The VRLTA (Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act) gives tenants a way to ask a court for help when serious problems in a rental property are not remedied in a timely manner by the landlord. 

According to Virginia Code § 55.1-1244, a tenant can file tenant’s assertion in the local General District Court if the rental property has a serious condition that violates the rental agreement or the law. Examples of such violations could include a lack of heat in cold months, a lack of running water, no electricity, rodent infestations, as well as other threats to health and safety. 

Before the court can grant relief, the tenant must have given written notice to the landlord regarding the problem. If the landlord has failed to remedy the problem within a reasonable period of time, the tenant may be entitled to relief. What constitutes a reasonable period of time is left to the judge’s discretion, but more than 30 days is presumed to be an unreasonable delay. While a tenant’s assertion is pending, the tenant must continue to pay rent into escrow with the court.  

Relief for the tenant may include being able to terminate the lease without penalty, a court order for repairs to be performed, or returning escrowed money to the tenant.  

The landlord can defend the case by showing that the problem does not exist, has already been fixed, was caused by the tenant or someone connected to the tenant, or that the tenant unreasonably refused to let the landlord enter to make repairs.