Rental housing help set to expire June 30
July 1, landlords move to 5-day payment notice
RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Last month saw the end of rent relief applications across the state, and now another significant change for landlords and tenants is just on the horizon.
Come June 30, landlords no longer have to do a 14-day non-payment notice; it will go back to five days starting July 1.
Payment Plan Requirements:
- Through June 30, 2022, larger landlords (those who own more than 4 units, or 10% in more than 4 units) must offer tenants a payment plan. The payment plan must:
- Be in equal monthly installments
- Over a 6-month period, or if fewer than 6 months are left on the lease, however many months are left in the lease.
- No late fees for on-time payments.
- If the tenant misses a payment, the landlord must serve a new pay or quit notice.
- The tenant may only exercise this option once during the lease period.
- Starting July 1, 2022, landlords are no longer required to offer a payment plan.
This means tenants have less time to make those late rent payments, but Marty Wegbreit with the Central Virginia Legal Aid Society says this only applies to unsubsidized housing.
Subsidized housing through the Department of Housing and Urban Development would still require landlords to have a 30-day payment notice. It will remain that way until the department changes that notice.
Wegbreit says because these provisions have been allowed to expire at the end of the month, a housing crisis may be on the horizon.
“It’s going to be a problem, and it’s a reversion to what I have termed the unforgiving rush to judgment,” Wegbreit said. “Giving only five days to pay rent is not enough time for a lot of people; 14 days is much more time, and it helps a lot more people. "
Wegbright says that even though landlords aren’t required to have 14-day payment plans, it doesn’t mean they can’t. It’s why he’s encouraging people to tap into resources like 211 and start conversations with landlords about payment plans.
“Just because landlords are not required after the end of June to offer payment plans does not mean landlords can’t do that,” Wegbriet said. “And when we hear landlords say that eviction is the last thing they want to do, for most landlords, we take them at their word.”
Weigbreit says there was a bill introduced in this year’s General Assembly to extend the 14-day notice beyond the expiration date of June 30, but it died in a House subcommittee.
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