Virginia Landlord Repair Duties & Habitability Rights (2026)

What a landlord must fix, and your options when they do not

At a glance

• Core duty: Va. Code § 55.1-1220 — 房东须保持住宅 fit and habitable：符合建筑住房法规、维修、维护水电暖设施、供水、灭霉、供烟雾报警器。
• Notice before acting: 55.1-1234：房东违约，租客可送达 21/30 通知（21 天 remedy，否则 30 天终止）。
• Governing authority: Va. Code § 55.1-1220

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers the landlord's duty to maintain a habitable home in Virginia, and what you can do when repairs go unmade.

It does not cover commercial leases, or conditions you caused yourself (which are treated differently).

The landlord's duty

Va. Code § 55.1-1220 — 房东须保持住宅 fit and habitable：符合建筑住房法规、维修、维护水电暖设施、供水、灭霉、供烟雾报警器。

55.1-1220 列出房东义务：符合健康安全法规、维修宜居、common area 清洁、水电暖 HVAC、防霉灭霉、供水供热、烟雾报警器年度认证。

Va. Code § 55.1-1220 ↗

What the duty covers in practice

Notice and time to cure

55.1-1234：房东违约，租客可送达 21/30 通知（21 天 remedy，否则 30 天终止）。

Va. Code § 55.1-1234 ↗

Your remedies when repairs go unmade

Landlord entry rules

房东进入须给至少 24 小时通知并在合理时间，紧急情况或租客要求维修除外（55.1-1229）。

Va. Code § 55.1-1229 ↗

When the duty does not apply

缺陷系租客、住户、受邀人或访客造成的，房东无义务（55.1-1220 普通注意义务）。

Va. Code § 55.1-1220 ↗

Sources and how to verify them

Every figure on this page comes from the official text or a state court opinion, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked.

Statute	Last verified	Source
Va. Code § 55.1-1220	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Va. Code § 55.1-1220(A)(4)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Va. Code § 55.1-1220(A)(7)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Va. Code § 55.1-1220(A)(5), (8)	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Va. Code § 55.1-1234	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Va. Code § 55.1-1244.1	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Va. Code § 55.1-1244	2026-10-16	official text ↗
Va. Code § 55.1-1229	2026-10-16	official text ↗

Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Where a provision admits of more than one reading, that is flagged rather than smoothed over.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help guide is the right starting point for understanding your position. Get legal help if:

• You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
• The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
• Your landlord has filed anything in court already
• You are unsure whether a local ordinance changes the state rule

Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.

More Virginia guides

Virginia Security Deposit Return · Virginia Security Deposit Rules · Virginia Eviction Process · Virginia Rent Increase Rules · Virginia Landlord Retaliation

→ All Virginia tenant rights topics

Common questions