An Act to amend and reenact § 55.1-1235 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; tenant remedies; early termination of rental agreement by military personnel.
HB174 amends Virginia’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to expand and clarify when military tenants may end a rental agreement early without penalty. The bill allows members of the Armed Forces and certain National Guard personnel to terminate a lease not only for permanent change of station orders, temporary duty orders over three months, discharge, or orders to government-supplied quarters, but also when they receive a stop movement order tied to a local, national, or global emergency that lasts indefinitely or at least 30 days and prevents occupancy of the leased unit.
To use this remedy, the tenant must give the landlord written notice with a termination date that is at least 30 days after the next rent due date and no more than 60 days before the required departure date, and must provide a copy of the orders or a commanding officer’s confirmation before termination. The bill also prohibits landlords from charging liquidated damages in these cases, while preserving the tenant’s other obligations under existing law.
The bill directly amends § 55.1-1235 of the Code of Virginia, broadening the statutory list of qualifying military circumstances for early lease termination and adding explicit protection for service members affected by stop movement orders. It affects landlords and military tenants by limiting lease-enforcement remedies in these situations, eliminating liquidated damages, and reinforcing the notice and documentation requirements already used for military lease termination.
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so the available context does not show debate or opposition. Based on the enacted text, the bill appears to reflect a generally supportive policy toward service members by reducing housing penalties when military orders prevent occupancy, especially during emergency-related disruptions.
The text itself suggests the main policy balance is between protecting military tenants and preserving landlord rights through notice and proof requirements. Potential points of contention would likely center on the new stop movement order provision, the 30-day notice framework, and the ban on liquidated damages, but no specific objections, amendments, or divided votes are available in the provided record.