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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>86328</law_id><section_number>55.1-1251</section_number><catch_line>Remedy after termination</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>55.1-1226</reference><reference>55.1-1236</reference><reference>55.1-1240</reference><reference>55.1-1245</reference><reference>55.1-1249</reference><reference>55.1-1253</reference><reference>55.1-1256</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="5">Landlord Remedies</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>If the <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span> is terminated, the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> may have a claim for <span class="dictionary">possession</span> and for <span class="dictionary">rent</span> and a separate claim for actual <span class="dictionary">damages</span> for breach of the <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span>, reasonable attorney fees as provided in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="(Effective the later of July 1, 2028, or 7 years after the COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency expires) Noncompliance with rental agreement; monetary penalty" href="/55.1-1245/">55.1-1245</a>, and the cost of service of any <span class="dictionary">notice</span> under &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="(Effective the later of July 1, 2028, or 7 years after the COVID-19 pandemic state of emergency expires) Noncompliance with rental agreement; monetary penalty" href="/55.1-1245/">55.1-1245</a> or <a class="law" title="Failure to pay certain rents after five days' notice forfeits right of possession" href="/55.1-1415/">55.1-1415</a> or process by a sheriff or private process server, which cost shall not exceed the amount authorized by &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Sheriffs authorized to serve certain notices; fee for service" href="/55.1-1247/">55.1-1247</a>, and such claims may be enforced, without limitation, by initiating an action for unlawful entry or detainer. Actual <span class="dictionary">damages</span> for breach of the <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span> may include a claim for <span class="dictionary">rent</span> that would have accrued until the expiration of the term of the <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span> or until a tenancy pursuant to a new <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span> commences, whichever occurs first, provided that nothing contained in this section shall diminish the duty of the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> to mitigate actual <span class="dictionary">damages</span> for breach of the <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span>. In obtaining post-<span class="dictionary">possession</span> <span class="dictionary">judgments</span> for actual <span class="dictionary">damages</span> as defined in this section, the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> shall not seek a <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> for accelerated <span class="dictionary">rent</span> through the end of the term of the tenancy.
		In any <span class="dictionary">unlawful detainer action</span> brought by the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span>, this section shall not be construed to prevent the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> from being granted by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> a simultaneous <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> for money due and for <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of the <span class="dictionary">premises</span> without a credit for any <span class="dictionary">security deposit</span>. Upon the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> vacating the <span class="dictionary">premises</span> either voluntarily or by a <span class="dictionary">writ</span> of eviction, <span class="dictionary">security deposits</span> shall be credited to the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span>&#x2019;s account by the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> in accordance with the requirements of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Security deposits" href="/55.1-1226/">55.1-1226</a>.</p></section></text><history>1974, c. 680, &#xA7; 55-248.35; 1981, c. 539; 1988, c. 68; 1989, c. 383; 1996, c. 326; 2000, c. 760; 2001, c. 524; 2019, cc. 180, 700, 712.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
