VirginiaVirginia Residential Landlord & Tenant Act; civil action for unlawful detainer, termination notice.
What it does
Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; civil action for unlawful detainer; termination notice; energy submetering equipment. Provides that no landlord shall file or maintain an action for unlawful detainer against a residential tenant for any alleged lease violation until the landlord has provided the tenant with a proper and effective termination notice and that no notice of termination of tenancy for nonpayment of rent pursuant to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act shall be effective unless such notice contains a written statement of charges and payments over the course of the tenancy or the past 12 months, whichever is shorter, and any late charges, attorney fees, costs, and other charges or damages as contracted for in the rental agreement that are due and owing. The bill requires such notice to also include debits and credits incurred by the tenant for energy and utility bills and any additional charges permitted as applicable.
More detail
The bill also requires the owner of any residential building to maintain adequate records indicating how monthly energy and utility billing fees are calculated and including a history of billing fee payments for each tenant over the duration of the tenancy or the past 12 months, whichever is shorter. Such records shall be made available to the tenant upon request. Finally, the bill removes a provision allowing for the collection of fees when a tenant requests such records. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 294.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Approved by Governor Abigail Spanberger-Chapter 783 (effective 7/1/2026)Became Law
- Apr 1Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1361)
- Mar 31Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 31Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026Minor
- Mar 31Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 30Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 30Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1361ER)Major
- Mar 30EnrolledMinor
- Mar 11Senate amendment agreed to by House (71-Y 28-N 0-A)Major
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 10Passed Senate with amendment (21-Y 19-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Engrossed by Senate as amended
- Mar 10General Laws and Technology Amendment agreed toMajor
- Mar 10Read third timeMinor
- Mar 9Passed by for the day
- Mar 6Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 6Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Mar 6Rules suspended
- Mar 4Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment (14-Y 1-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 3Senate committee offered
- Feb 25Assigned GL&T sub: HousingMinor
- Feb 18Referred to Committee on General Laws and TechnologyMinor
- Feb 18Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 17Read third time and passed House (79-Y 18-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 17Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar
- Feb 16Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Feb 16committee substitute agreed toMajor
- Feb 16Read second timeMinor
- Feb 13Read first timeMinor
- Feb 12Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1361)
- Feb 11Committee substitute printed 26107222D-H1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 11Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (22-Y 0-N)Minor
- Feb 4Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N)Major
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 2Assigned HCJ sub: CivilMinor
- Jan 26Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1361)
- Jan 20Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Jan 20Presented and ordered printed 26104734DIntroduced