{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/55.1-1234.1.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/55.1-1234.1.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/55.1-1234.1.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/55.1-1234.1.html"}],"law_id":63784,"edition_id":1,"section_id":63784,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1234.1","catch_line":"Uninhabitable dwelling unit","history":"2023, c. 435.","full_text":"A\n\nIf, at the beginning of the tenancy, a condition exists in a rental dwelling unit that constitutes a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or safety of tenants or occupants of the premises, including an infestation of rodents or a lack of heat, hot or cold running water, electricity, or adequate sewage disposal facilities, the tenant shall be entitled to terminate the rental agreement and receive a full refund of all deposits and rent paid to the landlord, so long as the tenant provides the landlord with written notice of his intent to terminate the rental agreement within seven days of the date on which possession of the dwelling unit was to have transferred to the tenant. Unless the landlord asserts, pursuant to subsection B, that the tenant’s termination of the rental agreement is unjustified, the landlord shall refund all deposits and rent paid by the tenant to the tenant on or before the fifteenth business day following the day on which (i) the termination notice is delivered to the landlord or (ii) the tenant vacates the dwelling unit, whichever occurs later.B\n\nIf a tenant terminates a rental agreement pursuant to subsection A and the landlord asserts that the tenant is unjustified in his termination of the rental agreement, the landlord shall provide written notice to the tenant of his refusal to accept the tenant’s termination notice, along with the reasons for such refusal, within 15 business days following the date on which such termination notice is delivered to the landlord.C\n\nA tenant who has not taken possession or who has vacated the dwelling unit may file an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to contest the landlord’s refusal to accept the termination notice, if applicable, and for the return of any deposits and rent paid to the landlord. In any such action, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney fees.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":232424,"text":"If, at the beginning of the tenancy, a condition exists in a rental dwelling unit that constitutes a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or safety of tenants or occupants of the premises, including an infestation of rodents or a lack of heat, hot or cold running water, electricity, or adequate sewage disposal facilities, the tenant shall be entitled to terminate the rental agreement and receive a full refund of all deposits and rent paid to the landlord, so long as the tenant provides the landlord with written notice of his intent to terminate the rental agreement within seven days of the date on which possession of the dwelling unit was to have transferred to the tenant. Unless the landlord asserts, pursuant to subsection B, that the tenant’s termination of the rental agreement is unjustified, the landlord shall refund all deposits and rent paid by the tenant to the tenant on or before the fifteenth business day following the day on which (i) the termination notice is delivered to the landlord or (ii) the tenant vacates the dwelling unit, whichever occurs later.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":232425,"text":"If a tenant terminates a rental agreement pursuant to subsection A and the landlord asserts that the tenant is unjustified in his termination of the rental agreement, the landlord shall provide written notice to the tenant of his refusal to accept the tenant’s termination notice, along with the reasons for such refusal, within 15 business days following the date on which such termination notice is delivered to the landlord.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":232426,"text":"A tenant who has not taken possession or who has vacated the dwelling unit may file an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to contest the landlord’s refusal to accept the termination notice, if applicable, and for the return of any deposits and rent paid to the landlord. In any such action, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney fees.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15022,"edition_id":1,"name":"Tenant Remedies","identifier":"4","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14100,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:51:34","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:51:34","permalink":{"id":246041,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15022,"identifier":"4","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4","url":"\/55.1\/III\/12\/4\/","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":84339,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1234","catch_line":"Noncompliance by landlord","url":"\/55.1-1234\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1234","metadata":false},{"id":63784,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1234.1","catch_line":"Uninhabitable dwelling unit","url":"\/55.1-1234.1\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1234.1","metadata":false},{"id":60083,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1235","catch_line":"Early termination of rental agreement by military personnel","url":"\/55.1-1235\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1235","metadata":false},{"id":68972,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1236","catch_line":"Early termination of rental agreements by victims of family abuse, sexual abuse or other criminal sexual assault, or stalking","url":"\/55.1-1236\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1236","metadata":false},{"id":65508,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1237","catch_line":"Notice to tenant in event of foreclosure","url":"\/55.1-1237\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1237","metadata":false},{"id":76367,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1238","catch_line":"Failure to deliver possession","url":"\/55.1-1238\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1238","metadata":false},{"id":63674,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1239","catch_line":"Wrongful failure to supply an essential service","url":"\/55.1-1239\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1239","metadata":false},{"id":69167,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1240","catch_line":"Fire or casualty damage","url":"\/55.1-1240\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1240","metadata":false},{"id":78917,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1241","catch_line":"Landlord's noncompliance as defense to action for possession for nonpayment of rent","url":"\/55.1-1241\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1241","metadata":false},{"id":77626,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1242","catch_line":"Rent escrow required for continuance of tenant's case","url":"\/55.1-1242\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1242","metadata":false},{"id":66990,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1243","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/55.1-1243\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1243","metadata":false},{"id":59240,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1243.1","catch_line":"Tenant's remedies for exclusion from dwelling unit, interruption of services, or actions taken to make premises unsafe","url":"\/55.1-1243.1\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1243.1","metadata":false},{"id":57281,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1243.2","catch_line":"Tenant's remedies for exclusion from dwelling unit due to condemnation","url":"\/55.1-1243.2\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1243.2","metadata":false},{"id":69403,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1244","catch_line":"Tenant's assertion; rent escrow","url":"\/55.1-1244\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1244","metadata":false},{"id":58681,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1244.1","catch_line":"Tenant's remedy by repair","url":"\/55.1-1244.1\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1244.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":84339,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1234","catch_line":"Noncompliance by landlord","url":"\/55.1-1234\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1234","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":60083,"structure_id":15022,"section_number":"55.1-1235","catch_line":"Early termination of rental agreement by military personnel","url":"\/55.1-1235\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1235","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/55.1-1234.1\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2023. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 435<\/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.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":246047,"object_type":"law","relational_id":63784,"identifier":"55.1-1234.1","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1234.1","url":"\/55.1-1234.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/55.1-1234.1\/","token":"55.1\/III\/12\/4\/55.1-1234.1","dublin_core":{"Title":"Uninhabitable dwelling unit","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 55.1-1234.1","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> If, at the beginning of the tenancy, a condition exists in a rental dwelling unit<\/span> that constitutes a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or safety of tenants<\/span> or occupants of the premises<\/span>, including an infestation of rodents or a lack of heat, hot or cold running water, electricity, or adequate sewage disposal facilities, the tenant<\/span> shall be entitled to terminate the rental agreement<\/span> and receive a full refund of all deposits and rent<\/span> paid to the landlord<\/span>, so long as the tenant<\/span> provides the landlord<\/span> with written notice<\/span> of his intent<\/span> to terminate the rental agreement<\/span> within seven days of the date on which possession<\/span> of the dwelling unit<\/span> was to have transferred to the tenant<\/span>. Unless the landlord<\/span> asserts, pursuant to subsection B, that the tenant<\/span>’s termination of the rental agreement<\/span> is unjustified, the landlord<\/span> shall refund all deposits and rent<\/span> paid by the tenant<\/span> to the tenant<\/span> on or before the fifteenth business day following the day on which (i) the termination notice is delivered to the landlord<\/span> or (ii) the tenant<\/span> vacates the dwelling unit<\/span>, whichever occurs later. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> If a tenant<\/span> terminates a rental agreement<\/span> pursuant to subsection A and the landlord<\/span> asserts that the tenant<\/span> is unjustified in his termination of the rental agreement<\/span>, the landlord<\/span> shall provide written notice<\/span> to the tenant<\/span> of his refusal to accept the tenant<\/span>’s termination notice, along with the reasons for such refusal, within 15 business days following the date on which such termination notice is delivered to the landlord<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> A tenant<\/span> who has not taken possession<\/span> or who has vacated the dwelling unit<\/span> may file an action<\/span> in a court<\/span> of competent jurisdiction<\/span> to contest the landlord<\/span>’s refusal to accept the termination notice, if applicable, and for the return of any deposits and rent<\/span> paid to the landlord<\/span>. In any such action<\/span>, the prevailing party<\/span> shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney fees. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUNINHABITABLE DWELLING UNIT (\u00a7 55.1-1234.1)\n\nA. If, at the beginning of the tenancy, a condition exists in a rental dwelling\nunit that constitutes a fire hazard or serious threat to the life, health, or\nsafety of tenants or occupants of the premises, including an infestation of\nrodents or a lack of heat, hot or cold running water, electricity, or adequate\nsewage disposal facilities, the tenant shall be entitled to terminate the rental\nagreement and receive a full refund of all deposits and rent paid to the\nlandlord, so long as the tenant provides the landlord with written notice of his\nintent to terminate the rental agreement within seven days of the date on which\npossession of the dwelling unit was to have transferred to the tenant. Unless\nthe landlord asserts, pursuant to subsection B, that the tenant’s\ntermination of the rental agreement is unjustified, the landlord shall refund\nall deposits and rent paid by the tenant to the tenant on or before the\nfifteenth business day following the day on which (i) the termination notice is\ndelivered to the landlord or (ii) the tenant vacates the dwelling unit,\nwhichever occurs later.\n\nB. If a tenant terminates a rental agreement pursuant to subsection A and the\nlandlord asserts that the tenant is unjustified in his termination of the rental\nagreement, the landlord shall provide written notice to the tenant of his\nrefusal to accept the tenant’s termination notice, along with the reasons\nfor such refusal, within 15 business days following the date on which such\ntermination notice is delivered to the landlord.\n\nC. A tenant who has not taken possession or who has vacated the dwelling unit\nmay file an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to contest the\nlandlord’s refusal to accept the termination notice, if applicable, and\nfor the return of any deposits and rent paid to the landlord. In any such\naction, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney\nfees.\n\nHISTORY: 2023, c. 435.","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}}