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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>74321</law_id><section_number>55.1-2135</section_number><catch_line>Transfer of special declarant rights</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><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="IV">Common Interest Communities</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="21">Virginia Real Estate Cooperative Act</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="3">Management of Cooperatives</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> No <span class="dictionary">special declarant rights</span> created or reserved under this chapter may be transferred except by an instrument evidencing the transfer recorded in every county or city in which any portion of the <span class="dictionary">cooperative</span> is located. The instrument is not effective unless executed by the transferee. <a id="paragraph-267176" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Upon transfer of any special declarant right, the liability of a transferor declarant is as follows: <a id="paragraph-267177" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> A transferor is not relieved of any obligation or liability arising before the transfer and remains liable for warranty obligations imposed upon him by this chapter. Lack of privity does not deprive any <span class="dictionary">proprietary lessee</span> of standing to maintain an action to enforce any obligation of the transferor. <a id="paragraph-267178" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> If a successor to any special declarant right is an <span class="dictionary">affiliate of a declarant</span>, the transferor is jointly and severally liable with the successor for any obligations or liabilities of the successor relating to the <span class="dictionary">cooperative</span>. <a id="paragraph-267179" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> If a transferor retains any <span class="dictionary">special declarant rights</span>, but transfers other <span class="dictionary">special declarant rights</span> to a successor who is not an affiliate of the declarant, the transferor is liable for any obligations or liabilities imposed on a declarant by this chapter or by the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span> relating to the retained <span class="dictionary">special declarant rights</span> and arising after the transfer. <a id="paragraph-267180" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> A transferor has no liability for any act or omission or any breach of a contractual or warranty obligation arising from the exercise of a special declarant right by a successor declarant who is not an affiliate of the transferor. <a id="paragraph-267181" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#B4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Unless otherwise provided in a security agreement, in case of foreclosure of a security agreement, tax sale, judicial sale, sale by a trustee under a security agreement or sale under receivership proceedings or the <span class="dictionary">Bankruptcy Code</span> as codified in Title 11 of the United States Code, of any <span class="dictionary">cooperative interests</span> owned by a declarant or of <span class="dictionary">real estate</span> in a cooperative subject to <span class="dictionary">development rights</span>: <a id="paragraph-267182" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> A <span class="dictionary">person</span> acquiring all the <span class="dictionary">cooperative interests</span> or <span class="dictionary">real estate</span> being foreclosed or sold shall succeed, but only upon his request, to all <span class="dictionary">special declarant rights</span> related to that property held by that declarant or only to any rights reserved in the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Use for sales purposes" href="/55.1-2125/">55.1-2125</a> and held by that declarant to maintain models, sales offices, and signs. <a id="paragraph-267183" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#C1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> or instrument conveying title shall provide for transfer of only the <span class="dictionary">special declarant rights</span> requested. <a id="paragraph-267184" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#C2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Upon foreclosure, tax sale, judicial sale, sale by a trustee under a security agreement, or sale under receivership proceedings or the <span class="dictionary">Bankruptcy Code</span> as codified in Title 11 of the United States Code, of all <span class="dictionary">cooperative interests</span> or <span class="dictionary">real estate</span> in a cooperative owned by a declarant: <a id="paragraph-267185" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> The declarant ceases to have any <span class="dictionary">special declarant rights</span>, and <a id="paragraph-267186" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#D1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> The period of declarant control as provided in subsection D of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Executive board members and officers" href="/55.1-2134/">55.1-2134</a> terminates unless the <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> or instrument conveying title provides for transfer of all <span class="dictionary">special declarant rights</span> held by that declarant to a successor declarant. <a id="paragraph-267187" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#D2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> The liabilities and obligations of a <span class="dictionary">person</span> who succeeds to <span class="dictionary">special declarant rights</span> are as follows: <a id="paragraph-267188" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> A successor to any special declarant right who is an <span class="dictionary">affiliate of a declarant</span> is subject to all obligations and liabilities imposed on the transferor by this chapter or by the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span>. <a id="paragraph-267189" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#E1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> A successor to any special declarant right, other than a successor described in subdivision 3 or 4, who is not an <span class="dictionary">affiliate of a declarant</span> is subject to all obligations and liabilities imposed by this chapter or the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span>:
				a. On a declarant that relate to his exercise or non-exercise of <span class="dictionary">special declarant rights</span>; or
				b. On his transferor, other than: <a id="paragraph-267190" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#E2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E21" class="indent-2"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Misrepresentations by any previous declarant; <a id="paragraph-267191" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#E21"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E22" class="indent-2"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Warranty obligations on improvements made by any previous declarant or made before the cooperative was created; <a id="paragraph-267192" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#E22"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E23" class="indent-2"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Breach of any fiduciary obligation by any previous declarant or his appointees to the <span class="dictionary">executive board</span>; or <a id="paragraph-267193" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#E23"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E24" class="indent-2"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Any liability or obligation imposed on the transferor as a result of the transferor&#x2019;s acts or omissions after the transfer. <a id="paragraph-267194" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#E24"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> A successor to only a right reserved in the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span> to maintain models, sales offices, and signs pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Use for sales purposes" href="/55.1-2125/">55.1-2125</a>, if he is not an <span class="dictionary">affiliate of a declarant</span>, may not exercise any other special declarant right and is not subject to any liability or obligation as a declarant, except the obligation to provide a current public <span class="dictionary">offering</span> statement, any liability arising as a result of providing a public <span class="dictionary">offering</span> statement, and obligations under Article 5 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Common Interest Community Board" href="/55.1-2173/">55.1-2173</a> et seq.). <a id="paragraph-267195" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#E3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> A successor to all <span class="dictionary">special declarant rights</span> held by his transferor who is not an affiliate of that declarant and who succeeded to those rights pursuant to a deed or other instrument of conveyance in lieu of foreclosure or a <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> or instrument conveying title to <span class="dictionary">cooperative interests</span> or <span class="dictionary">real estate</span> subject to <span class="dictionary">development rights</span> under subsection C may declare his intention in a recorded instrument to hold those rights solely for transfer to another <span class="dictionary">person</span>. After declaring such an intention in a recorded instrument, until transferring all <span class="dictionary">special declarant rights</span> to any <span class="dictionary">person</span> acquiring title to any <span class="dictionary">cooperative interest</span> or <span class="dictionary">real estate</span> subject to <span class="dictionary">development rights</span> owned by the successor, or until recording an instrument permitting exercise of all those rights, that successor may not exercise any of those rights other than any right held by his transferor to control the <span class="dictionary">executive board</span> in accordance with the provisions of subsection D of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Executive board members and officers" href="/55.1-2134/">55.1-2134</a> for the duration of any period of declarant control, and any attempted exercise of those rights is void. So long as a successor declarant may not exercise <span class="dictionary">special declarant rights</span> under this subsection, he is not subject to any liability or obligation as a declarant other than liability for his acts and omissions under subsection D of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Executive board members and officers" href="/55.1-2134/">55.1-2134</a>. <a id="paragraph-267196" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#E4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> Nothing in this section subjects any successor to a special declarant right to any claims against or other obligations of a transferor declarant, other than claims and obligations arising under this chapter or the <span class="dictionary">declaration</span>. <a id="paragraph-267197" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/55.1-2135/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1982, c. 277, &#xA7; 55-461; 2019, c. 712.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
