Getting the Deposit Back
9 V.S.A. § 4461 — the deposit and an itemized statement within 14 days, or the landlord forfeits the right to keep any of it
Fourteen days, itemized. The landlord returns the deposit with a written statement itemizing any deductions within 14 days from the date the tenant vacated, if the tenant gave notice of that date, or from when the landlord discovered the tenant had left. A seasonal rental that is not a primary residence gets 60 days.
- The deposit may be kept for unpaid rent, damage beyond normal wear and tear, unpaid utility charges owed, and removing abandoned belongings.
- The statement and payment are hand-delivered or mailed to the tenant's last known address.
- A landlord who misses the 14 days forfeits the right to keep any of the deposit.
- If the failure is willful, the landlord owes double the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney's fees and costs.
When the building changes hands, the deposit goes to the new landlord, who tells the tenant its name and address and that the deposit was transferred.
Sources for this section (1)
- 9 V.S.A. § 4461 — Security deposits
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Vermont attorney.