<?xml version="1.0"?>
<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>58887</law_id><section_number>8.01-226.12</section_number><catch_line>Duty of landlord and managing agent with respect to visible mold</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>55.1-1220</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="8.01">Civil Remedies and Procedure</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Actions</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="21">Miscellaneous Provisions</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> As used in this section, the following definitions apply:
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Authorized occupant</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> entitled to occupy a dwelling unit with the consent of the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span>, but who has not signed the rental agreement and therefore does not have the rights and obligations as a <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> under the rental agreement.
			&#x201C;Dwelling unit&#x201D; means a structure or part of a structure that is used as a home or residence by one or more <span class="dictionary">persons</span> who maintain a household, whether single family or multifamily, including, but not limited to, a manufactured home.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Guest or invitee</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span>, other than the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> or <span class="dictionary">person</span> authorized by the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> to occupy the dwelling unit, who has the permission of the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> to visit but not to occupy the premises.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Interior of the dwelling unit</span>&#x201D; means the inside of the dwelling unit, consisting of interior walls, floor, and ceiling that enclose the dwelling unit as conditioned space from the outside air.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Landlord</span>&#x201D; means the owner or lessor of the dwelling unit or the building of which such residential dwelling unit is a part. &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Landlord</span>&#x201D; also includes a <span class="dictionary">managing agent</span> of the premises who fails to disclose the name of such owner, lessor, or sublessor. Such <span class="dictionary">managing agent</span> shall be subject to the provisions of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Pleadings and other papers by certain parties not represented by attorneys" href="/16.1-88.03/">16.1-88.03</a>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Managing agent</span>&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> authorized by the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> to act on behalf of the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> under an agreement.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Mold remediation in accordance with professional standards</span>&#x201D; means mold remediation of that portion of the dwelling unit or premises affected by mold, or any personal property of the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> affected by mold, performed consistent with guidance documents published by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (the Bioaerosols Manual), Standard Reference Guides of the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration for Water Damage Restoration and Professional Mold Remediation, or any protocol for mold remediation prepared by an industrial hygienist consistent with said guidance documents.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Notice</span>&#x201D; means <span class="dictionary">notice</span> given in writing by either regular mail or hand delivery, with sender retaining sufficient proof of having given such <span class="dictionary">notice</span>, which may be either a United States postal certificate of mailing or a certificate of service confirming such mailing prepared by the sender. However, a <span class="dictionary">person</span> shall be deemed to have <span class="dictionary">notice</span> of a <span class="dictionary">fact</span> if he has actual knowledge of it, or he received a verbal <span class="dictionary">notice</span> of it. A <span class="dictionary">person</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">notifies</span>&#x201D; or &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">gives</span>&#x201D; a <span class="dictionary">notice</span> or notification to another by taking steps reasonably calculated to inform another <span class="dictionary">person</span> whether or not the other <span class="dictionary">person</span> actually comes to know of it. If a <span class="dictionary">notice</span> given is not in writing, the <span class="dictionary">person</span> giving the <span class="dictionary">notice</span> has the <span class="dictionary">burden of proof</span> to show that the <span class="dictionary">notice</span> was given to the recipient of the <span class="dictionary">notice</span>.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Readily accessible</span>&#x201D; means areas within the <span class="dictionary">interior of the dwelling unit</span> available for observation at the time of the move-in inspection that do not require removal of <span class="dictionary">materials</span>, personal property, equipment, or similar items.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Tenant</span>&#x201D;  means a <span class="dictionary">person</span> entitled under a rental agreement to occupy a dwelling unit to the exclusion of others. <span class="dictionary">Tenant</span> shall not include (i) an <span class="dictionary">authorized occupant</span>, (ii) a <span class="dictionary">guest or invitee</span>, or (iii) any <span class="dictionary">person</span> who guarantees or cosigns the payment of the financial obligations of a rental agreement but has no right to occupy a dwelling unit.
			&#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Visible evidence of mold</span>&#x201D; means the existence of mold in the residential dwelling unit that is visible to the naked eye of the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> or <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> at the time of the move-in inspection.
			Any term not expressly defined herein shall have the same meaning as those defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/55.1-1200/">55.1-1200</a>. <a id="paragraph-215907" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-226.12/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Neither the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> nor the <span class="dictionary">managing agent</span> shall be liable for civil <span class="dictionary">damages</span> in any personal injury or wrongful death <span class="dictionary">action</span> brought by a <span class="dictionary">tenant</span>, <span class="dictionary">authorized occupant</span>, or <span class="dictionary">guest or invitee</span> for exposure to mold arising from the condition within the interior of a dwelling unit, or for any property damage claims arising out of the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span>-<span class="dictionary">tenant</span> relationship, if the mold condition is caused solely by the <span class="dictionary">negligence</span> of the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span>. <a id="paragraph-215908" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-226.12/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> A <span class="dictionary">managing agent</span> with no maintenance responsibilities shall not be liable for civil <span class="dictionary">damages</span> in any personal injury or wrongful death <span class="dictionary">action</span> brought by the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span>, <span class="dictionary">authorized occupant</span>, or <span class="dictionary">guest or invitee</span> for exposure to mold, or for any property damage claims arising out of the residential <span class="dictionary">landlord</span>-<span class="dictionary">tenant</span> relationship, unless the <span class="dictionary">managing agent</span> fails to disclose the existence of a mold condition of which the <span class="dictionary">managing agent</span> has actual knowledge to the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> and any prospective or actual <span class="dictionary">tenants</span>. <a id="paragraph-215909" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-226.12/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> If the written move-in inspection report authorized under Chapter 12 (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Definitions" href="/55.1-1200/">55.1-1200</a> et seq.) of Title 55.1 reflects that there is no <span class="dictionary">visible evidence of mold</span> in areas <span class="dictionary">readily accessible</span> within the <span class="dictionary">interior of the dwelling unit</span>, and the <span class="dictionary">tenant</span> does not <span class="dictionary">object</span> thereto in writing within five days after receiving the report, there shall be a rebuttable <span class="dictionary">presumption</span> that no mold existed at the time of the move-in inspection. <a id="paragraph-215910" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-226.12/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> If <span class="dictionary">visible evidence of mold</span> occurs within the dwelling unit, the <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> or <span class="dictionary">managing agent</span> with the maintenance responsibilities shall, exercising ordinary care, perform <span class="dictionary">mold remediation in accordance with professional standards</span>. <a id="paragraph-215911" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-226.12/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> The <span class="dictionary">landlord</span> or <span class="dictionary">managing agent</span> with maintenance responsibilities shall comply with any other applicable provisions of <span class="dictionary">law</span>. <a id="paragraph-215912" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/8.01-226.12/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2008, cc. 162, 341.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
