The Virginia residential lease agreement (“rental agreement”) outlines the conditions agreed upon by a landlord and tenant for the residential use of real estate. The contract will include the length of the agreement (”term”), the payment amount (”rent”), and the obligations of the tenant while leasing the property.
Virginia Lease Agreement Disclosures
The following disclosures are required for all residential lease agreements in Virginia.
| Disclosure | Applicable to |
|---|---|
| Landlord’s Name/Address | All Units |
| Move-In Checklist | All Units |
| Mold Disclosure | All Units with Visible Mold |
| Shared Utilities | Units with Shared Utility Meter |
| Tenant Displacement | Units Undergoing Construction/Demolition |
| Military Air Installation | Units in a Noise/Accident Zone |
| Defective Drywall | Knowledge of Defective Drywall |
| Meth | Knowledge of Contamination in Unit |
| Lead Paint | All Units Prior to 1978 |
There are also a number of optional disclosures and addendums that help reduce future conflicts and/or legal liability in Virginia.
Landlord’s Name & Address
Applicable to all rental units in Virginia.
Landlords, owners, or any individual authorized to manage the rental property must disclose their name and address so future legal notices and demands that are sent by the tenant can be properly delivered. This information is commonly provided in the rental agreement and shall be provided to the tenant in writing at or before the commencement of the tenancy.
Move-In Checklist
Applicable to all rental units.
Virginia requires that landlords provide a move-in checklist (usually alongside the lease) that outlines the inventory and condition of the property within five days of the tenant moving in. The tenant has five days from the production of the checklist to refute any damages listed.
Download: Virginia Move-In Checklist Disclosure Form (PDF)
Mold Disclosure
Applicable to any unit with visible evidence of mold.
In Virginia, landlords must disclose in the move-in checklist a written report of any visible evidence of mold in the rental unit. If the written report states that there is visible evidence of mold, the tenant may terminate the tenancy or enter the rental agreement in an “as is” condition with knowledge that there is mold present.
Shared Utility Arrangements
Applicable to any building with submetering or shared utility meters.
It is legally required that landlords in Virginia disclose the specifics of how utilities are split between multiple tenants and common areas. Options include charging by square footage of the property, the number of tenants, or any other method of the landlord’s choosing. The landlord may also charge a service or convenience fee, as long as it is disclosed in the lease.
UTILITIES: This rental unit shares the following utilities with another unit or common area:
[ ] Electricity
[ ] Water
[ ] Gas
[ ] Sewage
[ ] Other:________This lease uses the following method for calculating utility charges between Tenant(s):
[ ] Home Square Footage
[ ] Number of Tenants
[ ] Even Split Between Tenants
[ ] Other:___________________________________________________________Tenant agrees to pay the monthly utility charge to Landlord, plus a $__ service charge as part of each month’s rental payment.
Download: Virginia Shared Utility Arrangement Disclosure Form (PDF)
Demolition or Displacement Notice
Applicable to any multifamily dwelling unit where tenants will be displaced within six months from scheduled demolition, rehabilitation, or conversion of the property.
If there are plans for tenants to be displaced from the property within six months of move-in due to demolition, rehabilitation, or conversion to an office, motel, hotel or planned unit development, this fact must be disclosed in the rental agreement.
DISPLACEMENT NOTICE. This property is scheduled to undergo demolition or construction that will displace tenants within 6 months.
Download: Virginia Tenant Displacement Disclosure Form (PDF)
Military Air Installation Disclosure
Applicable to any rental unit which falls into a noise or accident potential zone due to military activity.
When a dwelling unit is located nearby a military air installation that poses a risk for noise disturbances and/or accidents, this fact must be disclosed in a Virginia rental agreement. Noise zones and accident potential zones may change and will depend on the operational needs of the military. The official zoning map shall determine if there will be a risk for a military disturbance or accident. The disclosure should specify the specific zone the property falls within on a zoning map and the risks faced.
MILITARY AIR INSTALLATION DISCLOSURE. This property is located within a:
[ ] Noise Zone
[ ] Accident Potential Zone
…as indicated by the local municipality’s official zoning map.
Download: Virginia Military Air Installation Disclosure Form (PDF)
Defective Drywall Disclosure
Applicable to any rental unit where the landlord has actual knowledge of defective drywall.
A Virginia landlord with knowledge of defective drywall which can pose a hazard to potential tenants must disclose this knowledge in the rental agreement.
Defective dry wall (or a similar building material which contains dried gypsum-based plaster) means that the material contains sulfur which is greater than 10 parts per million and is found in the People’s Republic of China’s manufactured products that were imported into the United States during 2004 and 2007. When this material is exposed to heat or humidity it releases hydrogen sulfide gases into the air and has been deemed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has a hazardous material.
The disclosure should be presented to the tenant before entering a rental agreement.
DEFECTIVE DRYWALL. This property contains defective drywall as defined by VA Code § 36-156.1.
Download: Virginia Defective Drywall Disclosure Form (PDF)
Methamphetamine Contamination Disclosure
Applicable to any property where the landlord has knowledge of possible methamphetamine contamination.
In Virginia, disclosure of any knowledge relating to methamphetamine manufacturing that occurred previously on the property must be disclosed.
Only known information must be disclosed, and a contaminated unit may not be rented out unless it has been decontaminated according to safety guidelines. The Board of Contractors, the Department of Environmental Quality and other relevant entities have established guidelines to certify that methamphetamine levels are at or below the post clean up target.
METHAMPHETAMINE DISCLOSURE. Methamphetamine contamination can be dangerous to Tenant(s) in high concentrations, presenting health concerns through absorption of the materials in the air.
This property:
[ ] Has been found to be contaminated above safe levels and is in the process of decontamination.
[ ] Has been found to be contaminated, but falls within safe levels after tests were conducted.
[ ] Has no suspicion of contamination
Download: Virginia Methamphetamine Contamination Disclosure Form (PDF)
Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
Applicable to any rental units built prior to 1978.
It is a federal law in the United States that any home built prior to 1978 must disclose the risks posed by lead-based paints. This law requires landlords in Virginia to:
- Fill out and attach this lead-based paint disclosure form to the lease agreement.
- Provide the tenant with an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-approved pamphlet about the dangers of lead-based paint.
- Provide additional records or reports about the presence or hazards of any known lead-based paint in the unit. For multi-unit buildings with common areas, this includes information from building-wide evaluations.
Download: Virginia Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Form (PDF)
Optional Disclosures & Addendums (Recommended)
The following lease agreement disclosures and addendums are not required by Virginia law in residential lease agreements, but either help reduce future conflicts with tenants or reduce legal liability for landlords.
- Medical Marijuana Use – it is recommended to state where medical marijuana use is and isn’t allowed on the property so that expectations are clear. Virginia law allows landlords to restrict marijuana usage to non-smoking methods only or control where users can smoke to not interfere with other tenants’ peaceful enjoyment of the premises.
- Late and Returned Check Fees – it is recommended that landlords disclose in the lease any late fees or returned (bounced) check fees that they intend to charge. Virginia does not limit how high these fees can be, but they should be considered reasonable (often no more than 10% of rent) and reflect the actual expenses incurred by the landlord as a result of a late payment. They must also be charged only after the agreed upon due date for rent, dictated in the lease. Rent is considered late if funds are not received five days after it is due.
- Bed Bug Disclosure – for rental units with a history of infestation, it is recommended to provide information on the protocol for handling a bed bug infestation. This addendum will notify the tenant of their obligation to cooperate with bed bug prevention by promptly reporting any sign of infestation to the landlord.
- Asbestos Disclosure – for rental units built prior to 1981, asbestos was a common building material. This disclosure will notify the tenant to take certain precautions to minimize the chance of disturbing the asbestos fibers (i.e. no sanding, pounding, modifications or repairs, without the landlord’s consent). The disclosure will also notify the tenant of their obligation to immediately notify the landlord if any ceilings begin to deteriorate.
Sources
- 1 VA Code § 55.1-1216 (2019)
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A. For the purpose of service of process and receiving and issuing receipts for notices and demands, the landlord or any person authorized to enter into a rental agreement on his behalf shall disclose to the tenant in writing at or before the beginning of the tenancy the name and address of:
1. The person authorized to manage the premises; and
2. An owner of the premises or any other person authorized to act for and on behalf of the owner.
- 2 VA Code § 55.1-1214 (2019)
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A. The landlord shall, within five days after occupancy of a dwelling unit, submit a written report to the tenant itemizing damages to the dwelling unit existing at the time of occupancy, and the report shall be deemed correct unless the tenant objects to it in writing within five days after receipt of the report.
- 3 VA Code § 55.1-1212 (2019)
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C. If energy submetering equipment, energy allocation equipment, or water and sewer submetering equipment is used in any residential building, the owner, manager, or operator of such residential building shall bill the tenant for electricity, oil, natural gas, or water and sewer for the same billing period as the utility serving the residential building, unless the rental agreement or lease expressly provides otherwise. The owner, manager, or operator of such residential building may charge and collect from the tenant additional service charges, including monthly billing fees, account set-up fees, or account move-out fees, to cover the actual costs of administrative expenses and billing charged to the residential building owner, manager, or operator by a third-party provider of such services, provided that such charges are agreed to by the residential building owner and the tenant in the rental agreement or lease.
- 4 VA Code § 55.1-1215 (2019)
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As part of the written report of the move-in inspection required by § 55.1-1214, the landlord shall disclose whether there is any visible evidence of mold in areas readily accessible within the interior of the dwelling unit. If the landlord’s written disclosure states that there is no visible evidence of mold in the dwelling unit, this written statement shall be deemed correct unless the tenant objects to it in writing within five days after receiving the report.
- 5 VA Code § 55.1-1216 (2019)
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C. With respect to a multifamily dwelling unit, if an application for registration of the rental property as a condominium or cooperative has been filed with the Real Estate Board, or if there is within six months an existing plan for tenant displacement resulting from (i) demolition or substantial rehabilitation of the property or (ii) conversion of the rental property to office, hotel, or motel use or planned unit development, the landlord or any person authorized to enter into a rental agreement on his behalf shall disclose that information in writing to any prospective tenant.
- 6 VA Code § 55.1-1217 (2019)
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A. The landlord of property in any locality in which a military air installation is located, or any person authorized to enter into a rental agreement on his behalf, shall provide to a prospective tenant a written disclosure that the property is located in a noise zone or accident potential zone, or both, as designated by the locality on its official zoning map. Such disclosure shall be provided prior to the execution by the tenant of a written lease agreement or, in the case of an oral lease agreement, prior to occupancy by the tenant. The disclosure shall specify the noise zone or accident potential zone in which the property is located according to the official zoning map of the locality. A disclosure made pursuant to this section containing inaccurate information regarding the location of the noise zone or accident potential zone shall be deemed as nondisclosure unless the inaccurate information is provided by an officer or employee of the locality in which the property is located.
- 7 VA Code § 55.1-1218 (2019)
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A. If the landlord of a dwelling unit has actual knowledge of the existence of defective drywall in such dwelling unit that has not been remediated, the landlord shall provide to a prospective tenant a written disclosure that the property has defective drywall. Such disclosure shall be provided prior to the execution by the tenant of a written lease agreement or, in the case of an oral lease agreement, prior to occupancy by the tenant. For purposes of this section, “defective drywall” means all defective drywall as defined in § 36-156.1.
- 8 VA Code § 55.1-1219 (2019)
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A. If the landlord of a dwelling unit has actual knowledge that the dwelling unit was previously used to manufacture methamphetamine and has not been cleaned up in accordance with the guidelines established pursuant to § 32.1-11.7 and the applicable licensing provisions of Chapter 11 (§ 54.1-1100 et seq.) of Title 54.1, the landlord shall provide to a prospective tenant a written disclosure that states such information. Such disclosure shall be provided prior to the execution by the tenant of a written lease agreement or, in the case of an oral lease agreement, prior to occupancy by the tenant.
