{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/55.1-1218.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/55.1-1218.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/55.1-1218.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/55.1-1218.html"}],"law_id":74874,"edition_id":1,"section_id":74874,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1218","catch_line":"Required disclosures for properties with defective drywall; remedy for nondisclosure","history":"2011, cc. 34, 46, \u00a7 55-248.12:2; 2019, c. 712.","full_text":"A\n\nIf 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.B\n\nAny tenant who is not provided the disclosure required by subsection A may terminate the lease agreement at any time within 60 days of discovery of the existence of defective drywall by providing written notice to the landlord in accordance with the lease or as required by law. Such termination shall be effective as of (i) 15 days after the date of the mailing of the notice or (ii) the date through which rent has been paid, whichever is later. In no event, however, shall the effective date of the termination exceed one month from the date of mailing. Termination of the lease agreement shall be the exclusive remedy for the failure to comply with the disclosure provisions of this section, and shall not affect any rights or duties of the landlord or tenant arising under this chapter, other applicable law, or the rental agreement.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":269010,"text":"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.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":269011,"text":"Any tenant who is not provided the disclosure required by subsection A may terminate the lease agreement at any time within 60 days of discovery of the existence of defective drywall by providing written notice to the landlord in accordance with the lease or as required by law. Such termination shall be effective as of (i) 15 days after the date of the mailing of the notice or (ii) the date through which rent has been paid, whichever is later. In no event, however, shall the effective date of the termination exceed one month from the date of mailing. Termination of the lease agreement shall be the exclusive remedy for the failure to comply with the disclosure provisions of this section, and shall not affect any rights or duties of the landlord or tenant arising under this chapter, other applicable law, or the rental agreement.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":14444,"edition_id":1,"name":"Landlord Obligations","identifier":"2","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14100,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:48:10","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:48:10","permalink":{"id":245957,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14444,"identifier":"2","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2","url":"\/55.1\/III\/12\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14100,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act","identifier":"12","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13073,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:53","permalink":{"id":245885,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14100,"identifier":"12","token":"55.1\/III\/12","url":"\/55.1\/III\/12\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13073,"edition_id":1,"name":"Rental Conveyances","identifier":"III","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12707,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:14","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:14","permalink":{"id":245883,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13073,"identifier":"III","token":"55.1\/III","url":"\/55.1\/III\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12707,"edition_id":1,"name":"Property and Conveyances","identifier":"55.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":244769,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12707,"identifier":"55.1","token":"55.1","url":"\/55.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":63685,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1214","catch_line":"Inspection of dwelling unit; report","url":"\/55.1-1214\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1214","metadata":false},{"id":55818,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1215","catch_line":"Disclosure of mold in dwelling units","url":"\/55.1-1215\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1215","metadata":false},{"id":69542,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1216","catch_line":"Disclosure of sale of premises","url":"\/55.1-1216\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1216","metadata":false},{"id":83364,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1217","catch_line":"Required disclosures for properties located adjacent to a military air installation; remedy for nondisclosure","url":"\/55.1-1217\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1217","metadata":false},{"id":74874,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1218","catch_line":"Required disclosures for properties with defective drywall; remedy for nondisclosure","url":"\/55.1-1218\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1218","metadata":false},{"id":68821,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1219","catch_line":"Required disclosures for property previously used to manufacture methamphetamine; remedy for nondisclosure","url":"\/55.1-1219\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1219","metadata":false},{"id":74964,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1220","catch_line":"Landlord to maintain fit premises","url":"\/55.1-1220\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1220","metadata":false},{"id":62652,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1221","catch_line":"Landlord to provide locks and peepholes","url":"\/55.1-1221\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1221","metadata":false},{"id":74610,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1222","catch_line":"Access of tenant to cable, satellite, and other television facilities","url":"\/55.1-1222\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1222","metadata":false},{"id":62503,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1223","catch_line":"Notice to tenants for insecticide or pesticide use","url":"\/55.1-1223\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1223","metadata":false},{"id":84720,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1224","catch_line":"Limitation of liability","url":"\/55.1-1224\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1224","metadata":false},{"id":56454,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1225","catch_line":"Tenancy at will; effect of notice of change of terms or provisions of tenancy","url":"\/55.1-1225\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1225","metadata":false},{"id":55889,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1226","catch_line":"Security deposits","url":"\/55.1-1226\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1226","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83364,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1217","catch_line":"Required disclosures for properties located adjacent to a military air installation; remedy for nondisclosure","url":"\/55.1-1217\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1217","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":68821,"structure_id":14444,"section_number":"55.1-1219","catch_line":"Required disclosures for property previously used to manufacture methamphetamine; remedy for nondisclosure","url":"\/55.1-1219\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1219","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/55.1-1218\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2011. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 34<\/a> and 46<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2019, chapter 712<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":245975,"object_type":"law","relational_id":74874,"identifier":"55.1-1218","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1218","url":"\/55.1-1218\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/55.1-1218\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/2\/55.1-1218","dublin_core":{"Title":"Required disclosures for properties with defective drywall; remedy for nondisclosure","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 55.1-1218","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> If the landlord<\/span> of a dwelling unit<\/span> has actual knowledge of the existence of defective drywall<\/span> in such dwelling unit<\/span> that has not been remediated, the landlord<\/span> shall provide to a prospective tenant<\/span> a written disclosure that the property has defective drywall<\/span>. Such disclosure shall be provided prior to the execution by the tenant<\/span> of a written lease agreement<\/span> or, in the case of an oral lease agreement<\/span>, prior to occupancy by the tenant<\/span>. For purposes of this section, “defective drywall<\/span>” means all defective drywall<\/span> as defined in § 36-156.1<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Any tenant<\/span> who is not provided the disclosure required by subsection A may terminate the lease agreement<\/span> at any time within 60 days of discovery<\/span> of the existence of defective drywall<\/span> by providing written notice<\/span> to the landlord<\/span> in accordance with the lease or as required by law<\/span>. Such termination shall be effective as of (i) 15 days after the date of the mailing of the notice or (ii) the date through which rent<\/span> has been paid, whichever is later. In no event, however, shall the effective date of the termination exceed one month from the date of mailing. Termination of the lease agreement<\/span> shall be the exclusive remedy for the failure to comply with the disclosure provisions of this section, and shall not affect any rights or duties of the landlord<\/span> or tenant<\/span> arising under this chapter, other applicable law<\/span>, or the rental agreement<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nREQUIRED DISCLOSURES FOR PROPERTIES WITH DEFECTIVE DRYWALL; REMEDY FOR\nNONDISCLOSURE (\u00a7 55.1-1218)\n\nA. If the landlord of a dwelling unit has actual knowledge of the existence of\ndefective drywall in such dwelling unit that has not been remediated, the\nlandlord shall provide to a prospective tenant a written disclosure that the\nproperty has defective drywall. Such disclosure shall be provided prior to the\nexecution by the tenant of a written lease agreement or, in the case of an oral\nlease agreement, prior to occupancy by the tenant. For purposes of this section,\n“defective drywall” means all defective drywall as defined in §\n36-156.1.\n\nB. Any tenant who is not provided the disclosure required by subsection A may\nterminate the lease agreement at any time within 60 days of discovery of the\nexistence of defective drywall by providing written notice to the landlord in\naccordance with the lease or as required by law. Such termination shall be\neffective as of (i) 15 days after the date of the mailing of the notice or (ii)\nthe date through which rent has been paid, whichever is later. In no event,\nhowever, shall the effective date of the termination exceed one month from the\ndate of mailing. Termination of the lease agreement shall be the exclusive\nremedy for the failure to comply with the disclosure provisions of this section,\nand shall not affect any rights or duties of the landlord or tenant arising\nunder this chapter, other applicable law, or the rental agreement.\n\nHISTORY: 2011, cc. 34, 46, \u00a7 55-248.12:2; 2019, c. 712.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}