Essentials of Landlord-Tenant Law in Virginia (Online Seminar)

A pre-recorded streaming video replay from the March 2018 webcast, Essentials of Landlord-Tenant Law in Virginia.

Virginia’s Landlord-Tenant law traces its roots to England’s common law and was codified in the Virginia Landlord Tenant Act, or the VLTA, in the Code of Virginia. Virginia later adopted the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, or VRLTA, which was based on the Uniform Landlord Tenant Act, and which regulates virtually every aspect of the residential landlord-tenant relationship. Why is this important? A residential landlord-tenant relationship requires consideration of elements that fall outside the lease agreement, to include not only compliance with the VRLTA but adherence to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and oftentimes federal bankruptcy law. It follows that a lease for residential real property is not just another contract but one involving present, possessory rights in real property emanating from ancient common law and codified for modern use. On the other hand, practitioners look not to the Code but to the law of contracts when advising clients on commercial lease matters.

This course will provide a basic overview of residential and commercial landlord-tenant law with an emphasis on the VRLTA. Focus areas will include various notice requirements, actions commonly brought by tenants, and issues that frequently arise in collecting rent and damages. The material will also take a basic look at bankruptcy law as it affects landlord-tenant proceedings. Finally, some of the recent changes in the VRLTA will be discussed, as will practice considerations for those interested in supplementing their existing practice area(s).

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Elizabeth Godwin-Jones, Godwin-Jones & Price, P.C. / Richmond

Elizabeth Godwin-Jones graduated with honors from Iowa State University with a B.A. in German and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.  She earned her juris doctorate from Georgetown University, where she served on the Editorial Board of Law and Policy in International Business.   She also received a master’s degree in German linguistics from the University of Illinois, studied Low German dialects for one year as a Fulbright scholar at the University of Munster, Germany, and received a license en droit at the Universite de Pau in France, avec mention.

Ms. Godwin-Jones is a member of the Virginia State Bar, the Virginia Creditors Bar Association, the Central Virginia Apartment Association, and the Richmond Apartment Owners Association.  She serves on the legislation committee of the Virginia Apartment Management Association and is a past president of the Virginia Creditors Bar Association.  She has also served as a volunteer attorney with the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project.

Ms. Godwin-Jones has lectured for the National Business Institute, the Richmond Association of Realtors, and the Central Virginia Apartment Association.

P. Matthew Roberts, Godwin-Jones & Price, P.C. / Richmond

Matthew Roberts is a former law clerk to the Honorable F.G. Rockwell, III, Twelfth Judicial District of Virginia, Chesterfield, Virginia. He was admitted to the Virginia Bar in 2005. He is also admitted to practice before the Federal Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States Bankruptcy Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

After graduating magna cum laude from James Madison University in 1994, Mr. Roberts earned a bachelor’s degree in music with an emphasis in music industry. He received his master’s degree in media writing and production from the University of Miami in 1997, and obtained his juris doctorate from the University of Richmond in 2005.