For housing near James Madison University, what happens to a JMU employee’s private Virginia lease if fire or casualty makes the home unusable?

Answer

Under the version effective until January 1, 2027, serious fire or casualty damage that substantially impairs use, or requires vacancy for repair, permits termination. A tenant terminates by vacating and giving written notice within 14 days afterward; termination dates to vacancy. The landlord has a separate 14-day notice route. Deposit and prepaid-rent disposition, casualty-date proration, and damage-caused-by-tenant exceptions apply. This is not a general right to free temporary lodging.

Scope and verification

§55.1-1240 as effective October 16, 2026; a different version starts January 1, 2027 and is not promoted as current.

Source as of: 2026-10-16

Use cited page body and explicit policy period. A page update date does not extend an expired rate or deadline.

Confirm current requirements and the actual student, employee, household or property circumstances with the cited authority. No property inventory or named professional is assigned by this answer.