Hanover County, VA Rental Inspections: Tenant Complaint Process (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing code
- VUSBC Parts I and III (§ 6-16)
- Trigger outside suburban service area
- Tenant complaint required before inspection
- Inside suburban service area
- Enforced without a complaint trigger
- Enforcing office
- Building official / building department
- Rulemaking approval
- Board of Supervisors must approve official's rules
Summary
Outside the Town of Ashland, the county's building official enforces the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code's maintenance provisions on a residential rental unit lying outside the suburban service area only after a tenant files a complaint about that unit. Inside the suburban service area, maintenance standards apply to all rental buildings regardless of complaints. Hanover County Code Section 6-16(b) sets this tenant-complaint trigger for enforcement.
(b)The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, Parts I and III, is hereby adopted and incorporated as a part hereof to the same extent as if set out herein at length, and shall control all matters concerning:(1)The maintenance of: ... b.All buildings and structures used as residential rental units within the county; and(2)The procedures for the administration and enforcement of such standards; provided, the building official shall only enforce the provisions of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, Parts I and III, on a residential rental unit located outside the suburban service area as depicted on the phased suburban development plan in the county comprehensive plan in response to a complaint made by a tenant of that residential rental unit.
Full Breakdown
Hanover County Code Section 6-16 adopts the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (VUSBC), Parts I and III, to govern maintenance of buildings and structures used as residential rental units countywide. For rental units inside the suburban service area shown on the phased suburban development plan in the county comprehensive plan, the building official enforces VUSBC maintenance standards the same as any other regulated structure. " That means a tenant renting a house or apartment in outlying areas such as Beaverdam, Montpelier or Old Church must file a complaint with the building official's office before an inspector will act on a maintenance problem; the county does not conduct routine or unannounced inspections of those units.
Section 6-17 establishes the office of building official, staffed by the building official and assistants authorized by the Board of Supervisors, as the "building department" under Section 36-105 of the Code of Virginia, and gives it authority to administer and enforce the VUSBC. Any rules the building official promulgates to administer the code must be approved by the Board of Supervisors and filed for public inspection during regular business hours before they are enforceable. Section 6-19 requires payment of permit fees set by Board resolution before related work begins, though no fee applies to buildings used as places of worship.
Violations & Fines
Section 6-17(b) makes it unlawful to violate or fail to comply with any rule or regulation the building official promulgates and files for public inspection to administer the VUSBC; general VUSBC maintenance violations run through the building official's notice-and-correction process rather than a listed county fine schedule. Tenants outside the suburban service area should keep a dated copy of their complaint, since it is the enforcement trigger for that unit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Hanover County inspect rental homes automatically?
Who do I contact to file a rental complaint in Hanover County?
Is there a fee for a rental maintenance inspection?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hanover County
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