Effective Date: November 1, 2025
Jurisdiction: Commonwealth of Virginia
Scope: Applies to all landlords, property managers, agents, and listing entities using the Tentunit platform for residential rental units in Virginia, including student and young-professional housing.
1. Purpose
This Statement defines the operational, legal, and ethical obligations required of landlords listing properties on the Tentunit platform in Virginia. Use of the platform constitutes the landlord’s agreement to comply with this Statement, the Tentunit Terms of Service, Payment Terms, Fair Housing Policy, and all applicable federal, state, and local law. It is not legal advice; landlords must consult counsel for detailed compliance.
2. Listing Accuracy, Transparency & Advertising
Landlords must ensure their listings are accurate, complete, and current, in line with Virginia’s consumer & rental laws under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA).
Required Disclosures
Each listing must clearly state:
- Monthly rent, lease term (start/end or renewal conditions), earliest availability date.
- All one-time and recurring fees: application fees, move-in fees, amenity fees, parking, pet fees/deposits, utility allocation or submetering charges.
- Security deposit amount or fee-in-lieu, conditions for return, timeline, method of deductions.
- Utilities matrix: which utilities are tenant responsibility, which landlord covers; method of rebilling/sub-metering if applicable.
- Honest representation of unit condition and amenities: photos must reflect the unit currently offered, not a model unit without disclosure.
- Applicant screening criteria: income threshold, credit standard, co-signer requirements, student guarantor policy.
Prohibited Practices
- Advertising units that are already leased or not available without prompt update.
- Misrepresenting the condition, size, layout, amenities, finishes, or view of the unit.
- “Starting at” pricing without clear eligibility or unit availability disclosures.
- Omission of material fees or costs.
- Bait-and-switch tactics (advertised unit swapped for lesser unit without equivalent terms/fees and without disclosure).
Applicable Statutes
- § 55.1-1204.1 VRLTA: Lease must include itemization of charges on first page: security deposit, rent, one-time charges.
- § 55.1-1217 VRLTA: Required disclosures for certain properties (e.g., adjacent to military installation).
3. Fair Housing, Equal Access & Non-Discrimination
Landlords must comply with federal fair housing laws and Virginia law.
- Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.)
- VRLTA and local anti-discrimination statutes applicable in VA
Landlords must: - Apply screening criteria uniformly to all applicants regardless of protected class (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability).
- Provide reasonable accommodations and modifications for tenants with disabilities.
- Avoid discriminatory language in advertising, communications, screening or leasing.
- Maintain records documenting approvals/denials and criteria used.
4. Communication Standards & Platform Responsiveness
To support student & young-professional renters and maintain platform integrity:
- Acknowledge further tenant inquiries, applications or maintenance requests within 24 hours, full substantive response within 48 hours.
- Provide status updates to applicants and tenants (e.g., move-in schedule, inspection notice, application outcome).
- Maintain listing accuracy (availability, rent, fees, policies) when terms change.
- Maintain professional and non-discriminatory communication at all times.
Repeated failure may trigger listing suspension or removal by Tentunit.
5. Lease Execution, Legal Compliance & Contract Terms
All leases via Tentunit in Virginia must:
- Be in writing (or documented digital format) and executed via Tentunit or approved electronic process.
- Contain landlord/agent name and address for service of process (§ 55.1-1216).
- Include required disclosures (mold, drywall, adjacent installations, etc.) as per VRLTA Articles.
- Contain no unlawful self-help eviction clauses (lockouts, utility shut-off) and comply with statutory remedy rights.
- Not waive tenant rights under law or incorporate unconscionable clauses inconsistent with statute.
- Provide tenant with “Virginia Statement of Tenant Rights and Responsibilities” prior to or at execution (common best practice) as part of compliance.
6. Habitability, Maintenance & Repair Obligations
Landlords must maintain residential units in a safe, clean, habitable condition consistent with VRLTA § 55.1-1220 and related code.
Key obligations include:
- Ensuring heating, plumbing, sanitary facilities, electrical, structural elements, roof/floor/windows/doors/locks, and safe common areas are reasonably maintained.
- Providing and maintaining smoke detectors and, where mandated by local code, carbon-monoxide alarms.
- Responding promptly to conditions materially affecting health or safety (such as no heat, sewage backup, structural collapse).
- Maintaining documentation of repair requests, work orders, completion and follow-up.
- Providing tenants with clear channels for reporting and documenting requested maintenance.
7. Entry, Inspections & Tenant Privacy
Landlords must respect tenant rights of quiet enjoyment and provide access in compliance with statute.
- Provide reasonable notice for non-emergency entry (though VA statute doesn’t prescribe a fixed 24-hour notice in all cases, best practice is at least 24 hours and access during reasonable hours).
- Provide tenants opportunity to attend a move-out inspection when offered. (See security deposit guidelines and best practice)
- Entry must be for legitimate purpose (repair, inspection, showing) and at reasonable times except emergencies.
- Landlord must document entry notices and keep records for audit.
8. Security Deposit Handling
Virginia’s statute § 55.1-1226 sets forth requirements.
Key Rules
- Maximum security deposit: no more than two months’ periodic rent. (§ 55.1-1226 A)
- Deductions allowed only for: unpaid rent (including reasonable late fees if in lease), damage beyond reasonable wear and tear, other charges as provided in rental agreement. (§ 55.1-1226 A)
- Landlord must provide written itemization of deductions and return remaining balance within 45 days after termination or tenant vacates.
- Upon change of ownership, deposit and any accrued interest must be transferred to new owner and tenants must be notified. (§ 55.1-1213)
Best-Practice Requirements (Tentunit Expectation)
- Use a move-in condition checklist signed by tenant and landlord.
- Provide forwarding address notification process for tenants.
- Maintain deposit accounting records for audit period.
- Return deposits timely or provide itemized deductions with proof.
9. Student-Housing & Young-Professional Specific Standards
Because Tentunit targets student/young-professional rentals, landlords must observe enhanced standards:
- Avoid exploitative practices (e.g., exorbitant fees, misleading “campus-style” claims, forced renewals without student choice).
- Clearly disclose campus proximity, transit/parking policy, lease renewal options, early-termination clause, subletting policy.
- Provide digital onboarding materials tailored to student-renters (move-in guide, emergency contact, utility setup, shared-housing rules).
- Provide communication channels suited to student schedules (e.g., mobile/app notifications, out-of-hours response support).
- Ensure house rules, cleaning schedules, noise policies comply with VRLTA and local laws; they cannot conflict with statutory rights.
10. Documentation, Audit, Compliance & Platform Enforcement
Landlords must maintain full documentation in an audit-ready format:
- Listing metadata: submission date, images, fees, updates.
- Screening and application logs: inquiries, responses, approvals/denials, criteria.
- Lease files: executed agreements, amendments, disclosures.
- Maintenance and habitability logs: work orders, completion, tenant notifications.
- Deposit records: receipts, deduction itemizations, communications.
- Communication logs: all tenant-landlord interactions via Tentunit or documented channels.
Tentunit Enforcement Rights
Tentunit reserves the right to:
- Audit landlord compliance without prior notice.
- Suspend or remove listings for non-compliance.
- Freeze or withhold landlord payouts tied to non-compliant properties.
- Terminate landlord account permanently for material or repeated violations.
- Report violations or misconduct to regulatory or enforcement authorities.
- Recover costs, attorneys’ fees, and damages caused by landlord non-compliance.
11. Indemnification
Landlord shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Tentunit, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents and contractors from and against all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, costs (including attorneys’ fees) arising from or relating to:
- Landlord’s breach of this Statement or any Tentunit policy.
- Landlord’s violation of federal, state or local housing laws.
- Landlord’s misrepresentation of property, listing, fees, condition or availability.
- Tenant claims arising from landlord’s act or omission.
- Platform investigations or regulatory actions triggered by landlord conduct.
12. Governing Law & Reference Statutes
Major Statutory References (Virginia):
- Code of Virginia Title 55.1 – Property & Conveyances, Chapter 12 – Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (§ 55.1-1200 et seq.). Virginia Law+1
- § 55.1-1226 – Security Deposits. Virginia Law+1
- § 55.1-1204.1 – Fee Disclosure Statements. Virginia Law
- § 55.1-1216 – Disclosure of sale of premises, landlord/agent identity. Virginia Law
- § 55.1-1213 – Transfer of deposits upon ownership change. Virginia Law
- Additional guidance: Virginia Tenant Rights Handbook (Virginia Dept. Housing & Community Dev.). Virginia DHCD+1
Federal Law Foundations:
- Fair Housing Act
- Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)
- Lead-Based Paint Hazards (for units built pre-1978)