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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>84339</law_id><section_number>55.1-1234</section_number><catch_line>Noncompliance by landlord</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>55.1-1239</reference><reference>55.1-1311</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="55.1">Property and Conveyances</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="III">Rental Conveyances</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="12">Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="4">Tenant Remedies</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Except as provided in this chapter, if there is a <span class="dictionary">material</span> noncompliance by the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> with the <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span> or a noncompliance with any provision of this chapter, materially affecting health and safety, the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> may serve a <span class="dictionary">written notice</span> on the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> specifying the acts and omissions constituting the breach and stating that the <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span> will terminate upon a date not less than 30 days after receipt of the notice if such breach is not remedied in 21 days.
		If the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> commits a breach that is not remediable, the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> may serve a <span class="dictionary">written notice</span> on the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> specifying the acts and omissions constituting the breach and stating that the <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span> will terminate upon a date not less than 30 days after receipt of the notice.
		If the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> has been served with a prior <span class="dictionary">written notice</span> that required the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> to remedy a breach, and the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> remedied such breach, where the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> intentionally commits a subsequent breach of a like nature as the prior breach, the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> may serve a <span class="dictionary">written notice</span> on the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> specifying the acts and omissions constituting the subsequent breach, make reference to the prior breach of a like nature, and state that the <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span> will terminate upon a date not less than 30 days after receipt of the notice.
		If the breach is remediable by repairs and the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> adequately remedies the breach prior to the date specified in the notice, the <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span> will not terminate. The <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> may not terminate for a condition caused by the deliberate or negligent act or omission of the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span>, an <span class="dictionary">authorized occupant</span>, or a <span class="dictionary">guest or invitee</span> of the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span>. In addition, the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> may recover <span class="dictionary">damages</span> and obtain injunctive relief for noncompliance by the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> with the provisions of the <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span> or of this chapter. The <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney fees unless the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> proves by a <span class="dictionary">preponderance of the evidence</span> that the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span>&#x2019;s <span class="dictionary">actions</span> were reasonable under the circumstances. If the <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span> is terminated due to the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span>&#x2019;s noncompliance, the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> shall return the <span class="dictionary">security deposit</span> in accordance with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Security deposits" href="/55.1-1226/">55.1-1226</a>.</p></section></text><history>1974, c. 680, &#xA7; 55-248.21; 1982, c. 260; 1987, c. 387; 2000, c. 760; 2003, c. 363; 2019, c. 712.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
