An Act to amend and reenact §§ 55.1-1204 and 55.1-1208 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; rental payment methods; prohibited fees.
HB1005 amends the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to regulate how rent may be paid and to limit certain landlord-imposed fees. The bill requires a landlord to offer a written rental agreement and the state-provided tenant rights and responsibilities statement, and it clarifies what terms apply if no written agreement is offered. In that default situation, the tenancy is treated as a 12-month lease with rent paid in 12 equal monthly installments, rent due on the first of the month, late after the fifth, and a security deposit capped at two months’ rent.
The bill also addresses rent collection and billing practices. It requires landlords, upon written request, to provide a statement of debits and credits within 10 business days, and it prohibits late fees unless they are included in the written rental agreement. Any late fee is limited to the lesser of 10 percent of periodic rent or 10 percent of the remaining balance due. The bill further clarifies that, unless the rental agreement says otherwise, tenancies are week-to-week for weekly rent and month-to-month in all other cases, with termination governed by existing notice rules.
HB1005 changes §§ 55.1-1204 and 55.1-1208 of the Code of Virginia, affecting landlord-tenant contract terms, default lease rules, late-fee authority, and tenant access to account statements. It strengthens disclosure requirements for landlords, limits fees that can be imposed on tenants, and creates a statutory fallback tenancy structure when no written lease is provided. The bill primarily affects residential landlords, tenants, property managers, and rental housing transactions governed by the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.
The available record shows the bill was enacted without recorded committee debate or vote detail in the provided materials, so there is no documented split in the discussion history here. Based on the substance of the measure, the overall policy direction appears tenant-protective and consumer-oriented, with an emphasis on transparency, predictable payment terms, and limits on fees. The enacted chapter status suggests the bill had sufficient support to pass and become law.
The main points of potential contention are likely to have been landlord flexibility versus tenant protections. Landlords may view the mandatory default 12-month tenancy rules, the restriction on late fees, and the requirement to provide account statements on request as administrative burdens or limits on contract freedom. Tenants and housing advocates would likely support the bill’s clearer disclosure requirements, fee caps, and protections against unexpected charges. No specific opposition or amendments are documented in the provided transcript or vote history.