Signed by Governor Ralph Northam

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that requires landlords to establish payment plans for tenants prior to their eviction.

Highlights:

• Prohibits a landlord from taking action against a tenant based on any adverse item regarding payment history or eviction on the basis of nonpayment of rent during the period beginning March 12, 2020, and expires 30 days after the expiration or revocation of any governor-declared state of emergency in relation to the coronavirus pandemic (Sec. 1).

• Requires landlords to make good faith efforts to contact the generator of a tenant screening report in the case that a tenant or consumer is anything other than “qualified” and the report does not provide a reason to determine whether such a result is due solely to the tenant’s payment history or an eviction for nonpayment of rent which occurred during the period outlined above due to the Coronavirus pandemic (Sec. 1). 

• Specifies that if the landlord does not receive a response from the generator of the response from the generator of the report within 3 business days, the landlord may proceed with using the information from the report without additional action (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the tenant or applicant for tenancy to recover damages of up to $1,000 if a landlord does not comply with the outlined provisions (Sec. 1).

• Requires the landlord to provide written notice of the denial and the individual’s right to assert that their failure to qualify was the result of payment history or an eviction for nonpayment of rent that occurred during the established period resulting from the coronavirus pandemic (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the landlord to proceed with using the information from the report if in addition to the written notice, the landlord contacts the applicant through email, text message, phone call, or other communication and the tenant asserts that the failure to qualify was not the result of such recent payment history or eviction (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the landlord to proceed with using the information from the report without additional action if a response from the applicant within 3 business days (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that protects tenants and requires landlords to implement 6-month payment plans prior to eviction.

Highlights:

• Prohibits a landlord from taking action against a tenant based on any adverse item regarding payment history or eviction on the basis of nonpayment of rent during the period beginning March 12, 2020, and expires 30 days after the expiration or revocation of any governor-declared state of emergency in relation to the coronavirus pandemic (Sec. 1).

• Requires landlords to make good faith efforts to contact the generator of a tenant screening report in the case that a tenant or consumer is anything other than “qualified” and the report does not provide a reason to determine whether such a result is due solely to the tenant’s payment history or an eviction for nonpayment of rent which occurred during the period outlined above due to the Coronavirus pandemic (Sec. 1). 

• Specifies that if the landlord does not receive a response from the generator of the response from the generator of the report within 3 business days, the landlord may proceed with using the information from the report without additional action (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the tenant or applicant for tenancy to recover damages of up to $1,000 if a landlord does not comply with the outlined provisions (Sec. 1).

• Requires the landlord to provide written notice of the denial and the individual’s right to assert that their failure to qualify was the result of payment history or an eviction for nonpayment of rent that occurred during the established period resulting from the coronavirus pandemic (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the landlord to proceed with using the information from the report if in addition to the written notice, the landlord contacts the applicant through email, text message, phone call, or other communication and the tenant asserts that the failure to qualify was not the result of such recent payment history or eviction (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the landlord to proceed with using the information from the report without additional action if a response from the applicant within 3 business days (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text