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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>69130</law_id><section_number>55.1-1254</section_number><catch_line>Disposal of property abandoned by tenants</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><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 any items of personal property are left in the <span class="dictionary">dwelling unit</span>, the <span class="dictionary">premises</span>, or any storage area provided by the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> after the <span class="dictionary">rental agreement</span> has terminated and delivery of <span class="dictionary">possession</span> has occurred, the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> may consider such property to be abandoned. The <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> may dispose of the property so abandoned as the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> sees fit or appropriate, provided that he has given (i) a termination notice to the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> in accordance with this chapter, including a statement that any items of personal property left in the <span class="dictionary">dwelling unit</span> or the <span class="dictionary">premises</span> would be disposed of within the 24-hour period after termination; (ii) <span class="dictionary">written notice</span> to the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> in accordance with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Remedies for absence, nonuse, and abandonment" href="/55.1-1249/">55.1-1249</a>, including a statement that any items of personal property left in the <span class="dictionary">dwelling unit</span>, the <span class="dictionary">premises</span>, or the storage area would be disposed of within the 24-hour period after expiration of the seven-day notice period; or (iii) a separate <span class="dictionary">written notice</span> to the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span>, including a statement that any items of personal property left in the <span class="dictionary">dwelling unit</span>, the <span class="dictionary">premises</span>, or the storage area would be disposed of within 24 hours after expiration of a 10-day period from the date such notice was given to the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span>. Any <span class="dictionary">written notice</span> to the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> shall be given in accordance with &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Notice" href="/55.1-1202/">55.1-1202</a>. The <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> shall have the right to remove his personal property from the <span class="dictionary">dwelling unit</span>, the <span class="dictionary">premises</span>, or the storage area at reasonable times during the 24-hour period after termination or at such other reasonable times until the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> has disposed of the remaining personal property of the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span>.
		During the 24-hour period and until the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> disposes of the remaining personal property of the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span>, the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> shall not have any liability for the risk of loss for such personal property. If the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> fails to allow reasonable access to the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> to remove his personal property as provided in this section, the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> shall have a right to injunctive or other relief as provided by <span class="dictionary">law</span>. If the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> received any funds from any sale of abandoned property as provided in this section, the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> shall pay such funds to the account of the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> and apply the funds to any amounts due the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> by the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span>, including the reasonable costs incurred by the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> in selling, storing, or safekeeping such property. If any such funds are remaining after application, the remaining funds shall be treated as a <span class="dictionary">security deposit</span> under the provisions of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Security deposits" href="/55.1-1226/">55.1-1226</a>. The provisions of this section shall not be applicable if the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> has been granted an <span class="dictionary">order</span> of <span class="dictionary">possession</span> for the <span class="dictionary">premises</span> in accordance with Title 8.01 and execution of a <span class="dictionary">writ</span> of eviction has been completed pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Writs on judgments for specific property" href="/8.01-470/">8.01-470</a>.
		Nothing in this section shall affect the right of a <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> to enforce an inchoate or perfected <span class="dictionary">lien</span> of the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> on the personal property of a <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> in a <span class="dictionary">dwelling unit</span> or on the <span class="dictionary">premises</span> leased to such <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> and the right of a <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> to distress, <span class="dictionary">levy</span>, and seize such personal property as otherwise provided by <span class="dictionary">law</span>.</p></section></text><history>1984, c. 741, &#xA7; 55-248.38:1; 1995, c. 228; 1998, c. 461; 2000, c. 760; 2002, c. 762; 2013, c. 563; 2017, c. 730; 2019, cc. 180, 700, 712.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
