HB 957

Abstract

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; tenant's remedies for exclusion from dwelling unit due to condemnation. Provides that the landlord shall be liable to the tenant for actual damages and reasonable attorney fees if the tenant gave notice to the landlord during the tenancy that his dwelling unit was in violation of an applicable building code, such violation posed a substantial risk to the health, safety, and welfare of a tenant, and such violation resulted in the tenant being excluded from his dwelling unit due to such unit being condemned. The bill includes exceptions to such liability, including negligence by the tenant, an act of God, and termination due to certain fire damage.

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act;tenant's assertion; condemnation of leased premises; remedies. Providesa rebuttable presumption of a landlord's material noncompliance withthe rental agreement if the leased premises was condemned by an appropriatestate or local agency due to the landlord's or his agent's refusalor failure to remedy a condition for which he was served a condemnationnotice, unless such condition was caused by an act of God. The billrequires a court, when such rebuttable presumption is established,to award the tenant the amount of three months' rent, any prepaid rent, and any security deposit paid by the tenant.