Vermont Flooding - Updated 8/28/23

Disaster-related mortgage help

• Call your mortgage company ASAP. Tell them you were affected by the floods. Your mortgage company may have options to help with financial hardship related to a natural disaster, such as:
  • forbearance (postponing payments)
  • payment deferral (adding past-due payment to the end of the loan), or
  • loan modification.
• If you have a government-backed loan (FHA, USDA, VA, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac) your servicer might be required to hold off on a court foreclosure for 90 days if you are in an affected natural disaster area. Ask the company that services your loan.
• Vermont Legal Aid can advise Vermont homeowners about past-due mortgage and other property-related charges if it’s your primary residence. Call us at 1-800-889-2047 and choose option #2.

Disaster-related property tax payment issues

• If your property was affected by the flood, and you are having difficulty paying property taxes, you can ask your town for an abatement (tax forgiveness).
• Vermont Legal Aid can advise Vermont homeowners about past-due property taxes if it’s your primary residence. Call us at 800-889-2047 and choose option #2.

Also on VTLawHelp.org

• Legal and benefits issues after a disaster like flooding
• Vermont renter / tenant FAQs after a disaster
• Filing an insurance claim after a disaster
• Applying for financial help and services from FEMA and appealing a FEMA decision
• Grants for very-low-income homeowners from USDA RD
• SBA disaster loans for homeowners and renters
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance
• Tax relief after a disaster