Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Blacksburg

Find the right Tenant attorney in Blacksburg, VA

Tenant Law in Virginia

In Blacksburg, Virginia, relationships between tenants and landlords can occasionally become strained.

Both parties to a landlord/tenant relationship are controlled by an extensive body of laws and regulations, defining their legal rights and obligations.

Landlord's Rights in Blacksburg, VA

The most basic right that landlords have is the right to be paid the agreed-upon rent by their tenant. Obviously, renting apartments is how landlords acquire a living, so they are entitled to collect the rent that the tenant agreed to pay.

Landlords also have a right to be free from damage to the rented unit. Tenants are expected not to damage their dwellings, intentionally or negligently. Landlords can deduct the cost of repairs from the tenant's security deposit. In general, tenants are not accountable for damage resulting from ordinary wear and tear.

Tenant's Rights in Blacksburg, VA

Much like landlords have a right to get paid for the service they provide, tenants have a right to get what they pay for: a suitable place to reside. In Blacksburg, Virginia, all residential rental agreements carry an "implied warranty of habitability." This means that a landlord implicitly guarantees that any residence he or she rents will be fit for human habitation. In general, an unit will be automatically deemed uninhabitable if it lacks running water, electricity, heat, and acceptable protection from the elements. There are numerous more factors that can be considered, as well, but those are some of the basics.

In addition to habitable living spaces, tenants also have a right to reasonably safe common areas. Common areas contain lobbies, hallways, and stairwells - essentially anything that everyone living in an apartment complex has access to. These common areas must fulfill the building standards of Blacksburg, Virginia, and must not contain any unnecessary safety hazards.

Under federal and Virginia law, tenants are also entitled to protection against discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, marital status, or gender. Such discrimination can lead to grave civil penalties against the landlord. Landlords further cannot discriminate against tenants based on physical disability, and have to make reasonable accommodations for physically disabled tenants. For instance, they have to allow disabled tenants to make minor physical alterations to the unit (at the tenant's expense) to make it more accessible. Now, they don't need to allow the tenants to have the building remodeled. We're just talking about things like installing handrails in the bathroom, and similar things. The landlord can, however, require tenants to restore the apartment to its original condition, at the tenant's expense, once the tenant leaves.

Lastly, tenants are legally protected from arbitrary eviction. Landlords typically must have a very good reason to evict a tenant before the lease agreement reaches the end of its term (at this point, they are of course allowed to decline to renew the lease). Of course, if the tenant breaches the lease agreement (such as by failing to pay rent, damaging the property, or violating other reasonable rules the landlord has put in the lease), the landlord, like a party to any other contract, is free to terminate the agreement and evict the breaching tenant.

Can a Blacksburg, Virginia Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Landlords and tenants normally prefer to avoid getting into fights with one another, for discernible reasons. A harmonious relationship is profitable for everyone involved. To that end, the advice of a good Blacksburg, Virginia landlord/tenant attorney can help defuse arguments before they become too serious.

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Life in Blacksburg

Blacksburg is a town located in the county of Montgomery in Virginia. It is best known for being the home to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, or simply, "Virginia Tech". Due to the presence of the university, Blacksburg is an ideal site for high tech industry development.

Another feature of Blacksburg is the Virginia Tech Corporate Research center, which houses many companies including Honeywell and the National Weather Service. Radford University is also located nearby. Blacksburg's population is estimated to be about 41,000, which reflects the suburbanization of the area.

Noteworthy points of interest in the town of Blacksburg include Lyric Theatre, Armory Art Gallery, Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Hahn Horticulture Garden. The town hosts several festivals and parades throughout the year. Some of the more popular events include The International Street Fair Parade held every spring, and "Steppin' Out", which is a summer street festival showcasing local food, fun, talent and crafts.

Blacksburg lawyers are usually accommodated by the Montgomery General District Court. Lawyers in Blacksburg, Virginia with more advanced claims can file their cases at the Montgomery County Circuit Court. Montgomery County also has an extensive public library system, with a branch conveniently located in Blacksburg.

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