HB834
Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord.
Status:
Passed
Latest Action:
April 1, 2026
House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB834)
Chief Patron:
Adele McClure (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Introduced. 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 ... (More) 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. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/13/2026 - House: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104720D
- 01/13/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on General Laws
- 01/23/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB834)
- 01/26/2026 - House: Assigned HGL sub: Housing/Consumer Protection
- 01/28/2026 - House: Placed on General Laws Agenda
- 01/29/2026 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (9-Y 1-N)
- 02/02/2026 - House: Placed on General Laws Agenda
- 02/03/2026 - House: Reported from General Laws (18-Y 3-N)
- 02/05/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/06/2026 - House: Read second time and engrossed
- 02/09/2026 - House: Read third time and passed House (68-Y 30-N 0-A)
- 02/10/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- 02/10/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology
- 02/25/2026 - Senate: Assigned GL&T sub: Housing
- 03/03/2026 - Senate: Senate committee offered
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Reported from General Laws and Technology with amendment (9-Y 6-N)
- 03/06/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 03/06/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/06/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- 03/09/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Read third time
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: General Laws and Technology Amendment agreed to
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate as amended
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Passed Senate with amendment (21-Y 19-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 03/11/2026 - House: Senate amendment agreed to by House (66-Y 32-N 0-A)
- 03/30/2026 - House: Enrolled
- 03/30/2026 - House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB834ER)
- 03/30/2026 - Senate: Signed by President
- 03/31/2026 - House: Signed by Speaker
- 03/31/2026 - House: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
- 03/31/2026 - Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
- 04/01/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB834)
