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Landlord Retaliation Laws in Vermont

Vermont bars a landlord from changing lease terms or bringing or threatening eviction in retaliation for code complaints, complaints to the landlord or tenant organizing, and presumes retaliation for a termination notice (other than for unpaid rent) within 90 days after a government notice of noncompliance.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Vermont at a glance

Retaliation banned by statute
Yes
The tenant can recover damages and attorney fees and has a defense to a retaliatory eviction.
Presumption period
90 days (about 3 months)
Runs from a municipal or state notice that the unit violates health or safety rules; does not apply to terminations for nonpayment of rent.
Protected tenant actions
Code complaints, complaints to landlord, tenant unions
Covers complaints to a code agency, complaints to the landlord about Chapter 137 violations, and tenant unions.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Vermont

Does Vermont law prohibit landlord retaliation against tenants?

Yes. Retaliation banned by statute in Vermont: yes. The tenant can recover damages and attorney fees and has a defense to a retaliatory eviction.

How long after a tenant complaint is retaliation presumed in Vermont?

Presumption period in Vermont: 90 days (about 3 months). Runs from a municipal or state notice that the unit violates health or safety rules; does not apply to terminations for nonpayment of rent.

Which tenant actions are protected from retaliation in Vermont?

Protected tenant actions in Vermont: Code complaints, complaints to landlord, tenant unions. Covers complaints to a code agency, complaints to the landlord about Chapter 137 violations, and tenant unions.

Where do the Vermont landlord retaliation laws come from?

The rules above come from 9 V.S.A. 4465. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Keep a written record of every complaint, repair request and report to a government agency, with dates. A presumption period usually runs from the date of the protected action, so proof of that date can matter.

Retaliation protection does not usually excuse unpaid rent or lease violations. Statutes commonly allow a landlord to raise rent, end a tenancy or evict for a good-faith reason, such as nonpayment, damage to the unit or a rent increase applied to all tenants.

If a rent increase, service cut or eviction notice follows a complaint, read the statute for your state and any local ordinance. Cities and counties may add protections, and a local legal aid office or tenant union can explain how they apply.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.