Vermont Late Rent Fees (No Statutory Cap)

No section of 9 V.S.A. Chapter 137 establishes a maximum late fee, a percentage limit, or a required grace period for residential rent, so there is no statutory requirement on the amount of a late charge. A late fee must be set out in the written lease to be charged at all, since without a statute it is purely a matter of contract. Under general Vermont contract principles, a late fee should be a reasonable estimate of the landlord's actual damages from late payment; a charge that functions as a penalty rather than liquidated damages may be unenforceable. A landlord also cannot collect late fees through self-help measures such as lockouts or shutting off utilities, which are independently prohibited. Any dispute over a late fee is resolved under contract and the lease terms.

No specific statutory penalty. An undisclosed or unreasonable late fee may be unenforceable under contract law, and using self-help such as a lockout or utility shutoff to collect it is independently unlawful.