Cal. Civ. Code § 55.1-1314
(Effective until January 1, 2027) Retaliatory conduct prohibited.
Operative Text
A. Except as provided in this section, or as otherwise provided by law, a landlord shall not retaliate by selectively increasing rent or decreasing services or by bringing or threatening to bring an action for possession after the landlord has knowledge that (i) the tenant has complained to a governmental agency charged with responsibility for enforcement of a building or housing code of a violation applicable to the premises materially affecting health or safety, (ii) the tenant has made a complaint to or filed an action against the landlord for a violation of any provision of this chapter, (iii) the tenant has organized or become a member of a tenant's organization, or (iv) the tenant has testified in a court proceeding against the landlord. B. The landlord shall be deemed to have knowledge of a fact if he has actual knowledge of it, he has received a notice or notification of it, or, from all the facts and circumstances known to him at the time in question, he has reason to know that it exists. C. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections A and B, a landlord may terminate the rental agreement pursuant to subsection A of § 55.1-1308 and bring an action for possession if: 1. Violation of the applicable building and housing code was caused by lack of reasonable care by the tenant, a member of the tenant's household, or a guest or invitee of the tenant; 2. The tenant is in default in rent; or 3. The tenant is in default of a provision of the rental agreement materially affecting the health and safety of the tenant or others.
Va. Code § 55.1-1314 prohibits landlords from taking retaliatory actions—such as selectively raising rent, cutting services, or threatening or filing eviction proceedings—against tenants who have reported housing or building code violations to a government agency, filed complaints or legal actions against the landlord, joined a tenant organization, or testified against the landlord in court. The law defines 'knowledge' broadly, covering not just direct awareness but also situations where the landlord received notice or had reasonable grounds to know about the tenant's protected activity. However, the prohibition does not shield tenants from legitimate landlord actions when the tenant caused the code violation, is behind on rent, or has materially breached the rental agreement in ways affecting health and safety.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Va. Code § 55.1-1314, compliant property owners and managers are careful to ensure that any rent increases, service changes, or eviction actions taken after a tenant engages in protected activity—such as filing a code complaint or joining a tenant organization—are grounded in documented, legitimate business or legal reasons unrelated to that activity. Operators generally maintain clear records showing the independent basis for any adverse action, such as documented lease violations, unpaid rent, or tenant-caused damage, to distinguish lawful conduct from the selective or retaliatory actions the statute prohibits. Because the statute defines landlord 'knowledge' broadly to include constructive awareness, property managers typically document the timeline of events carefully whenever a tenant has engaged in any of the protected activities listed in § 55.1-1314.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Va. Code § 55.1-1314 gives tenants in Virginia a legal protection against landlords who respond to protected activities—like reporting a health or safety code violation, joining a tenant organization, or testifying in court—by raising rent selectively, cutting services, or initiating eviction proceedings. If a tenant believes a landlord's action is retaliatory under § 55.1-1314, this protection can potentially be raised as a defense in an eviction proceeding or pursued through a complaint or legal action against the landlord. Tenants seeking to understand their options under this provision may find it helpful to contact a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office familiar with Virginia landlord-tenant law.
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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