An act relating to tenant rights

H 399 strengthens tenant protections in Vermont by banning rental application fees and requiring landlords to provide written rental agreements for 12+ month leases. The bill limits no-cause evictions with mandatory notice periods (60-90 days based on how long a tenant has lived there), prohibits charging for background checks, and adds citizenship/immigration status to discrimination protections. It creates a Rental Registry and an Office of Tenant’s Rights Advocate to help tenants navigate disputes. Tenants in Vermont rental housing will directly benefit from these concrete changes to agreements, evictions, and discrimination safeguards.