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Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
The Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA) has recently been ammended and again enacted beginning July 1, 2009. It is a form of legislation that applies to most Virginia residential housing situations. It has been around since 1974 but has had amendments since then. "The VRLTA supersedes all local, county, and municipal landlord and tenant ordinances. It also prohibits certain lease clauses." VRLTAThis act protects many rights that are unknown to most renters and landlords such as, the right for a landlord to charge application fees, the right for tenants to get the home inspected before the lease starts, accumulation of security deposit interest and where that can be distributed after the lease ends. These and many more rights are commonly unknown by renters and tenants.

Where this is located in the Law Books?
The VRLTA is located in the § 55-248 chapters of the Virginia State Code.

Who does the VRLTA apply to?
The VRLTA applies to every renter in Virginia that adheres to the stipulations in the VRLTA. There are exceptions and there are requirements but most of the renters in Virginia will be covered by the VRLTA. Exceptions include: Residence at a public or private institution, occupancy under a contract of sale, occupancy for the purpose of a social organization, occupancy of lodging for transients,occupancy by an employee of the landlord, occupancy by a co-owner of the property, occupancy with prior agreement for use of land with the purpose connected to some sort of business, occupancy of public housing under the Department of Housing, occupancy of a person who pays no rent, and occupancy of a person who lives with the landlord.

Everyone else is affected by the VRLTA except in cases where the property is a single family home and the landlord owns less than ten properties in the town. Every other property rented for the purpose of living or use as a dwelling without violating the exceptions will be subject to all rights of the VRLTA.

Terms and Conditions
The agreements must be mutual and open between landlord and renter. The landlord may require anything not prohibited by law and also must follow local ordinances.

Application Fees
The landlord may require that the renter pay an application fee to request a lease. Also a landlord can require an application deposit, both of which must be returned within 20 days after the renter is not living in the property.

Prepaid Rent
The renter and the landlord may agree to pay rent early. This rent must go into an account until each month's rent is due on the fifth day of every month.

Renter's Damage Insurance
The landlord is allowed under VRLTA to obtain damage insurance for the tenant. They may require that the renter pay renters insurance.

Restrictions to Leases
A landlord may not have language in the lease that makes the renter forego the rights of the VRLTA. A landlord may not make the renter sign away their rights to any other legislation that gives rights dealing with their living situation. They also may not require security deposits equaling more than two months rent. The landlord may not require any of the tenants to bear witness against something that they don't want to. They also may not require any provisions to make the tenant pay attorney's fees.