HB1271 - Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, etc.; notice of tenant screening criteria.

2 Co-Sponsors

Department of Housing and Community Development; Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act; notice of tenant screening criteria. Requires landlords governed by the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act or Manufactured Home Lot Rental Act to provide applicants for tenancy with (i) the amount and purpose of fees to be charged to such applicant, (ii) information that will be used to assess such applicant's eligibility for tenancy, and (iii) any criteria that may result in automatic denial of an application. The bill requires such landlords to notify applicants of certain rights protected by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act prior to performing any background, credit, or other pre-occupancy check on such applicants. Finally, the bill requires the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development to develop a sample notice of tenant screening criteria and a standardized statement regarding an applicant's rights protected by the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and to make such sample notice and statement available on the Department's website.