Virginia Beach tenants are shielded by VRLTA prohibitions on self-help eviction, utility shut-offs, and lockouts. Landlords must use General District Court for any removal, and harassment can void notices.
Under VA Code §55.1-1243, Virginia landlords cannot remove a tenant by changing locks, cutting utilities, or removing belongings outside a court-ordered process. These tactics are categorized as wrongful exclusion or harassment. Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office enforces only writs of possession issued by the General District Court. Tenants subjected to harassment may obtain emergency injunctive relief, recover possession, and seek damages plus attorney fees. Repeated harassment can also influence pending eviction cases by undermining the landlord's good-faith standing.
Self-help lockouts, utility cut-offs, or removal of property outside a court order trigger civil liability, injunctions, and statutory damages under VRLTA §55.1-1243.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach City Code Sec. 23-69 caps sound entering another residential dwelling at 55 dBA between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., and 65 dBA between 7:00 a.m....
Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach's zoning and property maintenance codes do not restrict residential lawn ornaments, statuary, or religious displays at single-family homes. Po...
Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach has no specific City ordinance regulating residential inflatable holiday displays. The principal restrictions come from HOA and condo covenant...
Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach has no citywide ordinance restricting residential holiday lights at single-family homes. Restrictions arise principally from HOA and condo cov...
Virginia Beach, VA
Outdoor kitchens in Virginia Beach require separate trade permits from Permits and Inspections: building permit for structural elements, mechanical permit fo...
Virginia Beach, VA
Virginia Beach has no specific ordinance regulating residential offset smokers, pellet grills, or wood-fired pizza ovens at single-family homes. Multi-unit b...
See how Virginia Beach's tenant anti-harassment rules stack up against other locations.
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