where the landlord received notice from the tenant of that date, and otherwise from the date the landlord discovers that the tenant vacated or abandoned the unit.
In plain terms, the statute says
A landlord who fails to return the deposit with a written statement within fourteen days forfeits the right to withhold any portion of it, and that forfeiture is strict — it needs no finding of bad faith or willfulness. If the failure is willful the landlord is additionally liable for twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
Who this covers
9 V.S.A. § 4452 excludes, unless the arrangement was created to avoid the chapter, occupancy at a public or private institution providing medical, geriatric, educational, counseling, religious or similar services; occupancy by a purchaser under a contract of sale; occupancy by a member of a fraternal, social or religious organization in the part of a building operated for the organization; transient hotel, motel or lodging occupancy subject to the 32 V.S.A. chapter 225 tax; occupancy by a condominium owner or a cooperative proprietary lease holder; mobile home lot rentals governed by 10 V.S.A. chapter 153; and transient residence in a campground.
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Questions people ask
How long does a landlord in Vermont have to return a security deposit?
Fourteen calendar days is the ordinary deadline, but the number itself forks on the kind of tenancy: for the seasonal occupancy and rental of a dwelling unit not intended as a primary residence, § 4461(c) gives the landlord sixty days instead. The fourteen days run from the date the tenant vacated the dwelling unit where the landlord received notice from the tenant of that date, and otherwise from the date the landlord discovers that the tenant vacated or abandoned the unit.
Who does Vermont's security-deposit law cover?
9 V.S.A. § 4452 excludes, unless the arrangement was created to avoid the chapter, occupancy at a public or private institution providing medical, geriatric, educational, counseling, religious or similar services; occupancy by a purchaser under a contract of sale; occupancy by a member of a fraternal, social or religious organization in the part of a building operated for the organization; transient hotel, motel or lodging occupancy subject to the 32 V.S.A. chapter 225 tax; occupancy by a condominium owner or a cooperative proprietary lease holder; mobile home lot rentals governed by 10 V.S.A. chapter 153; and transient residence in a campground.
What happens if a landlord in Vermont is late?
A landlord who fails to return the deposit with a written statement within fourteen days forfeits the right to withhold any portion of it, and that forfeiture is strict — it needs no finding of bad faith or willfulness. If the failure is willful the landlord is additionally liable for twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
Where can I read Vermont's security-deposit law?
Vermont's rule is in 9 V.S.A. § 4461. The link on this page goes to the official text, so you can read the section yourself rather than take our word for it.
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