18 V.S.A. § ___ § 1767
Transfer of ownership of target housing; RRPM compliance
Operative Text
(a) Prior to the time a purchase and sale agreement for target housing is executed, the seller shall provide the buyer with materials approved by the Commissioner, including a lead hazard brochure and materials on other lead hazards in housing. The seller shall also provide a disclosure form that shall include any lead-based paint inspection or risk assessment report or letter of exemption, assurance of discontinuance, administrative order, or court order the terms of which are not completed and, if the property is rental target housing, verification that the RRPM was utilized pursuant to this chapter and that a current RRPM compliance statement has been filed with the Department. (b) At the time of purchase of target housing, sellers and other transferors shall provide the buyer or transferee with any materials delineated in subsection (a) of this section not previously disclosed and a lead-safe renovation practices packet approved by the Commissioner and shall disclose any lead-based paint inspection or risk assessment report or letter of exemption, assurance of discontinuance, administrative order, or court order not disclosed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section the terms of which are not completed. (c) No sale of rental target housing, building, or unit may occur if the building or unit is currently the subject of an assurance of discontinuance, administrative order, or court order unless the assurance or order is amended in writing to transfer to the buyer or other transferee all remaining obligations under the assurance or order. (d) Prior to the time of purchase of rental target housing, the real estate agents, sellers, and other transferors of title shall provide the buyer or transferee with information approved by the Commissioner explaining RRPM obligations. (e) A buyer or other transferee of title of rental target housing shall at the time of sale or transfer of ownership, or both, disclose this transfer to the Department. (f) A buyer or other transferee of title to rental target housing who has purchased or received a building or unit that is not in full compliance with section 1759 of this chapter shall bring the rental target housing into compliance with section 1759 of this chapter within 60 days after the closing. Within the 60-day period, the buyer or transferee may submit a written request for an extension of time for compliance, which the Commissioner may grant in writing for a stated period of time for good cause only. Failure to comply with this subsection shall result in an administrative penalty in accordance with section 1766 of this chapter. (g) Noncompliance with this section shall not affect marketability of title. (Added 2007, No. 176 (Adj. Sess.), § 34; amended 2017, No. 149 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. October 21, 2022.)
Vermont law under 18 V.S.A. ch. 38 § 1767 governs what must happen when target housing — residential property that may contain lead-based paint — changes hands. Before a purchase-and-sale agreement is signed, sellers must share state-approved lead hazard materials, a disclosure form covering any unresolved inspection reports or legal orders, and, for rental properties, proof that the Renovation, Repair, and Painting Method (RRPM) has been used and that a current compliance statement is on file with the Department. Buyers who acquire rental target housing that is not yet fully compliant with § 1759 have 60 days after closing to bring it into compliance, with a possible written extension for good cause; failure to do so triggers administrative penalties under § 1766.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners selling or transferring rental target housing under 18 V.S.A. ch. 38 § 1767 are generally expected to assemble a complete disclosure package before any purchase-and-sale agreement is executed — including state-approved lead hazard materials, a disclosure form reflecting any open inspection reports or unresolved legal orders, and documentation confirming RRPM utilization and a current compliance statement filed with the Department. If a sale involves a property subject to an assurance of discontinuance, administrative order, or court order, that order must be amended in writing to transfer remaining obligations to the buyer before the sale can proceed. Sellers and real estate agents are also responsible for providing buyers with Commissioner-approved materials explaining RRPM obligations prior to closing.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in rental target housing have an indirect but meaningful interest in § 1767 of 18 V.S.A. ch. 38, because the law requires new owners who acquire a non-compliant building to bring it into full compliance with § 1759 within 60 days of closing. If a building changes hands and lead-safety compliance is not achieved within that window, an administrative penalty process under § 1766 can be triggered. Tenants who believe a new owner has failed to meet these obligations may consider contacting the Vermont Department of Health, reaching out to a tenant-rights organization, or raising the compliance status as relevant context in any housing or habitability proceeding.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation