On Your Own; Your Legal Right @ Eighteen On Your Own formatted final version | Page 56
orientation, race, religion, physical or mental disability, or ethnic
background, or because you receive public assistance or have minor
children. The Vermont Human Rights Commission is authorized to
investigate claims of housing discrimination. Their number is 802-828-
2480 .
Safe and Decent Housing
Vermont’s warranty of habitability law requires that the home you rent be
safe, clean, and fit to live in. It must also comply with any local housing
codes and state plumbing and electrical codes. The law requires landlords
to promptly fix any condition that could harm your health or safety, like
water from a leaky roof dripping on electrical wiring. All rental properties
must also be equipped with smoke detectors and carbon monoxide
detectors near bedrooms and in the basement of the building.
If your landlord fails to provide housing that meets code, you should notify
your landlord of any problem in writing. If your landlord does not respond
to your concerns, you should also contact the town health officer or
housing inspector and ask for an inspection to verify that the problem is a
violation of the housing code. Once the health officer or town board of
health issues an order, your landlord must make the repairs within a
reasonable amount of time. The meaning of "a reasonable amount of
time" will vary depending on the severity of the problem. To find out who
your town health officer or housing inspector is, call the Vermont
Department of Health at 1-800-464-4343.
If the tenant gives the landlord written notice of a problem that materially
affects the health and safety of the tenant, and the landlord fails to make
repairs within a reasonable amount of time, there are several remedies
available to the tenant. These include:
x
x
x
x
Withholding rent until the problem is corrected.
Getting an order from a judge telling the landlord to correct the
problem.
Suing for damages, costs, and attorney’s fees.
Terminating the rental agreement on reasonable notice.
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