Rental application fees are technically illegal in Vermont, but that hasn't stopped some landlords from charging them - and tenants are wising up. Unfortunately, however, the picture is a little more complicated. As a recent VTDigger report noted, the legislation banning application fees doesn't specify what constitutes an "application fee", and many landlords and property management companies argue that charging a credit check fee doesn't breach the law. Vermont Legal Aid disagrees, stating that *all* fees associated with rental applications, including credit check fees, are illegal.
If you're unsure about whether a fee you're being charged to apply to rent a property is illegal, remember you can contact VT Tenants at 802-864-0099 / vttenants@cvoeo.org for advice.
Read the full report on the impact of rental fees here: https://vtdigger.org/.../i-want-my-money-back-rental.../...
Original source can be found here.
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