HB 996

Abstract

Department of Housing and Community Development; Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act; notice of tenant screening criteria. Requires landlords governed by the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act or Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act to provide applicants for tenancy with (i) the amount and purpose of fees to be charged to such applicant, (ii) information that will be used to assess such applicant's eligibility for tenancy, and (iii) any criteria that may result in automatic denial of an application. The bill requires such landlords to notify applicants of certain rights protected by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act if the landlord takes an adverse action, as defined in the bill, after reviewing an application. Finally, the bill requires such landlords to refund any funds received in excess of the landlord's actual expenses and damages, after the landlord's rejection of an application or an applicant's failure to rent a unit upon being notified of his eligibility for tenancy.

Department of Housing and Community Development;Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; ManufacturedHome Lot Rental Act; notice of tenant screening criteria. Requireslandlords governed by the Virginia Residential Landlord and TenantAct or Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act to provide applicants for tenancy with (i) the amount and purpose of fees to be charged tosuch applicant, (ii) information that will be used to assess suchapplicant's eligibility for tenancy, and (iii) any criteria that mayresult in automatic denial of an application. The bill requires suchlandlords to notify applicants of certain rights protected by thefederal Fair Credit Reporting Act prior to performing any background,credit, or other pre-occupancy check on such applicants. Finally,the bill requires the Director of the Department of Housing andCommunity Development to develop a sample notice of tenant screening criteria and a standardized statement regarding an applicant's rightsprotected by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and to make suchsample notice and statement available on the Department's website.