Are there any laws governing the use of rental applications?
Yes, Virginia does have laws governing the use of rental applications. Virginia’s Fair Housing Law prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to potential tenants based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, or disability. It also prohibits discrimination in the setting of rental terms, such as security deposits. In addition, Virginia’s landlord-tenant law states that landlords may ask potential tenants for certain information through rental applications in order to make a decision about rental. These include details such as an applicant’s name, address, phone number, employment history, references, and credit reports. However, landlords are not allowed to ask questions related to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, elderliness, familial status, or disability. This means that landlords may not ask potential tenants to provide their social security numbers, immigration status, or other protected information. Finally, Virginia’s landlord-tenant law also states that a landlord may charge tenants a fee for processing their rental applications. This fee cannot be more than $30 and must be refunded to the tenant if he or she is not approved for the rental. It is important for landlords to understand what information they can ask for on rental applications and ensure that they are in compliance with Virginia’s laws.
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