Virginia Code 55.1-1302: Term of rental agreement; renewal; security deposits
A. A landlord shall offer all current and prospective year-round residents a rental agreement with a rental period of not less than one year. Such offer shall contain the same terms and conditions as are offered with shorter term leases, except that rental discounts may be offered by a landlord to residents who enter into a rental agreement for a period of not less than one year.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 55.1-1302
- in writing: include any representation of words, letters, symbols, numbers, or figures, whether (i) printed or inscribed on a tangible medium or (ii) stored in an electronic or other medium and retrievable in a perceivable form and whether an electronic signature authorized by Virginia Code 1-257
- Landlord: means the manufactured home park owner or the lessor or sublessor of a manufactured home park. See Virginia Code 55.1-1300
- Rent: means payments made by the tenant to the landlord for use of a manufactured home lot and other facilities or services provided by the landlord. See Virginia Code 55.1-1300
- Rental agreement: means any agreement, written or oral, and valid rules and regulations adopted in conformance with § Virginia Code 55.1-1300
- Tenant: means a person entitled as under a rental agreement to occupy a manufactured home lot to the exclusion of others. See Virginia Code 55.1-1300
B. Upon the expiration of a rental agreement with a term of one year or more, the agreement shall be automatically renewed for a term of the same duration with the same terms unless either party provides written notification of an intent to not renew the agreement at least 60 days prior to the expiration date or the landlord provides written notice to the tenant of any change in the terms of the agreement at least 60 days prior to the expiration date. If the tenant notifies the landlord in writing within 30 days of receiving notice of the change in terms that he does not agree to such change in terms, such tenant may choose to not renew the rental agreement unless the landlord agrees to maintain the same terms as those in the current agreement. In the case of an automatic renewal of a rental agreement for a year-round resident, the security deposit initially furnished by the tenant shall not be increased by the landlord, nor shall an additional security deposit be required.
C. Except as limited by subsection B, the provisions of § 55.1-1226 shall govern the terms and conditions of security deposits for rental agreements under this chapter.
D. No landlord shall charge a tenant for late payment of rent unless such charge is provided for in the written rental agreement. No such late charge shall exceed the lesser of 10 percent of the periodic rent or 10 percent of the remaining balance due and owed by the tenant.
1992, c. 709, § 55-248.42:1; 1999, c. 513; 2000, c. 41; 2019, c. 712; 2024, cc. 726, 762.