Housing Laws

If you are a tenant or authorized occupant who has a protective order due to family abuse (but not an ex parte order) or a court order as part of a divorce that gives you possession of the home and excludes one or more co-tenants or authorized occupants, you can:

1. give the landlord with a copy of that court order; and
2. request that the landlord:
   • install a new lock or other security devices on the exterior doors of the apartment at the landlord’s cost; or
   • allow you to do so.¹

However, at the end of your tenancy, the tenant will be responsible to reimburse the landlord for the “reasonable cost” that s/he may have for the removal of any security devices installed and repairs to all damaged areas.²

Once the locks are changed, the landlord cannot provide copies of the keys to the person who was excluded from the home.³

¹ Va. Code § 55.1-1230(A), (D)
² Va. Code § 55.1-1230(A)
³ Va. Code § 55.1-1230(C)