Vermont’s abandoned property law isn’t one rule but three, depending on what was left behind and where. A landlord dealing with a tenant’s belongings follows one statute, a landowner with a vehicle sitting in the driveway follows another, and anyone searching for a forgotten bank account or uncashed check works with the State Treasurer under a third. Each has its own timeline, notice requirements, and consequences for getting it wrong.
When a Landlord Can Treat a Rental Unit as Abandoned
A Vermont landlord can declare a dwelling abandoned only when three conditions exist at the same time: a reasonable person would conclude the unit is no longer being used as a full-time residence, the rent is not current, and the landlord has made reasonable efforts to find out what the tenant plans to do.1Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 9 V.S.A. 4462 – Abandonment; Unclaimed Property All three. A tenant behind on rent who is clearly still living there has not abandoned the unit, and a unit that looks empty but has rent paid through the month hasn’t been abandoned either.
“Reasonable efforts” means more than one knock on the door. Document attempts by phone, mail, and in person, because that record matters if the tenant later disputes the determination. Once all three conditions are confirmed, the landlord regains possession without going through a formal eviction.1Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 9 V.S.A. 4462 – Abandonment; Unclaimed Property The tenant remains liable for rent through the end of the lease, but if the unit is re-rented sooner, the original agreement terminates on the day the new tenancy begins.
Notice and the 60-Day Clock for Tenant Belongings
When a tenant abandons a unit and leaves personal property behind (anything other than trash), the landlord must mail a written notice to the tenant’s last known address stating that the property will be disposed of after 60 days unless the tenant claims it and pays reasonable storage costs.1Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 9 V.S.A. 4462 – Abandonment; Unclaimed Property Certified mail isn’t required, but it creates proof the notice went out.
To reclaim the belongings within those 60 days, the tenant must do two things: give the landlord a reasonable written description of the items, and pay the fair cost of storage plus related expenses. Both steps are required. A tenant who lists the property but refuses to pay storage has not properly claimed it. If the tenant does both, the landlord must make the items available at a reasonable location, and the tenant must pick them up at that time and place.
During the 60 days, the landlord must keep the property in a safe, dry, secured location. Trash can go in the trash immediately. If the tenant doesn’t claim the property within 60 days, it becomes the landlord’s property outright, to keep, sell, donate, or discard. Disposing of items before the 60 days run out exposes the landlord to a claim for their value.
When the 60-Day Notice Doesn’t Apply
Two situations let a landlord skip the notice and waiting period entirely: when the tenant gave actual notice they were leaving, and when the tenant moved out at the end of the rental agreement.1Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 9 V.S.A. 4462 – Abandonment; Unclaimed Property In either case, anything left behind can be discarded, kept, or sold with no liability to the tenant. The 60-day process is reserved for the situation where the tenant disappears and the landlord has to work through the three-part abandonment test.
Mobile Homes in Mobile Home Parks
Mobile homes follow a separate statute with longer timelines. A mobile home in a park is considered abandoned in one of two ways: the home appears unoccupied, lot rent is at least 30 days overdue, and the park owner has tried unsuccessfully to reach the resident at home, at their last known workplace, and at their last known mailing address; or the mobile home owner has been evicted through a court proceeding and fails to remove or sell the home within three months after the order is executed.2Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 10 V.S.A. 6248 – Abandonment of Mobile Home in Mobile Home Park
If delinquent property taxes are attached to the home, the park owner must send notice of intent to sell to both the town clerk and the tax collector by certified mail with return receipt, then wait at least 20 days before starting the sale action.2Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 10 V.S.A. 6248 – Abandonment of Mobile Home in Mobile Home Park This gives the town a chance to collect from the sale proceeds.
Vehicles Left on Private Property
A motor vehicle is considered abandoned in Vermont when it has sat on someone’s property for more than 48 hours without the owner’s consent, provided it still has a valid registration plate and an untampered vehicle identification number. A vehicle with no valid plates or an altered VIN is abandoned immediately, regardless of how long it has been there.3Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. Abandoned Vehicles
A landowner has two options. Ask a law enforcement officer to arrange removal, or handle it directly, including hiring a towing company. A landowner who removes the vehicle themselves must immediately notify the local police agency and provide the registration plate number, the VIN if available, and the make, model, and color.4Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 23 V.S.A. 2152 – Authorized Removal of Abandoned Motor Vehicles Following the process shields the landowner from civil liability to the vehicle’s owner. A towing service that takes possession must apply to the Vermont DMV within 90 days using Form VN-012.3Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. Abandoned Vehicles
Unclaimed Financial Property Held by the State
Vermont’s Unclaimed Property Act covers intangible assets: dormant bank accounts, uncashed payroll checks, unredeemed utility deposits, insurance proceeds, stock dividends, and similar items.5Office of the State Treasurer. Unclaimed Property When a holder cannot locate the owner after a set dormancy period, the funds are turned over to the State Treasurer, who holds them as custodian until the owner or an heir comes forward. Dormancy periods vary by asset type, typically running from one to five years. Tax-deferred retirement accounts like IRAs and 401(k)s are presumed abandoned three years after a specific triggering event defined by statute.6Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 27 V.S.A. 1462 – When Tax-Deferred Retirement Account Presumed Abandoned Any activity on an account, even a login or phone inquiry, resets the clock.
Searching and Claiming
Searching and claiming are free. Start at vermont.unclaimedproperty.com, where you can look up names, businesses, or addresses, and file a claim online if you find a match.7Vermont Unclaimed Property. Vermont – Unclaimed Property For claims under $200 where you are the original owner, the process can usually be completed online without mailing anything.5Office of the State Treasurer. Unclaimed Property Larger claims, or claims filed by someone other than the original owner, require a claim form with supporting identification. Claims under $250 may be paid directly to the apparent owner when the Treasurer is reasonably satisfied the person is entitled to the property.8Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 27 V.S.A. 1553 – Filing Claim for Property Heirs should expect to provide additional documentation; the Treasurer’s office can be reached at (802) 828-2407 or toll-free at (800) 642-3191.
Be cautious of third-party services that offer to recover unclaimed property for a fee. The state warns that some sites and phone solicitors are fraudulent, and because the state’s own process costs nothing, paying someone else rarely makes sense.
If You’re the Business Holding the Property
Any entity holding abandoned assets must file an annual unclaimed property report with the State Treasurer by May 1, with the deadline shifting to the next business day if May 1 falls on a weekend or holiday.9Office of the State Treasurer. Holder Information and Resources Vermont has no minimum reporting threshold; every amount must be included, down to a penny.10Vermont State Treasurer. Holder Reporting Manual Before filing, holders must perform due diligence to locate owners. For accounts of $50 or more with an address on file, a written notification must be sent at no cost to the owner between 60 and 180 days before the report is filed.
Willful failure to report carries real teeth: interest of 25% on unreported amounts, a civil penalty of $1,000 per day up to $25,000, and the full cost of any audit the failure triggers.11Vermont State Treasurer. Unclaimed Property Reporting Manual – FAQs