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Bill > HB834


VA HB834

VA HB834
Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord.


summary

Introduced
01/13/2026
In Committee
02/10/2026
Crossed Over
02/06/2026
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2026 Regular Regular Session

Bill Summary

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage; termination by landlord. Requires a landlord, prior to giving a tenant 21 days' notice of his intention to terminate the rental agreement for a dwelling unit that has been damaged or destroyed by fire or casualty, to (i) make a reasonable effort to meet with the tenant to discuss reasonable alternatives and offer the tenant a substantially similar dwelling unit, if one is available, or (ii) determine that the damage was caused by the tenant's failure to maintain the dwelling unit in accordance with relevant law. Current law allows the landlord to terminate such agreement by giving the tenant 14 days' notice of his intention to terminate on the basis of the landlord's determination that such damage requires the removal of the tenant and that the use of the premises is substantially impaired. The bill requires the landlord, upon receiving a request from the tenant after the tenant has received such notice, to reevaluate the extent of damage and habitability of such dwelling unit unless the landlord has determined that the damage was caused by the tenant's failure to maintain the dwelling unit.

AI Summary

This bill amends the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to change the process for landlords terminating a rental agreement due to fire or casualty damage to a dwelling unit. Previously, a landlord could terminate the agreement with 14 days' notice if they determined the damage required the tenant to vacate and substantially impaired the use of the premises. Now, landlords must provide 21 days' notice and, before doing so, must make a reasonable effort to discuss alternatives with the tenant and offer a comparable replacement unit if available, or determine that the damage was caused by the tenant's failure to maintain the property. Additionally, if a tenant requests it after receiving a termination notice, the landlord must reevaluate the damage and habitability of the unit, unless the damage was caused by the tenant's negligence.

Committee Categories

Business and Industry, Housing and Urban Affairs, Justice

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Assigned GL&T sub: Housing (on 02/25/2026)

bill text


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bill summary

Document Type Source Location
State Bill Page https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB834
Fiscal Note/Analysis - Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB834) https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095104.PDF
BillText https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB834/text/HB834
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