Kanawha County, WV Rental Property Rules: Just Cause Eviction (2026)
Just cause eviction rules in Kanawha County, WV, sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances, list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Key Facts
- Just cause
- Not required
- MTM notice
- One period (§37-6-5)
- Eviction suit
- Wrongful occupation §55-3A
- Self-help eviction
- Illegal
- County authority
- None
Summary
West Virginia has no just-cause eviction law, and Kanawha County cannot add one. A landlord ends a month-to-month tenancy with a full period's notice under §37-6-5, then files a wrongful-occupation petition under §55-3A; only a judge can order removal.
A person desiring to remove a tenant from residential rental property may apply for relief to the magistrate court or the circuit court of the county in which the property is located, by verified petition, setting forth the following:
Full Breakdown
No West Virginia statute makes a landlord prove cause before ending a tenancy. Under §37-6-5 either party ends a month-to-month tenancy with one full rental period's written notice, and a fixed-term lease simply expires. To remove a holdover or non-paying tenant, the landlord files a verified petition for wrongful occupation of residential rental property under §55-3A-1 in Kanawha County magistrate or circuit court. Kanawha County cannot impose just-cause, relocation pay, or a good-cause defense; West Virginia grants it no such power. Self-help eviction, such as changing locks or cutting utilities, is illegal, and the court process is the tenant's protection. Deposits return under §37-6A.
Violations & Fines
A landlord who locks out a tenant or shuts off utilities instead of using the court commits an illegal self-help eviction and faces damages. Skipping the required notice gets the petition dismissed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my landlord evict me without a reason?
Can my landlord just change the locks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kanawha County
Compare Kanawha County to another location·View the West Virginia rental property rules overview
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