Vt. Human Rights Comm'n, HV19-0018, Investigative Report & Reasonable Grounds Determination

INVESTIGATION
. Complaint- 513012019
o Response - 61612019
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS
o Rent Agreement - l1712016
. Initial Evaluation of Ms. Weygant's daughter from Vermont Department of Health -
212812017
o Lease Agreement - 611512017
. Bennington Police Report -711512017
o Bennington Police Report - 1012612017
o Notice of Change in Rent - 41312018
o Rental Notes from Mr. Deery - 2018
FACTS

Osheita Weygant and her daughter, who was around two years old, moved into an apartment at
138 Dewey Street in Bennington, Vermont, in January of 2016,1 The apartment building has four
units and James Deery, the owner and landlord, lives in the house behind the apartment
building.2

Ms. Weygant stated in her complaint that she paid Mr. Deery an $800 security deposit.3 In her
interview, Ms. Weygant said she knew she needed $1600 to move in and that she and Mr. Deery
did not clearly define whether part of the money was a security deposit.a Mr. Deery denies that

I Interview with Mr. Deery, 611312019.
2
Id.
3
Complaint.
a Interview
with Ms. Weygant, 6125/2019
he received a security deposit, but he says he received $1600 for first and last month's rent.s Mr.
Deery and Ms. Weygant had a "rent agreement," dated January of 2016, that states, "I paid rent
first and last month on Jan 5th for Jan."6 Mr. Deery's rental notes, dated January of 2018, state:

"Reference Security Deposit
Received $800 on 111116"7

A subsequent lease agreement, covering June 2016 to June 2017, also stated that Mr. Deery
collected a "security deposit" of eight hundred dollars.s When asked why his notes referred to a
security deposit, Mr. Deery said, "call it whatever she says it is, but it was the first and last
month...between her and United Counseling, I got a check for $1600."e