Paying Your Mortgage and Foreclosures During the COVID-19 Coronavirus Crisis

The Vermont Homeowner Assistance Program (VHAP) provides grants of up to $30,000 to eligible homeowners who have financial problems because of COVID and are behind on expenses for the house they own and live in. Read about it at the top of this page.

When you are served with a Summons and Complaint for a foreclosure lawsuit, it is important to talk to a lawyer right away. Fill out our form and we will call you back. Your information will be sent to Legal Services Vermont. You can also call us at 1-800-889-2047. We can give you quick advice or possibly a referral to a lawyer.

You should file an Answer. You can use our Answer form. Your signature on the Answer does not have to be notarized. Instead it must say: “I declare that the above statement is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge and belief. I understand that it the above statement is false, I will be subject to the penalty of perjury or other sanctions in the discretion of the court.” The Answer must be delivered, mailed or emailed to the court and a copy sent to your lender’s attorney.

If you have a pending VHAP application, you should file a Request for Stay. If approved, this will stay (pause) your case. You can use this Request for Stay form. (Court rules say that your lender will also send you one of these forms.) Your case will be stayed (paused) until VHAP approves, denies or closes your application. The Request for Stay must be delivered, mailed or emailed to the court and a copy sent to your lender’s attorney.

You can file a motion to stay the Writ of Possession. Here are some reasons you can ask for the Writ of Possession to be stayed (paused): 

• You are getting a forbearance from your lender. 
• You will be able to reinstate your mortgage as soon as you get assistance from the state. 
• You have a medically vulnerable person in your household, and it is not safe to try to find another place to live. 

Contact us for advice. 

If your property is your primary residence, you may be able to get help with past-due property tax and water/sewer payments through VHAP. If you apply for VHAP, tell your town clerk. This must be in writing. You can use our Homeowner’s Notice to Town Form. After you tell your town, your property will not be sold or transferred while your VHAP application is pending.

1. Contact us with questions about foreclosure, property tax sales, or missed payments for mortgages, mobile home loans, property tax, utilities, homeowner’s insurance and homeowner association fees.

2. Your local Homeownership Center can help. They can: 

• help you assess your current housing situation and needs 
• provide delinquency and foreclosure assistance 
• help you understand the foreclosure process to better navigate a successful outcome, or 
• help you work with your loan servicer on a repayment plan or viable workout option. 

Follow this link to see which Homeownership Center covers your area. 

3. Vermont Veterans: Contact the Safely Home project for advice and help.