Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Virginia

In Virginia, as a homeowner, If I rent a room in my home, for $400 per month, on a month to month basis, and someone pays me only $200 after agreeing verbally to rent the room on the 1st of the month, but hasnt moved in yet...and on the 8th cancels the agreement, verbally, because they lost their job, do I by law have to refund their money?


Asked on 3/10/10, 9:33 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

As a landlord renting out a room in your home, you would be exempt from complying with the requirements of the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act (VRLTA) regarding this issue. However, even if such were the case, simple equity considerations would seem to counsel that most if not all of this deposit should be refunded to your prospective tenant who never moved in due to loss of employment. (Suppose he had moved in under this circumstance and then you found that you had to go to court in order to evict him?)

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Answered on 3/16/10, 7:34 am


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