W. Va. Code §§ 24D-2-1 to 24D-2-10 § 24D-2-3

Landlord-tenant relationship.

In Force
Verified 10/26/2026 · Next check 10/27/2026
West VirginiaUtilities

Operative Text

W. Va. Code §§ 24D-2-1 to 24D-2-10 § 24D-2-3
(a) A landlord may not:
(1) Interfere with the installation, maintenance, operation or removal of cable television facilities upon his property or multiple dwelling premises, except that a landlord may require:
(A) That the installation of cable television facilities conform to such reasonable conditions as are necessary to protect the safety, functioning and appearance of the multiple dwelling premises and the convenience and well-being of other tenants;
(B) That the cable operator or the tenant or a combination thereof bear the entire cost of the installation or removal of such facilities; and
(C) That the cable operator agrees to indemnify the landlord for any damage caused by the installation, operation or removal of such facilities;
(2) Demand or accept any payment from any tenant, in any form, in exchange for permitting cable television service on or within his property or multiple dwelling premises, or from any cable operator in exchange therefor except as may be determined to be just compensation in accordance with this article;
(3) Discriminate in rental charges, or otherwise, between tenants who receive cable television service and those who do not.
(b) Provisions relating to cable television service or satellite master antenna systems contained in rental agreements and leases executed prior to the effective date of this article may be enforced notwithstanding this section.
(c) A cable operator may not enter into any agreement with the owners, lessees or persons controlling or managing the multiple dwelling premises served by a cable television, or do or permit any act, that would have the effect, directly or indirectly, of diminishing or interfering with existing rights of any tenant or other occupant of such building to use or avail himself of master or individual antenna equipment.
(d) The cable operator shall retain ownership of all wiring and equipment used in any installation or upgrade of a cable system within any multiple dwelling premises.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

West Virginia Code § 24D-2-3 establishes that landlords of multi-unit properties generally cannot block or interfere with cable television installation, charge tenants extra fees simply for having cable service, or treat cable subscribers differently from non-subscribers in rental terms. Landlords retain the right to impose reasonable conditions to protect the property's safety, appearance, and the comfort of other tenants, and may require that installation and removal costs be borne by the cable operator, the tenant, or both. Cable operators, for their part, are prohibited from making deals with property owners that would undercut tenants' existing rights to use antenna equipment, and operators must retain ownership of all wiring and equipment they install or upgrade on the premises.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 26, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 24D-2-3, compliant property owners and managers generally refrain from blocking cable installation, imposing surcharges on tenants who subscribe to cable, or writing lease terms that treat cable subscribers less favorably than non-subscribers. Operators who wish to set conditions on how cable facilities are installed — such as requirements protecting the building's appearance or the safety of other residents — document those conditions clearly and ensure they are reasonable in scope. Landlords who want cost protection typically address installation and removal expenses and indemnification for damages in their agreements with cable operators, consistent with the limits this section establishes.

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

For Tenants

Section § 24D-2-3 gives tenants in West Virginia multi-unit housing the right to receive cable television service without facing extra charges from their landlord or discriminatory rental terms based on their cable subscription status. If a landlord appears to be blocking cable installation, demanding payment for cable access, or treating cable subscribers differently in rent or other conditions, a tenant may have grounds to raise that conduct as a violation of this provision. Tenants who believe their rights under § 24D-2-3 are being violated can document the situation, consult a tenant-rights organization, or seek guidance from a housing attorney to understand what enforcement paths may be available.

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.

Effective Timeline

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References Out

No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

W. Va. Code § 24D-2-8
W. Va. Code § 24D-2-8
W. Va. Code § 24D-2-8
W. Va. Code § 24D-2-8

Related Rules

§ 244.270
Liability for utility service payments
§ 244.580
Supplied facilities
§ 1940.9

Source Information

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