Bill Text: VA SB197 | 2018 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Landlord and tenant law; notice requirements, landlord's acceptance of rent with reservation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2018-03-09 - Governor: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0233) [SB197 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2018-SB197-Chaptered.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §§55-225.47 and 55-248.34:1 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:
§55-225.47. Landlord's acceptance of rent with reservation.
A. Provided that the landlord has given written notice to
the tenant that the rent will be accepted with reservation, the The
landlord may accept full or partial payment of all rent and receive an order of
possession from a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to an unlawful
detainer action filed under Article 13 (§8.01-124 et seq.) of Chapter 3 of
Title 8.01 and proceed with eviction under §55-225.41, provided that the
landlord has stated in a written notice to the tenant that any and all amounts
owed to the landlord by the tenant, including payment of any rent, damages,
money judgment, award of attorney fees, and court costs, would be accepted with
reservation and would not constitute a waiver of the landlord's right to evict
the tenant from the dwelling unit. Such notice shall may be
included in a written termination notice given by the landlord to the tenant in
accordance with §55-225.43 or in a separate written notice given by the
landlord to the tenant within five business days of receipt of the rent,
and if so included, nothing herein shall be construed by a court of law or
otherwise as requiring such landlord to give the tenant subsequent written
notice. Unless the landlord has given such notice in a termination
notice in accordance with §55-225.43, the landlord shall continue to give a separate
written notice to the tenant within five business days of receipt of the rent
that the landlord continues to accept the rent with reservation in accordance
with this section until such time as the violation alleged in the termination
notice has been remedied or the matter has been adjudicated in a court of
competent jurisdiction. If the dwelling unit is a public housing unit or
other housing unit subject to regulation by the Department of Housing and Urban
Development, the landlord shall be deemed to have accepted rent with
reservation pursuant to this subsection if the landlord gives the tenant the
written notice required herein for the portion of the rent paid by the tenant
nothing herein shall be construed to require that written notice be given to
any public agency paying a portion of the rent under the rental agreement. If
a landlord enters into a new written rental agreement with the tenant prior to
eviction, an order of possession obtained prior to the entry of such new rental
agreement is not enforceable.
B. Subsequent to the entry of an order of possession by a
court of competent jurisdiction but prior to eviction pursuant to §55-225.41,
the landlord may accept all amounts owed to the landlord by the tenant,
including full payment of any money judgment, award of attorney fees, and court
costs, and all subsequent rents that may be paid prior to eviction, and proceed
with eviction, provided that the landlord has given the tenant written notice
that any such payment would be accepted with reservation and would not
constitute a waiver of the landlord's right to evict the tenant from the
dwelling unit. However, if a landlord enters into a new written rental
agreement with the tenant prior to eviction, an order of possession obtained
prior to the entry of such new rental agreement is not enforceable. Such notice
shall be given in a separate written notice given by the landlord within five
business days of receipt of payment of such money judgment, attorney fees and
court costs, and all subsequent rents that may be paid prior to eviction. If
the dwelling unit is a public housing unit or other housing unit subject to
regulation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the landlord
shall be deemed to have accepted rent with reservation pursuant to this
subsection if the landlord gives the tenant the written notice required herein
for the portion of the rent paid by the tenant. Writs of possession in cases of
unlawful entry and detainer are otherwise subject to §8.01-471.
C. However, the tenant may pay or present to the court
a redemption tender for payment of all rent due and owing as of the return
date, including late charges, attorney fees, and court costs, at or before the
first return date on an action for unlawful detainer. For purposes of this
section, "redemption tender" means a written commitment to pay all
rent due and owing as of the return date, including late charges, attorney
fees, and court costs, by a local government or nonprofit entity within 10 days
of said return date.
D. C. If the tenant presents a redemption tender
to the court at the return date, the court shall continue the action for
unlawful detainer for 10 days following the return date for payment to the
landlord of all rent due and owing as of the return date, including late
charges, attorney fees, and court costs and dismissal of the action upon such
payment. Should the landlord not receive full payment of all rent due and owing
as of the return date, including late charges, attorney fees, and court costs,
within 10 days of the return date, the court shall, without further evidence,
grant to the landlord judgment for all amounts due and immediate possession of
the premises.
E. D. In cases of unlawful detainer, a tenant
may pay the landlord or his attorney or pay into court all (i) rent due and
owing as of the court date as contracted for in the rental agreement, (ii)
other charges and fees as contracted for in the rental agreement, (iii) late
charges contracted for in the rental agreement, (iv) reasonable attorney fees as
contracted for in the rental agreement or as provided by law, and (v) costs of
the proceeding as provided by law, at which time the unlawful detainer
proceeding shall be dismissed. A tenant may invoke the rights granted in this
section no more than one time during any 12-month period of continuous
residency in the dwelling unit, regardless of the term of the rental agreement
or any renewal term thereof.
§55-248.34:1. Landlord's acceptance of rent with reservation.
A. Provided the landlord has given written notice to the
tenant that the rent will be accepted with reservation, the The
landlord may accept full or partial payment of all rent and receive an order of
possession from a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to an unlawful
detainer action filed under Article 13 (§8.01-124 et seq.) of Chapter 3 of
Title 8.01 and proceed with eviction under §55-248.38:2, provided that the
landlord has stated in a written notice to the tenant that any and all amounts
owed to the landlord by the tenant, including payment of any rent, damages,
money judgment, award of attorney fees, and court costs, would be accepted with
reservation and would not constitute a waiver of the landlord's right to evict
the tenant from the dwelling unit. Such notice shall may be
included in a written termination notice given by the landlord to the tenant in
accordance with §55-248.31 or in a separate written notice given by the
landlord to the tenant within five business days of receipt of the rent. Unless
the landlord has given such notice in a termination notice in accordance with §
55-248.31, the landlord shall continue to give a separate written notice to the
tenant within five business days of receipt of the rent that the landlord
continues to accept the rent with reservation in accordance with this section
until such time as the violation alleged in the termination notice has been
remedied or the matter has been adjudicated in a court of competent
jurisdiction, and if so included, nothing herein shall be construed by a
court of law or otherwise as requiring such landlord to give the tenant
subsequent written notice. If the dwelling unit is a public housing unit or
other housing unit subject to regulation by the Department of Housing and Urban
Development, the landlord shall be deemed to have accepted rent with
reservation pursuant to this subsection if the landlord gives the tenant the
written notice required herein for the portion of the rent paid by the tenant
nothing herein shall be construed to require that written notice be given to
any public agency paying a portion of the rent under the rental agreement. If a
landlord enters into a new written rental agreement with the tenant prior to
eviction, an order of possession obtained prior to the entry of such new rental
agreement is not enforceable.
B. Subsequent to the entry of an order of possession by a
court of competent jurisdiction but prior to eviction pursuant to §
55-248.38:2, the landlord may accept all amounts owed to the landlord by the
tenant, including full payment of any money judgment, award of attorney fees
and court costs, and all subsequent rents that may be paid prior to eviction,
and proceed with eviction provided that the landlord has given the tenant
written notice that any such payment would be accepted with reservation and
would not constitute a waiver of the landlord's right to evict the tenant from
the dwelling unit. However, if a landlord enters into a new written rental
agreement with the tenant prior to eviction, an order of possession obtained
prior to the entry of such new rental agreement is not enforceable. Such notice
shall be given in a separate written notice given by the landlord within five
business days of receipt of payment of such money judgment, attorney fees and
court costs, and all subsequent rents that may be paid prior to eviction. If
the dwelling unit is a public housing unit or other housing unit subject to
regulation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the landlord
shall be deemed to have accepted rent with reservation pursuant to this
subsection if the landlord gives the tenant the written notice required herein
for the portion of the rent paid by the tenant. Writs of possession in cases of
unlawful entry and detainer are otherwise subject to §8.01-471.
C. However, the tenant may pay or present to the court
a redemption tender for payment of all rent due and owing as of the return
date, including late charges, attorney fees and court costs, at or before the
first return date on an action for unlawful detainer. For purposes of this
section, "redemption tender" means a written commitment to pay all
rent due and owing as of the return date, including late charges, attorney
fees, and court costs, by a local government or nonprofit entity within 10 days
of said return date.
D. C. If the tenant presents a redemption tender
to the court at the return date, the court shall continue the action for
unlawful detainer for 10 days following the return date for payment to the
landlord of all rent due and owing as of the return date, including late
charges, attorney fees, and court costs and dismissal of the action upon such
payment. Should the landlord not receive full payment of all rent due and owing
as of the return date, including late charges, attorney fees, and court costs,
within 10 days of the return date, the court shall, without further evidence,
grant to the landlord judgment for all amounts due and immediate possession of
the premises.
E. D. In cases of unlawful detainer, a tenant
may pay the landlord or his attorney or pay into court all (i) rent due and
owing as of the court date as contracted for in the rental agreement, (ii)
other charges and fees as contracted for in the rental agreement, (iii) late
charges contracted for in the rental agreement, (iv) reasonable attorney fees as
contracted for in the rental agreement or as provided by law, and (v) costs of
the proceeding as provided by law, at which time the unlawful detainer
proceeding shall be dismissed. A tenant may invoke the rights granted in this
section no more than one time during any 12-month period of continuous
residency in the dwelling unit, regardless of the term of the rental agreement
or any renewal term thereof.
