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Virginia

A Virginia simple (basic) lease agreement outlines rental terms and conditions for specific properties. This rental contract includes essential details such as pet policies, contact information for both parties, safety disclosures, lease duration, and property addresses. Furthermore, Virginia lease agreements establish legal relationships between landlords and tenants.

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Virginia Simple Basic Lease Agreement

Virginia Simple Basic Lease Agreement

Virginia Simple (Basic) Lease Agreement 

Virginia maintains no rent control laws, which allows landlords to set rent prices without restrictions in their lease agreements. Additionally, late fees are permitted but landlords must specify them in rental contracts. Moreover, Virginia provides a grace period for rent payments under lease agreements. Notably, landlords don’t need licenses to operate rental properties with lease agreements.

Required Disclosures in Virginia Lease Agreements

Virginia landlords must provide several disclosures to tenants in their lease agreements. Properties built before 1978 require specific disclosures due to potential lead-based paint presence. The required disclosures include:

Essential Safety Disclosures for Lease Agreements

Lead-Based Paint Disclosure: Virginia lease agreements must include this disclosure for properties built prior to 1978.

Defective Drywall Disclosure: Landlords must include this information in lease agreements if defective drywall exists.

Demolition Notice: Virginia lease agreements must inform tenants if landlords plan to demolish or convert the property within six months.

Property Information Disclosures

Landlord Identification: Virginia lease agreements must disclose landlord names and addresses or authorized agent information.

Methamphetamine Production Disclosure: Rental contracts must include written notice if the property was previously used for methamphetamine production.

Military Airfield Disclosure: Lease agreements must inform tenants if the property sits in a noisy military activity area.

Additional Required Disclosures in Rental Contracts

Mold Disclosure: Virginia lease agreements must disclose visible mold within the property.

Property Condition Disclosure: Landlords must provide itemized lists of existing damages in lease agreements within five days of tenant move-in.

Shared Utilities Disclosure: Rental contracts must inform tenants about shared utilities and cost allocation methods.

Tenant Responsibilities Disclosure: Virginia lease agreements must provide lists of tenant responsibilities and rights.

Tourism Disclosure: Lease agreements must disclose if properties are located in heavily touristic areas.

Virginia Lease Agreement Security Deposit Rules

Landlords can require maximum security deposits of two months’ rent under Virginia lease agreements. Furthermore, landlords don’t need to provide receipts, pay interest on deposits, or maintain separate bank accounts for security deposits in rental contracts.

Security Deposit Return Process

Virginia lease agreements require landlords to return security deposits within 45 days following lease termination or tenant departure. Additionally, landlords must provide written statements detailing any deductions from security deposits.

Rent Payment Terms in Virginia Lease Agreements

Tenants must pay rent at the beginning of rental periods according to their lease agreements. Moreover, late fees must appear in rental contracts and cannot exceed 10% of remaining balances or periodic rent. Virginia allows five-day grace periods for rent payments under lease agreements.

Tenant Rent Withholding Rights

If tenants notify landlords of serious hazards and landlords fail to address issues within 14 days, tenants may withhold rent under Virginia lease agreements. However, deductions can only reach one month’s rent or $1,500, whichever amount is greater.

Landlord Entry Rights in Virginia Lease Agreements

Virginia lease agreements require landlords to provide at least 72 hours’ notice before entering properties for routine maintenance. However, no notice is required for tenant-requested maintenance or emergencies under rental contracts.

Tenant Protection Rights

Tenants have remedies available if landlords attempt lockouts or perform self-help evictions. Additionally, Virginia lease agreements require landlords to provide locks and peepholes when feasible.

Property Maintenance Responsibilities in Lease Agreements

Virginia lease agreements require landlords to prevent moisture accumulation and mold growth in rental properties. Furthermore, landlords must make necessary repairs and comply with housing and building codes.

Landlord Maintenance Duties

Property owners must address maintenance issues promptly according to their lease agreements. Moreover, landlords must ensure rental units meet all safety and habitability standards.

Tenant Maintenance Obligations

Virginia lease agreements require tenants to prevent mold and moisture in rental properties. Additionally, tenants must avoid deliberate damage and maintain cleanliness and safety standards.

If tenants violate lease terms, landlords can issue 21-day notices for curable violations or 30-day notices for non-curable violations under Virginia rental contracts.

Terminating Virginia Lease Agreements

Landlords need 30-day notices to terminate month-to-month tenancies without cause under Virginia lease agreements. Furthermore, landlords can dispose of abandoned property by providing specific notices in rental contracts.

Abandoned Property Procedures

Virginia lease agreements allow landlords to dispose of abandoned property through several notice options:

Therefore, landlords can provide termination notices stating disposal within 24 hours after termination. Alternatively, they can give written notices stating disposal within 24 hours after seven-day notice periods. Moreover, landlords can provide written notices stating disposal within 24 hours after 10-day periods from when tenants receive notices.

City-Specific Virginia Lease Agreement Considerations

While these requirements apply to most Virginia landlords and tenants, local laws may vary in different cities. Consequently, Virginia Beach may have specific regulations affecting lease agreements. Therefore, checking local regulations before creating or entering rental contracts is advisable.

Statutes

FAQs

In Virginia, landlords must provide several required disclosures, including information about lead-based paint, defective drywall, potential demolition, identification of the landlord, previous methamphetamine production, military airfield noise, visible mold, property condition, shared utilities, tenant responsibilities, and tourism activity in the area.

In Virginia, the maximum security deposit a landlord can require is two months’ rent. The landlord must return the security deposit within 45 days after the lease ends or the tenant vacates, along with a written statement itemizing any deductions.

A landlord in Virginia must provide at least 72 hours’ notice before entering the property for routine maintenance that has not been requested by the tenant. No notice is required if the tenant requests maintenance or in case of an emergency.

In Virginia, landlords can charge late fees only if specified in the rental agreement, and the fee cannot exceed the lesser of 10% of the remaining balance owed or 10% of the periodic rent. There is a grace period of five days before a late fee can be applied.

If a tenant in Virginia identifies a serious hazard, they must notify the landlord and give them 14 days to address the issue. If the landlord does not act, the tenant can remedy the problem themselves and deduct the expenses from their rent, up to one month’s rent or $1,500, whichever is greater.

Yes, in Virginia, there are no rent control laws, so landlords can increase rent as they wish, provided they give adequate notice to the tenant as specified in the lease agreement.

To terminate a month-to-month tenancy in Virginia, either party must provide a 30-day notice without cause. This notice must be given before the end of the rental period.

Landlords in Virginia are responsible for preventing moisture accumulation and mold growth, making necessary repairs to maintain the property in good condition, and complying with applicable housing and building codes.