Housing (Landlords)

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 837: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Eviction Diversion Program, eligibility.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Eviction Diversion Program; eligibility. Requires any general district court that implements the Eviction Diversion Program to attach information about the Program, including eligibility criteria, to any summons for unlawful detainer. The bill also alters eligibility requirements for a tenant to participate in the Program. This bill is identical to SB 273.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill expands tenant access to eviction diversion program by altering eligibility and requiring court-provided program info, strengthening tenant protections against eviction.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Tenant Rights

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1005: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; rental payment methods, prohibited fees.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; rental payment methods; prohibited fees. Requires a landlord subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to accept payment of periodic rent and any security deposit by check and money order. The bill additionally prohibits such a landlord from requiring a tenant to pay any fee to submit periodic rent payments or other amounts due in excess of the actual out-of-pocket expenses charged to the landlord by a third party to process a payment. Finally, the bill prohibits a landlord from requiring a tenant to pay any fee for the maintenance or repair of any dwelling unit unless the repair is necessitated by the tenant's violation of the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. This bill is identical to SB 313.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires landlords to accept multiple payment methods, reducing barriers for tenants and strengthening tenant protections under housing regulations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

passed both · Virginia · House of Delegates Mar 14, 2026

HB 1078: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; adverse action by landlord, tenant remedies.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; adverse action by landlord; tenant remedies. Prohibits a residential landlord who owns more than four rental dwelling units or more than a 10 percent interest in more than four rental dwelling units, whether individually or through a business entity, in the Commonwealth from taking adverse action against a prospective tenant due to the prospective tenant's history of a dismissed or nonsuited unlawful detainer case. The bill allows a prospective tenant to recover, as a result of any such adverse action, (i) actual damages, (ii) statutory damages of $250, and (iii) reasonable attorney fees.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingProhibits landlords from taking adverse action against tenants with dismissed unlawful detainer cases, strengthening tenant protections under housing law.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

Track

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 402: Residential property owners; insurance policies, roofing services by contractors.

Residential property owners; insurance policies; roofing services by contractors; prohibited practices and consumer protection. Prohibits insurers from refusing coverage or canceling, refusing to renew, or increasing the premiums of a policy written to insure an owner-occupied dwelling solely based on the age or condition of the asphalt shingle roof, except in certain circumstances. The bill also contains provisions related to consumer protection in the context of contractors providing roofing services for residential property owners. The bill prohibits certain advertisements and conduct by contractors in such context. The bill includes contract terms that must be included by contractors in such context, and permits a residential property owner to cancel a contract for roofing services in the case of a declaration of a state of emergency by the Governor applicable to the geographic area where the property is located. Provisions of the bill related to prohibited conduct and requirements for contractors providing roofing services are subject to the enforcement provisions of the Consumer Protection Act. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027, and is identical to HB 677.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingProtects property owners from unfair insurance practices based on roof condition, strengthening property rights within housing.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Homeownership Landlords

signed · Virginia · Senate Mar 31, 2026

SB 628: Eviction Reduction Program; established, report.

Department of Housing and Community Development; Eviction Reduction Program; report. Establishes the Eviction Reduction Program within the Department of Housing and Community Development to expand the Department's work to (i) promote housing stability, (ii) identify factors that contribute to eviction filings, and (iii) provide interventions to prevent or divert evictions. The bill requires the Department to report annually to the General Assembly regarding the Program. The bill directs the Department to develop and include in its report criteria and guidelines necessary to administer the Program in consultation with stakeholders, including Eviction Diversion Program grantees as identified by the Department. This bill is identical to HB 527.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingEstablishes Eviction Reduction Program to prevent evictions, promote housing stability, and protect tenants - directly aligns with tenant protection and housing stability indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 3, 2026

HB 1252: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; algorithmic pricing device use by certain landlords.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; algorithmic pricing device use by certain landlords; civil penalties. Requires a landlord, defined in the bill as a landlord who owns more than 10 rental dwelling units or more than a 10 percent interest in more than 10 rental dwelling units, whether individually or through a business entity, in the Commonwealth, who uses an algorithmic pricing device, defined in the bill, to establish the advertised rent, renewal rent, or rent offered to a prospective tenant to disclose such use in writing to the tenant or the prospective tenant under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. The bill provides that, upon request, a landlord shall provide to the tenant or prospective tenant a plain-language summary of the general factors considered by the algorithmic pricing device in determining rent, and that a tenant or prospective tenant shall be entitled to a human review of any rent determination or renewal increase generated or recommended by an algorithmic pricing device. The bill allows the Attorney General to seek an injunction and civil penalties to restrain any violations of the bill.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRegulates algorithmic rent pricing to prevent potential tenant exploitation, strengthening tenant protections under housing law.85% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyBill restricts landlords' use of algorithmic pricing devices with civil penalties, regulating tech application in rental pricing rather than advancing tech policies or privacy protections.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

Track

vetoed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 11, 2026

HB 678: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; terms and conditions of rental agreement.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; terms and conditions of rental agreement; notice of rent increase. Requires a landlord who owns more than four rental dwelling units or more than a 10 percent interest in more than four rental dwelling units, whether individually or through a business entity, in the Commonwealth to provide a tenant with written notice of any increase in rent for the subsequent rental agreement term at least 90 days prior to the end of such term and to include in such notice a deadline, which shall be no sooner than 30 days after such notice is delivered, by which the tenant shall advise the landlord of whether the tenant will renew the rental agreement. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill mandates 30-day notice period for tenant renewal/vacating, strengthening tenant protections in rental agreements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

Track

vetoed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 11, 2026

HB 848: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; material noncompliance by landlord, rent escrow, relief.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; material noncompliance by landlord; rent escrow; relief. Removes the requirement that, prior to the granting of any relief, a tenant shall pay into escrow any amount of rent called for under the rental agreement. The bill requires the tenant, during the pendency of the action, to pay into escrow the amount of rent that becomes due within five days of the date due under the rental agreement, unless or until such amount is modified by a subsequent order of the court. The bill also provides that a failure of the tenant to make timely payments into escrow shall not be grounds for dismissal of the underlying action but may be considered by the court when issuing an order. The bill has a delayed effective date of  January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRemoves requirement for tenants to pay disputed rent into escrow before seeking relief, easing access to legal remedies against landlords without financial penalty.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

Track

in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 5, 2026

HB 1259: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; mold remediation.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Virginia Consumer Protection Act; mold remediation. Requires landlords subject to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to utilize mold inspectors and remediators certified by a nationally or internationally recognized certifying body for mold remediation that comply with (i) the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification S520 Standard for Professional Mold Remediation, as revised, or (ii) any other equivalent ANSI-accredited mold remediation standard, when conducting or offering to conduct mold remediation in the Commonwealth. The bill additionally prohibits selling or offering for sale services as a professional mold inspector without meeting the same requirements of a mold inspector under the Act. Finally, the bill directs the Department of Housing and Community Development to establish and publish a resource to educate the public on laws, policies, and information about the mold inspection and mold remediation industry in the Commonwealth.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates certified mold remediation for landlords, strengthening tenant health protections under housing law.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Community Development Landlords Property Development

Track

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 519: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; definition of essential services.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; essential services. Adds central air conditioning when supplied by the landlord and operating or represented as operating as of the effective date of the rental agreement to the list of what constitutes an essential service for purposes of the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingAdds air conditioning as an essential service landlords must provide, strengthening tenant protections under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Tenant Rights