W. Va. Code §§ 37-15-1 to 37-15-10 § 37-15-6a
Termination of tenancy of more than twenty-five tenants.
Operative Text
(a) A landlord of a factory-built home rental community may not terminate a rental agreement nor otherwise evict more than twenty-five tenants of any factory-built home rental community within a single eighteen-month period unless: (1) The landlord obtains written agreement to voluntarily vacate the premises by every tenant prior to the expiration of the eighteen-month period; (2) The landlord provides not less than six months' notice to terminate the rental agreement to each tenant; or (3) The tenant has breached a provision of the rental agreement and the termination complies with the requirements of this article. (b) If a landlord violates the provisions of this section, the tenant has a cause of action to recover actual damages, the costs required to relocate the aggrieved tenant and, in addition, a right to recover treble damages or the equivalent of the aggrieved tenant's rent for one year, whichever is greater, and reasonable attorney fees.
West Virginia Code § 37-15-6a places a cap on how many tenants a factory-built home rental community landlord can displace within any rolling eighteen-month window. If more than twenty-five tenants are to be removed, the landlord must either secure each tenant's written agreement to leave voluntarily, give every affected tenant at least six months' advance notice, or demonstrate that each individual tenant breached the rental agreement. A landlord who fails to meet one of these conditions exposes themselves to a civil lawsuit in which a displaced tenant may recover actual damages, relocation costs, treble damages or one year's rent equivalent (whichever is larger), and reasonable attorney fees.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of factory-built home rental communities in West Virginia should be aware that § 37-15-6a imposes strict procedural requirements before displacing more than twenty-five households in any eighteen-month span. Compliant operators typically document written voluntary-vacate agreements from every affected resident, issue written termination notices at least six months in advance, or ensure that each termination is individually grounded in a documented lease breach that satisfies the article's requirements. Maintaining thorough records of notices, agreements, and any lease-breach proceedings is a standard practice for demonstrating compliance with this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under West Virginia Code § 37-15-6a, tenants in factory-built home rental communities have specific protections when a landlord attempts to displace a large number of residents at once. If a landlord removes more than twenty-five tenants within eighteen months without meeting the required conditions — written voluntary agreement, six months' notice, or a valid lease-breach basis — affected tenants have a statutory cause of action for actual damages, relocation costs, and either treble damages or one year's rent equivalent, whichever is greater, plus reasonable attorney fees. Tenants who believe this provision has been violated may consider raising it as a defense in eviction proceedings, filing a complaint with a relevant state or local authority, or reaching out to a tenant-rights organization for general information about available options.
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 26, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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