A Virginia month-to-month lease agreement is a rental contract between a landlord and tenant that can be terminated at will. There is no set end date with this type of agreement, unlike a standard lease. Instead, it renews every month, and either party can end the tenancy with 30 days' notice.
The Virginia Supreme Court has ruled that real estate leases over five (5) years in length are unenforceable, unless they are “under seal,” use the words “this deed, or this indenture” in the body of the document, or are notarized.
Once it is signed by both the landlord and the tenant, the lease is a legally binding contract. If you have any questions about anything in this lease, you should talk to an attorney about the lease before you sign it.
To evict a tenant with no lease or a “tenant at will”, a landlord must serve them an X-Day Notice to Quit. The proper notice period a landlord gives depends on the length of rental period. If the tenant pays rent weekly, a landlord has to serve them a 7-Day Notice.
Generally, no other people may move in with you without a written change to the lease signed by you and the landlord.
"Authorized occupant" means a person entitled to occupy a dwelling unit with the consent of the landlord, but who has not signed the rental agreement and therefore does not have the financial obligations as a tenant under the rental agreement.
State Laws: When a Guest Legally Becomes a Tenant StateRules on Guests Becoming Tenants Virginia No official cutoff. Landlord must specify in lease Washington No official cutoff. Landlord must specify in lease West Virginia No official cutoff. Landlord must specify in lease47 more rows •
written rental agreement is absolutely valid and enforceable. It doesn't need to be notarized, but must be signed by both parties to the lease. Essential terms must be present in the writing, however.
You probably don't expect to sue your roommate someday. Yet, it does happen. An agreement creates expectations to keep the living arrangement fair. They also provide protection and peace of mind because they are legally binding.