Legal Blog
The Lowdown for Landlords: New Virginia Law on Tenant Insurance
Do Virginia landlords need to discuss insurance with tenants? Legislators addressed this issue during the 2019 session by enacting HB 1660. The bill, which amended Va. Code § 55-225.24, places an affirmative obligation on landlords to notify tenants if they are not providing them with rental insurance.
Landlords should closely review the notice requirement in order to minimize liability. From a timing perspective, the new law indicates that landlords need to relay the notice regarding insurance before the signing of any lease. The notice should state (as excerpted from the bill, linked above):
- the landlord is not responsible for the tenant’s personal property;
- the landlord’s insurance coverage does not cover the tenant’s personal property; and
- if the tenant wishes to protect his personal property, he should obtain renter’s insurance. The notice shall inform the tenant that any such renter’s insurance obtained by the tenant does not cover flood damage.
The existing law required that landlords who choose to provide tenants with rental insurance must also meet a series of requirements. These provisions remain unaffected by the recent changes. It’s best to brush up on your existing agreement to make sure that you are compliant with the new (and existing law). Feel free to reach out to me to discuss your lease or rental agreement.
If you have any questions about this or any other Real Estate topics, please contact me at tstringham@offitkurman.com or 703-745-1849
ABOUT THEODORA STRINGHAM
tstringham@offitkurman.com | 703-745-1849
Theodora Stringham assists individuals, businesses, and organizations with growing successfully while minimizing liability. Focusing on real estate and personnel needs, Ms. Stringham executes sustainable plans for real estate development and employee matters. She provides comprehensive representation for everyday growth issues, including, but not limited to, re-zonings, site plan approvals, eminent domain/valuation concerns, employment discrimination, and disciplinary issues. Ms. Stringham’s scope of representation ranges from identifying potential liability and providing counseling/trainings, all the way through representation at trial.
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