§ 36-99.5 Smoke alarms for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing
Smoke alarms for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing shall be installed only in conformance with the provisions of the current Building Code and maintained in accordance with the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (§ 27-94 et seq.) and subdivision C 6 of § 36-105, Part III of the Building Code. Such alarms shall be provided by the landlord or proprietor, upon request by a tenant of a rental unit or a person living with such tenant who is deaf or hard of hearing as referenced by the Virginia Fair Housing Law (§ 36-96.1 et seq.), or upon request by an occupant of any of the following occupancies, regardless of when constructed:
1. All dormitory buildings arranged for the shelter and sleeping accommodations of more than 20 individuals;
2. All boarding and lodging houses arranged for shelter and sleeping accommodations of more than five individuals; or
3. All residential rental dwelling units. A tenant shall be responsible for the maintenance and operation of the smoke alarm in the tenant’s unit in accordance with § 55.1-1227. A hotel or motel shall have available no fewer than one such smoke alarm for each 70 units or portion thereof, except that this requirement shall not apply to any hotel or motel with fewer than 35 units. The proprietor of the hotel or motel shall post in a conspicuous place at the registration desk or counter a permanent sign stating the availability of smoke alarms for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. Visual alarms shall be provided for all meeting rooms for which an advance request has been made. The proprietor or landlord may require a refundable deposit for a smoke alarm, not to exceed the original cost or replacement cost, whichever is greater, of such smoke alarm. Rental fees shall not be increased as compensation for this requirement. A landlord of a rental unit shall provide a reasonable accommodation to a person who is deaf or hard of hearing who requests installation of a smoke alarm that is appropriate for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing if such accommodation is appropriate in accordance with the Virginia Fair Housing Law (§ 36-96.1 et seq.).
History
This law was first created in 1984. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 753 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1984 “Acts” aren’t available online. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1988, chapter 183; in 2011, chapter 766; in 2018, chapters 41 and 81; in 2019, chapter 288.
1984, c. 753; 1988, c. 183; 2011, c. 766; 2018, cc. 41, 81; 2019, c. 288.