A brief word on important regulatory and legal matters in Washington
Several laws govern relationships between renters and landlords in Northern Virginia. The Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRTLA), establishes the rights and obligations of tenants and real estate investors in Virginia, and supersedes all leases and county ordinances. And our local governments in and around Washington have specific ordinances pertaining to the management of rental properties in their jurisdictions. Nesbitt Realty strives to work within the bounds of these regulations, laws and ordinances at all times and we try to keep up to date on changes in the laws when they are published. That said, only a court of law has the power to enforce the VRLTA and local ordinances.
The Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (VUSBC), Virginia Maintenance Code, establishes the minimum standards for health and safety in all dwellings occupied by a tenant and applies to all rental agreements.
Our brokerage refuses to use race, sex, religion, color, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or familial status as the basis for making an decisions related to rentals. Nesbitt Realty is committed to Fair Housing

Landlord Reference
a handy archive for rental investors in Washington
- Before you lease out your rental property in Washington
- Collections and evictions
- Communications with the tenant
- During tenancy
- End of tenancy and what happens when a renter breaks the lease
- How does the owner get paid?
- How your rental manager handles the association and your community
- How your property management company handles utilities
- How Nesbitt Management finds renters
- Insurance matters for rental investors using our property management
- How Nesbitt Management handles keys
- Washington landlord responsibilities
- Maintenance, repairs & inspections for your rental investment in Washington
- The move-in inspection
- Property management information form
- Selling a 1031 tax exchange & more
- Starting our management of your rental property
- When landlords don't yet know their new address
- Vetting renters in Washington