Dear Mr. Bennett, I've meant to tell you how very grateful I am for all your help in my time of crisis with this latest problem. Your service to landlords like me is remarkable. You went far-and-away beyond the call of duty to listen and hand-hold over the phone. I experienced your patience and kindness. In retrospect, I can appreciate what it meant to have your support for small landlords like us. Joining the Vermont Apartment Owners is the best investment I've made. Again, thanks to you and your staff for all the kindness and support extended to me. Respectfully, Cynthia Garrett North Tunbridge, Vermont

The Vermont Apartment Owners Association will help you be a smarter landlord.

Membership Fee: $185 per year

There are many ways to become a member. For Membership click here to order online and have instant access to our member benefits.

Also, you can click here to download the application, and mail it to us along with the annual membership fee.

Membership has the following benefits.

• Hotline to answer landlord's questions via in-state toll free telephone or email
• Monthly newsletters and Archives
• On line Vermont Court Search Database
• On Line Apartment Listings
• Credit Checks on prospective tenants (additional charge for setting up account and for each credit check)
• Legislative Reports and Lobbyist Briefings during the legislature session
• Discussion and Analysis of local and national issues
• Copies of recent Court Decisions and rule changes
• Seminars and Informational meetings
• Detailed Outline of Vermont Landlord Tenant Laws and Regulations
• Online classifieds

Useful Forms & Information Such As:

• Basic apartment information handout for tenants
• Outline of administrative and rental policies/check-in procedures
• Apartment Rental Application
• Apartment inspection check list
• Leases (residential and commercial)
• Lease addendum for Pets
• Lease addendum for care of Smoke and CO Detectors Detectors
• Security Deposit transmittal form
• Eviction outline
• Form Notices to Tenants
• Renting in Vermont handbook
• Vermont Rental Housing Health Code

If you were a member of the Vermont Apartment Owners Association you would already know that:

• You can make a tenant pay taxes on uncollected rent. You do this by sending the tenant an IRS form 1099 for the amount of uncollectible back rent.
• Unless you agree otherwise, there is no grace period for late payment of rent.
• All apartments, whether new or old, must have hard wired smoke detectors with battery back up. The only exceptions are owner occupied duplexes or single family residences.
• There is a Rental Housing Health Code in Vermont which the Vermont Department of Health enforces on a state-wide basis.
• Both verbal and written rental agreements are valid leases.
• That you can evict a tenant in Vermont in the winter.
• You can say the wrong thing in a notice to vacate. This may invalidate the notice.
• Your rental practices may violate the Vermont Consumer Fraud Act.
• Late charges must bear some relationship to your cost of collection/nonpayment.
• A warranty of habitability is implied in all residential rentals in Vermont.
• Specific rules apply to the removal of a tenant’s property.
• Your rent collection practices may violate the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act.

The mailing address is:

Vermont Apartment Owners Association
PO Box 701
Shelburne Vermont 05482