The landlord may be able to increase your rent.
- Can’t: If you have a rental agreement for a certain amount of rent for a certain amount of time, like six months to a year, the landlord can’t increase your rent during that time.
- Can: If the rental agreement’s agreed-on time is coming to an end, the landlord can increase your rent.
- Can: If your rental agreement has no agreed-on period of time that your rent will stay the same, the landlord can increase your rent.
- Can: If your rent is subsidized and your household income changes, the amount of rent you pay can be increased or decreased.
A rent increase is not effective unless you get proper notice. 9 V.S.A. § 4455(b).
- The notice must be written. It must be mailed or hand-delivered.
- The notice must be at least 60 days before the increase is to be effective.
- A written rental agreement cannot allow a shorter period of time.
- If you live in Burlington, your landlord must give you at least 90 days written notice before you have to pay a higher rent amount.
