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HB834 • 2026

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord.

An Act to amend and reenact § 55.1-1240 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage; termination by landlord.

Housing Technology
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
McClure
Last action
2026-04-22
Official status
Awaiting Governor's Action
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about what happens when a landlord decides to end the lease early due to damage, or how they will determine habitability after damage. The bill text and summary do not include these specifics.

Virginia Law Changes for Landlords and Tenants After Fire or Damage

This law changes how landlords can end rental agreements when a home is damaged by fire or other accidents.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires landlords to try talking with tenants about finding another place if their home is damaged before ending the lease.
  • Gives landlords more time (21 days) to tell tenants they must leave after damage, instead of 14 days.
  • Allows tenants to ask landlords to check again if the home can still be lived in after receiving a notice to end the lease.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Landlords who own rental homes or apartments
  • Tenants living in rented homes or apartments

Terms To Know

Casualty Damage
Damage to a property caused by an unexpected event, like fire or storm.
Habitability
The condition of being safe and suitable for living in.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law does not specify what happens if the landlord decides to end the lease early because of damage.
  • It is unclear how landlords will decide when a home can no longer be lived in after damage.
  • The new rules start on January 1, 2027.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB834G

2026-04-11 • Governor

Governor's Recommendation

Plain English: (HB834) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION 1.

  • (HB834) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION 1.
  • Line 43, enrolled strike all of line 43
HB834ASC1

2026-03-03 • Committee

General Laws and Technology Amendment

Plain English: OFFERED FOR CONSIDERATION 3/03/2026 HB 834 GENERAL LAWS AND TECHNOLOGY 1.

  • OFFERED FOR CONSIDERATION 3/03/2026 HB 834 GENERAL LAWS AND TECHNOLOGY 1.
  • After line 46, engrossed insert 2.
  • That the provisions of this act shall become effective on January 1, 2027.
HB834AS1

2026-03-05 • Committee

General Laws and Technology Amendment

Plain English: 3/05/2026 (HB834) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE SENATE GENERAL LAWS AND TECHNOLOGY 1.

  • 3/05/2026 (HB834) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE SENATE GENERAL LAWS AND TECHNOLOGY 1.
  • After line 46, engrossed insert 2.
  • That the provisions of this act shall become effective on January 1, 2027.
HB834EDOC

2026-03-10 • Senate

Senate Amendment

Plain English: 3/10/2026 (HB834) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE SENATE GENERAL LAWS AND TECHNOLOGY 1.

  • 3/10/2026 (HB834) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE SENATE GENERAL LAWS AND TECHNOLOGY 1.
  • After line 46, engrossed insert 2.
  • That the provisions of this act shall become effective on January 1, 2027.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-22 House

    Communicated to Governor

  2. 2026-04-22 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026

  3. 2026-04-22 House

    House concurred in Governor's recommendation (66-Y 33-N 0-A)

  4. 2026-04-22 Senate

    Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)

  5. 2026-04-11 Governor

    Governor's recommendation received by House

  6. 2026-04-01 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB834)

  7. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  8. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  9. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  10. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  11. 2026-03-31 House

    Signed by Speaker

  12. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  13. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  14. 2026-03-30 Senate

    Signed by President

  15. 2026-03-30 House

    Enrolled

  16. 2026-03-30 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB834ER)

  17. 2026-03-11 House

    Senate amendment agreed to by House (66-Y 32-N 0-A)

  18. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  19. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  20. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  21. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate as amended

  22. 2026-03-10 General Laws and Technology

    General Laws and Technology Amendment agreed to

  23. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Passed Senate with amendment (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  24. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Read third time

  25. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  26. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  27. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Rules suspended

  28. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  29. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)

  30. 2026-03-06 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  31. 2026-03-04 General Laws and Technology

    Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment (9-Y 6-N)

  32. 2026-03-03 Senate

    Senate committee offered

  33. 2026-02-25 Housing

    Assigned GL&T sub: Housing

  34. 2026-02-10 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  35. 2026-02-10 General Laws and Technology

    Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology

  36. 2026-02-09 House

    Read third time and passed House (68-Y 30-N 0-A)

  37. 2026-02-06 House

    Read second time and engrossed

  38. 2026-02-05 House

    Read first time

  39. 2026-02-03 General Laws

    Reported from General Laws (18-Y 3-N)

  40. 2026-01-29 Housing/Consumer Protection

    Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N)

  41. 2026-01-26 Housing/Consumer Protection

    Assigned HGL sub: Housing/Consumer Protection

  42. 2026-01-23 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB834)

  43. 2026-01-13 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104720D

  44. 2026-01-13 General Laws

    Referred to Committee on General Laws

Official Summary Text

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage; termination by landlord.
Requires a landlord, prior to giving a tenant 21 days' notice of his intention to terminate the rental agreement for a dwelling unit that has been damaged or destroyed by fire or casualty, to (i) make a reasonable effort to meet with the tenant to discuss reasonable alternatives and offer the tenant a substantially similar dwelling unit, if one is available, or (ii) determine that the damage was caused by the tenant's failure to maintain the dwelling unit in accordance with relevant law. Current law allows the landlord to terminate such agreement by giving the tenant 14 days' notice of his intention to terminate on the basis of the landlord's determination that such damage requires the removal of the tenant and that the use of the premises is substantially impaired. The bill requires the landlord, upon receiving a request from the tenant after the tenant has received such notice, to reevaluate the extent of damage and habitability of such dwelling unit unless the landlord has determined that the damage was caused by the tenant's failure to maintain the dwelling unit. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
(HB834)
GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION
1. Line 43, enrolled
strike
all of line 43