HB160:

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord obligations, tenant safety.

Bill Summary:

Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act;
landlord obligations; tenant safety. Requires a landlord who
owns more than four rental dwelling units, or more than a 10 percent
interest in more than four rental dwelling units, to require all
employees and applicants for employment to submit to fingerprinting
and provide personal descriptive information to be forwarded along
with the employee's or applicant's fingerprints through the Central
Criminal Records Exchange and the Federal Bureau of Investigation
for the purpose of obtaining criminal history record information
regarding such employee or applicant. The bill allows a landlord
to disqualify from employment any person who has been convicted of
or found guilty of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere
to, regardless of adjudication, a violent crime committed in any
jurisdiction. The bill also provides that a landlord must (i) establish
written policies and procedure for the storage and management of,
access to, and return of all keys for each rental dwelling unit;
(ii) regulate the secure storage of and access to unissued keys;
and (iii) maintain a written log for the issuance and return of all
keys. Finally, pursuant to the bill, all relevant landlords must submit
certain information on a quarterly basis to the Department of Housing
and Community Development to prove compliance with the provisions
outlined in the bill.