Landlord and tenant laws; landlord and tenant obligations. (HB407)

Introduced By

Del. Glenn Oder (R-Newport News)

Description

Landlord and tenant laws; landlord and tenant obligations.  Clarifies that the judgment rate of interest includes any and all amounts covered by the judgment. The bill, among other things, also (i) requires the executive secretary of the Supreme Court to permit electronic interface with case management systems and for the general district courts to allow private vendors to electronically file civil actions on forms developed by the executive secretary; (ii) provides that the homestead exemption does not apply to a money judgment for nonpayment of rent for which a writ of garnishment is issued, and which does not request a writ of fieri facias or levy on the real or personal property of the debtor; (iii) revises the ratio utility billing system for landlords and tenants and states that the use of a ratio utility billing system is not within the jurisdiction of the State Corporation Commission; (iv) allows certain persons to prepare, execute, file, and have served on other parties, in any proceeding in a general district court, a warrant in debt, warrant in detinue, distress warrant, summons for unlawful detainer, suggestion for summons in garnishment, garnishment summons, writ of possession, writ of fieri facias, interpleader, and civil appeal notice without the intervention of any attorney; (v) adds a definition of "commencement date of the rental agreement" and effective date of same to the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act; (vi) revises the definition of "security deposit" under the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act; (vii) revises the damage and renters insurance coverage provisions of the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act; (viii) allows tenant records to be disclosed to a local commissioner of the revenue, under certain circumstances, and to the commanding officer, military housing officer, or military attorney of the tenant; (ix) allows the landlord to withhold a portion of the security deposit until final settlement of utility bills; and (x) changes the times that trigger the payment of interest by the landlord on a security deposit. The bill also contains technical amendments. Amends § 16.1-79.1, § 55-226.2, § 55-246.1, § 55-248.15:1, § 55-248.15:2, § 55-248.38:3, § 55-248.4, § 55-248.7:2, § 55-248.9:1, § 8.01-128, of the Code of Virginia. View Full Text »

Outcome

History

3 votes