HB 1981

Abstract

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; access to dwelling unit during certain declared states of emergency. Provides that a tenant shall be deemed to have reasonable justification for declining to permit a landlord or managing agent to exhibit the tenant's dwelling unit for sale or lease if the tenant has reasonable concern for his own health, or the health of any authorized occupant, during a state of emergency declared by the Governor in response to a communicable disease of public health threat and the tenant has provided written notice to the landlord informing the landlord of such concern. The bill requires the tenant in such circumstances to provide to the landlord or managing agent a video tour of the dwelling unit or other acceptable substitute for exhibiting the dwelling unit for sale or lease. The bill also provides that during a state of emergency declared by the Governor in response to a communicable disease of public health threat a tenant may provide written notice to the landlord requesting that one or more nonemergency property conditions in the dwelling unit not be addressed in the normal course of business of the landlord due to such communicable disease of public health threat. The bill provides that in such case, the tenant shall be deemed to have waived any and all claims and rights under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act against the landlord for failure to address such nonemergency property conditions.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act;access to dwelling unit during certain declared states of emergency;emergency. Provides that a tenant shall be deemed to have reasonablejustification for declining to permit a landlord or managing agentto exhibit the tenant's dwelling unit for sale or lease if the tenanthas reasonable concern for his own health, or the health of any authorizedoccupant, during a state of emergency declared by the Governor inresponse to a communicable disease of public health threat and thetenant has provided written notice to the landlord informing thelandlord of such concern. The bill requires the tenant in such circumstancesto provide to the landlord or managing agent a video tour of the dwelling unit or other acceptable substitute for exhibiting the dwellingunit for sale or lease. The bill also provides that during a stateof emergency declared by the Governor in response to a communicabledisease of public health threat a tenant may provide written noticeto the landlord requesting that one or more nonemergency propertyconditions in the dwelling unit not be addressed in the normal courseof business of the landlord due to such communicable disease of publichealth threat. The bill provides that in such case, the tenant shallbe deemed to have waived any and all claims and rights under theVirginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act against the landlordfor failure to address such nonemergency property conditions. Thebill contains an emergency clause.