Skip to main content
DRAFT FOR ATTORNEY REVIEW — NOT FINAL

Willard v. PARSONS HILL PARTNERSHIP, 2005 VT 69 (2005)

Citation
Willard v. PARSONS HILL PARTNERSHIP, 2005 VT 69 (2005)
Parent Document
Willard v. PARSONS HILL PARTNERSHIP, 2005 VT 69 (2005)
Jurisdiction
Vermont (state)
Effective Date
2005-08-05

Other Sections in This Document (143)

Full Text

1,860 chars
¶ 44. What distinguishes this case from any precedent on the interrelationship of a statutory remedy and its common-law antecedent is that the statute applicable in this case entirely and explicitly covers the situation that is before the court. The RRAA sets out a warranty of habitability requiring that the landlord provide "premises that are safe, clean and fit for human habitation and which comply with the requirements of applicable building, housing and health regulations." 9 V.S.A. § 4457(a). The language of § 4457(a) reflects *1227 the parameters of the common-law warranty that this Court adopted in Hilder v. St. Peter, 144 Vt. 150, 159, 478 A.2d 202, 208 (1984) (holding that landlord warrants to deliver over and maintain rental premises that are safe and fit for human living); see also Vt. Tenants, Inc. v. Vt. Hous. Fin. Agency, 170 Vt. 77, 86, 742 A.2d 745, 751 (1999) ("Although RRAA has tenant-protection and landlord-protection provisions, its primary purpose appears to be to codify the common law relationship for residential rental agreements."); State v. Bisson, 161 Vt. 8, 12, 632 A.2d 34, 37 (1993) (RRAA "contains the general law of landlord and tenant relations that is customarily applicable in any context"). Hilder made no distinction between latent and patent defects, 144 Vt. at 160, 478 A.2d at 208 ("[T]he implied warranty of habitability covers all latent and patent defects in the essential facilities of the residential unit."), and neither does the statute. By its plain meaning, the statute covers both. Just as explicitly, it requires the tenant to give "actual notice of the noncompliance," 9 V.S.A. § 4458(a), which the statute defines as "written notice hand-delivered or mailed to the last known address." Id. § 4451(1). Again, by its plain meaning, the statutory warranty covers the situation before this Court.