Housing Laws

The law says you must notify your landlord in writing that you will terminate your lease on a specific date. That date must be at least 30 days in the future. This is known as a “written notice of termination.”¹ You must also provide the landlord with documentation supporting your belief that it is necessary to leave the home at least 30 days before the termination date. The documentation could be from one or more of the following sources:

1. a court, law enforcement, or other government agency;
2. a victim assistance program;
3. a legal, clerical, medical, or other professional from whom you or your child or dependent received counseling or other assistance concerning the abuse;
4. a self-certification of your status as a victim signed under penalty of perjury by:

• a federal or state government entity, including the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development or the Vermont Department for Children and Families; or
• a nonprofit organization that provides support services to protected tenants.²

¹ VT ST 9 § 4472(b)(1)
² VT ST 9 § 4472(b)(2)