Operative Text
Notwithstanding the provisions of § 56-245.3 , a landlord who purchases from a publicly regulated utility any electricity, gas, or other utility service, including water and sewer services, for resale or pass-through to a tenant may not charge for the resale or pass-through of such service an amount that exceeds the amount permitted under the provisions of § 55.1-1212 .
Va. Code § 55.1-1307 limits what a landlord can charge when reselling or passing through utility costs—such as electricity, gas, water, or sewer service—to tenants. Specifically, the amount a landlord may charge cannot exceed the cap established under § 55.1-1212, which governs utility billing in residential tenancies. This rule applies regardless of the general utility resale provisions found in § 56-245.3.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Va. Code § 55.1-1307, landlords who purchase utility services from a regulated utility and then bill tenants for those services must ensure their charges do not exceed the ceiling set by § 55.1-1212. Compliant operators typically audit their utility billing practices to confirm that per-unit charges align with the statutory limit, and they maintain records of the underlying utility costs to demonstrate compliance. Overcharging tenants for passed-through utility costs—even unintentionally—can expose a landlord to legal liability under Virginia's residential landlord-tenant framework.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Va. Code § 55.1-1307 gives tenants a protection against being overcharged when a landlord resells or passes through utility costs like electricity, gas, water, or sewer service. If a tenant believes their landlord's utility charges exceed what is permitted under § 55.1-1212, they may have grounds to raise that as a legal issue, including potentially as a defense in an eviction proceeding or as a basis for a separate claim. Tenants can explore their options by contacting a local tenant-rights organization or Virginia Legal Aid for guidance on how this provision applies generally.
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.
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