Cal. Civ. Code § 55.1-1227

Tenant to maintain dwelling unit.

In Force
Verified 10/22/2026 · Next check 11/21/2026
effective 10/22/2026VirginiaHabitability & Repair

Operative Text

Cal. Civ. Code § 55.1-1227
A. In addition to the provisions of the rental agreement, the tenant shall:
1. Comply with all obligations primarily imposed upon tenants by applicable provisions of building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety;
2. Keep that part of the dwelling unit and the part of the premises that he occupies and uses as clean and safe as the condition of the premises permit;
3. Keep that part of the dwelling unit and the part of the premises that he occupies free from insects and pests, as those terms are defined in § 3.2-3900 , and promptly notify the landlord of the existence of any insects or pests;
4. Remove from his dwelling unit all ashes, garbage, rubbish, and other waste in a clean and safe manner and in the appropriate receptacles provided by the landlord;
5. Keep all plumbing fixtures in the dwelling unit or used by the tenant as clean as their condition permits;
6. Use in a reasonable manner all utilities and all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and other facilities and appliances, including an elevator in a multifamily premises, and keep all utility services paid for by the tenant to the utility service provider or its agent on at all times during the term of the rental agreement;
7. Not deliberately or negligently destroy, deface, damage, impair, or remove any part of the premises or permit any person, whether known by the tenant or not, to do so;
8. Not remove or tamper with a properly functioning smoke alarm installed by the landlord, including removing any working batteries, so as to render the alarm inoperative. The tenant shall maintain the smoke alarm in accordance with the uniform set of standards for maintenance of smoke alarms established in the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (§ 27-94 et seq.) and subdivision C 6 of § 36-105 , Part III of the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.);
9. Not remove or tamper with a properly functioning carbon monoxide alarm installed by the landlord, including the removal of any working batteries, so as to render the carbon monoxide alarm inoperative. The tenant shall maintain the carbon monoxide alarm in accordance with the uniform set of standards for maintenance of carbon monoxide alarms established in the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (§ 27-94 et seq.) and subdivision C 6 of § 36-105 , Part III of the Uniform Statewide Building Code (§ 36-97 et seq.);
10. Use reasonable efforts to maintain the dwelling unit and any other part of the premises that he occupies in such a condition as to prevent accumulation of moisture and the growth of mold and promptly notify the landlord of any moisture accumulation that occurs or of any visible evidence of mold discovered by the tenant;
11. Not paint or disturb painted surfaces or make alterations in the dwelling unit without the prior written approval of the landlord, provided that (i) the dwelling unit was constructed prior to 1978 and therefore requires the landlord to provide the tenant with lead-based paint disclosures and (ii) the landlord has provided the tenant with such disclosures and the rental agreement provides that the tenant is required to obtain the landlord's prior written approval before painting, disturbing painted surfaces, or making alterations in the dwelling unit;
12. Be responsible for his conduct and the conduct of other persons, whether known by the tenant or not, who are on the premises with his consent, to ensure that his neighbors' peaceful enjoyment of the premises will not be disturbed;
13. Abide by all reasonable rules and regulations imposed by the landlord;
14. Be financially responsible for the added cost of treatment or extermination due to the tenant's unreasonable delay in reporting the existence of any insects or pests and be financially responsible for the cost of treatment or extermination due to the tenant's fault in failing to prevent infestation of any insects or pests in the area occupied; and
15. Use reasonable care to prevent any dog or other animal in possession of the tenant, authorized occupants, or guests or invitees from causing personal injuries to a third party in the dwelling unit or on the premises, or property damage to the dwelling unit or the premises.
B. If the duty imposed by subdivision A 1 is greater than any duty imposed by any other subdivision of that subsection, the tenant's duty shall be determined by reference to subdivision A 1.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Va. Code § 55.1-1227 sets out a comprehensive list of maintenance and conduct obligations that tenants must meet during a tenancy in Virginia. The law requires tenants to keep their unit clean and safe, properly dispose of waste, avoid damaging the property, maintain smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, take steps to prevent mold and pest infestations, and ensure that guests do not disturb neighbors or damage the premises. Where a building or housing code imposes a stricter duty on tenants than any individual item on this list, the stricter code standard governs.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 22, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Va. Code § 55.1-1227, compliant landlords typically document the condition of a unit at move-in and move-out, provide appropriate waste receptacles, install functioning smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and issue written rules and regulations that tenants are expected to follow. When a tenant reports insects, pests, or moisture accumulation, operators generally respond promptly and keep records of those communications, since the statute places notification duties on tenants and cost-responsibility for unreasonable delays on them. For pre-1978 properties, landlords who have provided lead-based paint disclosures and included a written-approval clause in the lease can hold tenants to that requirement before any painting or surface disturbance occurs.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Va. Code § 55.1-1227 outlines the affirmative duties tenants carry throughout a tenancy, including keeping the unit clean, disposing of waste properly, not damaging the property, and promptly notifying the landlord of pests, insects, or moisture problems. Tenants who fail to report pest or moisture issues in a timely manner may be held financially responsible for the added cost of treatment or remediation under this provision. Tenants who believe a landlord is improperly shifting maintenance responsibilities beyond what this statute allows may find it useful to review their lease terms, contact a local tenant-rights organization, or consult the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act resources available through the state.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 22, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 22, 2026
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Related Rules

§ 244.260
Compliance required
§ 14.567
ADOPTED BY REFERENCE
§ 244.340
Sewer and water connections

Source Information

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Fetched:Oct 22, 2026, 05:21 PM UTC