Renter guide · Virginia
When Virginia local government may step in on a serious rental hazard
A July 1, 2026 change gives a Virginia city or county a court option when a serious rental hazard remains unresolved after local notice. The local government decides whether to use it; a complaint does not automatically become a lawsuit.
The condition has to meet a serious safety test
The law covers a material landlord noncompliance that, if it is not fixed within a reasonable time, is a fire hazard or a serious threat to a tenant's or occupant's life, health, or safety.
Its examples include rodent infestation, no heat, no hot or cold running water, no electricity, and inadequate sewage disposal. An example still has to meet the law's full test; it is not an automatic court case.
The city or county must notify the landlord
For this court option, the locality must notify the owner, either directly or through the managing agent, about the nature of the violation.
The property must be inside that locality. A renter's own maintenance message may document the problem, but it is not the local-government notice required by this section.
The law does not set one statewide day count
After local notice, the landlord must fail to fix the violation to the locality's satisfaction within a reasonable time. This section does not define one deadline for every condition.
The locality may then choose to bring a case. If the court finds that the landlord failed to keep the dwelling fit and habitable, it must order the practice stopped and may award damages to the tenant or occupant represented in the case.
For Arlington or Fairfax, use the official code office
- Arlington: submit a Code Enforcement complaint through Permit Arlington or call 703-228-3232.
- Fairfax County: use the Department of Code Compliance Report a Violation form, call 703-324-1300, or email codecompliance@fairfaxcounty.gov.
- Use emergency services for an immediate danger. The local office decides what to inspect and enforce.
Who this covers
This guide explains the local-government option in Virginia Code section 55.1-1259(B). The rental must be inside that city or county, and the case must be brought for a tenant or occupant harmed by the landlord's serious noncompliance.
This does not cover every delayed or disputed repair. The condition must be a fire hazard or a serious threat to life, health, or safety if it is not fixed within a reasonable time.
The Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act applies statewide to residential dwelling units, with the excluded occupancies listed in Virginia Code section 55.1-1201.
Primary sources
Optional: check the building's record
RentSift can show available property and public-record context for a supported address and help you prepare questions for a leasing office. It cannot inspect a home, determine that this law applies, submit a condition complaint, cause a locality to file a case, or provide legal advice.
RentSift is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. This guide is general information about published rules, not advice for your situation. Laws change; the cited source is always the authority.