Virginia Rent Increase Laws | How Much Can A Landlord Raise Rent In 2024?

Many tenant-landlord disputes come from rental payments. The key to avoiding these problems is to follow each state's Landlord and Tenant Act and draft a rental agreement that benefits both parties, but what happens if that state has rent control?

Rent control policies affect both the landlord and tenant, so it's important for you to address if your state imposes these limits before drafting your written rental agreement.

This page will cover everything you should know about Virginia and whether it has rent control laws or not.

Overview

• Does the Landlord Need a Reason to Raise Rent?: No
• Is There a Limit on Rental Prices?: No
• How Much Notice Is Required?: 7 or 30 days, depending on the term.

Virginia Rent Control Laws

Currently, Virginia law doesn't impose any state-wide rent control guidelines. On the other hand, the state doesn't prohibit local cities or counties from establishing rent control policies.

Considering these terms, the property owner has plenty of liberty when it comes to managing rental increases in their lease agreement.

Raising Rent

There are some factors surrounding raising rent for a dwelling unit in Virginia. Considering Virginia doesn't impose any rental control guidelines, there isn't much to evaluate here.

Let's cover everything you should know about the rental payment increase process in this state.

How Much Can You Raise Rent in Virginia?

Overall, you can increase the rent by any amount you consider appropriate. Still, it's recommended that you charge a reasonable price for your rent money if you want your property to be considered among tenants.

A good idea is to take a look at what the average housing market charges for rent and then base your increases on that.

How Often Can You Raise Rent in Virginia?

You can raise the rent at any moment you consider appropriate, with the following exceptions:

• Landlords can't increase the rent in the middle of a lease term, unless they stated a clause in their written lease agreement.
• Landlords can't increase the rent for retaliatory or discriminatory reasons.

Are There Any Cases Where You Can't Raise Rent?

Yes. Let's dive deeper into the exceptions we just mentioned above:

First, keep in mind the Federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination due to a person's:

• Age
• Gender and sexual orientation
• Race
• Religion
• Familial status
• Nationality
• Disability

Moreover, Virginia has its own Fair Housing Law, which states that landlords can't discriminate against a person because of their military status or source of income.

Now, landlords can't increase the rent in response to a tenant's action, which can involve filing complaints, organizing a tenant's union, or testifying against the landlord in court.

How Much Notice Do You Need to Provide Before Raising Rent in Virginia?

It depends on the type of lease. Weekly leases will require written notice at least seven days before increasing rent. On the other hand, monthly leases will require 30 days of notice before raising the rent.

There isn't a specific notice period for yearly leases, but it's expected from landlords to wait until the end of the term to increase rent and provide reasonable notice.

Bottom Line

Rental payments are only one step of the renting process. Understanding a state's landlord-tenant laws will give you deeper insight into other factors such as dealing with a multifamily residential structure, special tenant requests, clauses for a lease violation, and more.

Make sure to check DoorLoop for more resources on landlord-tenant laws and rent increase laws in other states!

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Can Landlords in Virginia Raise Rent?

Landlords can increase the rent as much as they want, as long as they provide reasonable notice.

Who Resolves Disputes Between Landlords and Tenants?

The Tenant-Landlord Commission is responsible for facilitating disputes between the two parties.

What Happens if a Tenant Misses Their Rent Payments?

Unpaid rent can lead to the tenant having to pay late fees. If the tenant still doesn't pay rent after the deadline, the landlord may seek legal advice.

What Happens If a Landlord Fails to Provide Notice to Their Tenant?

Whether the lease is for regular or multifamily dwelling units, failing to provide notice can make the tenant seek legal action against the landlord.

Can Tenants Use Their Security Deposit to Pay Rent?

It depends. Generally speaking, tenants can't use their security deposit to pay rent. However, if the tenant breaks off the lease early, the landlord may use the deposit (and other extra fees) to cover repairs, cleaning, rental advertising costs, missing rent, reasonable attorney fees, and more.

Free Forms for Virginia Landlords

Learn more about everything surrounding a lease agreement in Virginia, security deposits, and any other terms surrounding your dwelling unit, and prepare to rent it with our free forms.