The Vermont Apartment Owners Association, LLC began in 1974 in a church basement in Burlington. It started as a group of landlords coming together to discuss issues and problems they were facing. The Association first galvanized as a group when the issue of rent control was brought up in Burlington.

Since its inception VAOA has developed a reputation for vigorously promoting the interests of Vermont landlords, while maintaining a good working relationship with tenant advocates, state agencies and local officials. VAOA has been led, since the beginning, by Stuart Bennett.

Over the years, VAOA has grown and expanded to a state-wide organization. VAOA strives to be an unparalleled resource for landlords in Vermont. If we do not have an immediate answer for you, we know where to find the answer or who to call for the answer. We have an extensive cache of forms and information available to our members. We also monitor legislation in Montpelier and lobby for landlord interests.

We have found that the interests of landlords and tenants are often not that different. At a minimum, the landlord expects the rent to be paid and the property to be treated with respect. Conversely, the tenants want to be treated with respect and to get fair value for their rent. It is fair to say the legislative debate over landlord/tenant issues is rarely that concise. However, it is helpful to remember that landlords and tenants do have common interests.