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Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session

Virginia SB 294

Va. Residential Landlord & Tenant Act; submetering, energy allocation, & ratio utility billing sys.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Passed House
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Summary

Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; civil action for unlawful detainer; termination notice; energy submetering equipment. Provides that no landlord shall file or maintain an action for unlawful detainer against a residential tenant for any alleged lease violation until the landlord has provided the tenant with a proper and effective termination notice and that no notice of termination of tenancy for nonpayment of rent pursuant to the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act shall be effective unless such notice contains a written statement of charges and payments over the course of the tenancy or the past 12 months, whichever is shorter, and any late charges, attorney fees, costs, and other charges or damages as contracted for in the rental agreement that are due and owing. The bill requires such notice to also include debits and credits incurred by the tenant for energy and utility bills and any additional charges permitted as applicable. The bill also requires the owner of any residential building to maintain adequate records indicating how monthly energy and utility billing fees are calculated and including a history of billing fee payments for each tenant over the duration of the tenancy or the past 12 months, whichever is shorter. Such records shall be made available to the tenant upon request. Finally, the bill removes a provision allowing for the collection of fees when a tenant requests such records. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 1361.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 8:06 AM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Mar 10, 2026
Senate		Concur House Substitute RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 6, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 3, 2026
House		Reported from General Laws with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 26, 2026
House		Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 10, 2026
Senate		Passage RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 6, 2026
Senate		Constitutional reading dispensed RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 4, 2026
Senate		Reported from General Laws and Technology with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see

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