Moving out of your apartment? 
The Housing Board of Review is a Renter’s Best Friend!

Did you know?

• The Housing Board of Review (HBOR) is a citizen board that hears contested security deposit cases and can decide to return your money back to you if your landlord has kept it.
• You can fight for your security deposit back if your landlord took some (or all) of it.
• The Burlington Tenants Union would like to help you and support you before, during, and after your hearing!

Can’t make it to your Housing Board of Review Hearing? Moving away?

• You can have a friend, your roommates (or a member of the Burlington Tenants’ Union!) testify on your behalf and on your roommates’ behalf.
• Write a note and sign it giving your friend, roommate, (or a BTU member) permission, and if they win maybe give them a few bucks for their time!
• You are allowed to call in if you are unable to make it!

When should I request a Housing Board of Review Hearing?

• If your landlord has deducted excessive/unnecessary charges from your security deposit:
  • A landlord cannot deduct from a security deposit the costs of repairing normal wear and tear on the unit, including: routine maintenance or painting, re-advertising the apartment (except in some circumstances when the tenant has broken the lease), or renovation of the unit.
• If your landlord has not returned your deposit within 14 days:
  • Move out August 30? Your deposit must be postmarked by September 13.
    • You must request a hearing to the Housing Board of Review (filling out a form on the BTV gov website) WITHIN 30 days after they return your deposit or WITHIN 44 days from your move-out. 
    • If you get your security deposit on September 13, return the HBOR report by October 13!
    • If you forget within 44 days, the next step is to file with the county courts.
  • If you think your landlord has “willfully” kept your deposit — where they know the rules and willfully decided to keep the deposit anyway — you can request “double damages,” or twice the amount of your security deposit to be returned to you.
  • More info can be found at VTLawhelp.

How do I request a hearing?

• File a request for hearing through (a form on the Burlington city website) & return it to city hall. 
  • Feel free to include any pictures/a copy of your lease/communication with your landlord in the request!

What happens at a hearing?

• You/your roommates and your landlord get assigned a time to explain your case in front of a citizen board — usually a Monday evening in the community room in the BTV police station.
• You get to present any evidence against your landlord’s unfair charges (photos, copies of communication with your landlord, a copy of your lease, personal testimonies) and the board may ask follow up questions.
• The board deliberates on the amount of your security deposit to return to you.

Why should I request a hearing?

• About 80% of tenants that request hearings over their security deposits receive some money back.
• Taking your landlord to the HBOR holds them accountable for unfair practices, and they are less likely to take advantage of other tenants in the future .

Are you about to move out of your apartment? 

• Double check any move-in checklist you may have filled out with your landlord. 
• Take pictures in the event your landlord tries to unfairly take your deposit (take pictures when you move into your new place, too!).

Have any other questions or concerns?

• Reach out to the BTV Tenants Union at BurlingtonTenantsUnion@Gmail.com
• Reach out to a member of the Housing Board of Review: https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/CityCouncil/Housing-Board-of-Review