Virginia tenant rights

What should I do if I get an eviction notice in Virginia?

Treat it as time-sensitive, not as an eviction. A landlord notice in Virginia is usually a step before a court case — not a judgment and not a lockout. If the paper names a court, a case number, or a date to appear, a case has been filed and a response window is running. Write down when and how it arrived, keep the original, and call legal aid the same day if a court is named. How long the notice runs is in Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, not in a national chart.

How do security deposits work in Virginia?

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is where Virginia sets whether there is a cap, what may be deducted, and how long a landlord has to return what is left. Those figures change, and reprinting a stale number is how people miss a window. Document the unit at move-in and move-out, return keys the way the lease requires, keep a forwarding address, then read the chapter or take the file to legal aid.

What if my landlord will not make repairs in Virginia?

Most states, including Virginia, expect a landlord to keep a rental fit to live in. The exact process — written notice, a waiting period, repair-and-deduct, escrow, or a code complaint — is a Virginia question, and withholding rent without checking is one of the highest-risk moves a renter can make. Put the request in writing, date it, photograph the condition, and ask legal aid before you skip a payment.

Can my landlord enter without notice in Virginia?

Entry rules in Virginia are in Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, and they often differ for emergencies, repairs, and showings. This site does not invent a national hour-count. If an entry felt improper, write down the date, time, who entered, and whether you were told in advance — then confirm the statute or ask legal aid.

Does my city in Virginia add extra renter rules?

Often. Rent stabilization, just-cause eviction, relocation assistance, and extra protected classes are usually local. Virginia state law is the floor, not the whole answer. Check your city housing department or rent board in addition to the sources on this page.

Where is free legal help in Virginia?

LawHelp.org routes Virginia renters to nonprofit legal-aid offices. Dial 211 for local rent, shelter, or utility help in many languages. If you have court papers, call legal aid the same day and ask about walk-in or self-help hours at the courthouse. Those resources are free and are never behind a sign-up on this site.

What is an unlawful detainer in Virginia?

That is the General District Court possession case. Richmond is not Virginia Beach. The VRLTA is statewide. A Maryland rent-court process does not apply.

Does Virginia Beach add extra rules?

The VRLTA is the book. City code enforcement is local. Confirm City of Virginia Beach versus another independent city or county before you file a complaint.

What we will not guess

Honest routing to official sources — we do not guess at unpublished rules.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Va. Code §§ 55.1-1200 to 55.1-1262) is the chapter to open. We name it. We do not paraphrase a number out of it.

Official sources

Virginia city desks

City ordinances sit on top of Virginia law. Each desk names the local office and the court. We do not invent a local deadline.

• RichmondVirginia VRLTA is the book. Richmond 311/code is the conditions door.
• Virginia BeachVirginia VRLTA is the book. Virginia Beach code enforcement is the conditions door.

Questions on this desk

• Is a landlord notice the same as being evicted?
• What number should I call right now?
• Is there a national tenant-rights law in the United States?
• What should I do if I get an eviction notice?
• How do I find free legal help as a renter?
• Can my landlord enter without notice?

Common questions