Alleghany County Virginia Landlord-Tenant Law: A Practical Guide for Property Owners in the Allegheny Highlands
Alleghany County sits in the far western corner of Virginia, pressed against the Allegheny Mountains with West Virginia just over the ridge. The county was established in 1822 from portions of Bath, Botetourt, and Monroe counties, carved out of mountainous terrain where the Jackson River and Cowpasture River flow toward their confluence just south of the county’s boundary near Iron Gate. Named for the mountain range that defines its western border, Alleghany has a deeply Appalachian character — a working-class industrial economy shaped by the rhythms of a single dominant employer, a stable but slowly declining population, and housing costs that remain among the most affordable anywhere in Virginia. For landlords, that affordability is both an opportunity and a signal to understand the local market carefully before investing.
The county’s population sits at approximately 14,600 — down from 16,200 in 2010 and continuing a slow decline that reflects both the aging of the local workforce and the limited availability of new employment opportunities outside the paper mill sector. The median age in Alleghany is around 48 years, one of the older county demographics in Virginia. The county’s 101st-place population ranking among Virginia’s 133 localities tells you this is genuinely rural, small-town territory. Median household income runs approximately $55,160, and the poverty rate is around 13% — above the Virginia statewide average but not extreme by rural Virginia standards.
WestRock and the One-Company Economy
The defining fact of Alleghany County’s economy is WestRock, which operates a massive paperboard mill in Covington that is one of the two or three largest on the entire East Coast. The mill employs hundreds of workers directly, and when you add contractors, suppliers, and service businesses that depend on mill activity, WestRock’s footprint extends through nearly every corner of the local economy. Mill workers are typically hourly employees with significant overtime availability, which makes income verification slightly complicated — a good month at the mill with heavy overtime will look dramatically different from a slow month. Landlords should request the last three months of pay stubs and the most recent W-2 to get a reliable picture of annual earning capacity. Verify employment directly with WestRock’s HR department when possible, and prioritize applicants with at least 12 months of tenure at the mill, as turnover among newer hires can be higher.
Beyond WestRock, the county’s secondary employers include Alleghany Highlands Community Hospital in Covington, county and town government, the Clifton Forge locomotive fuel facility operated by CSX Transportation, and a modest retail and service sector. The presence of The Homestead resort in neighboring Bath County and The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia’s White Sulphur Springs creates some hospitality employment for Alleghany residents willing to commute. Interstate 64 runs east-west through the county and U.S. Route 220 provides north-south access, making commutes to Lexington and Roanoke feasible for workers seeking employment outside the immediate area.
Clifton Forge: The County’s Largest Community
Clifton Forge occupies a unique position in Virginia’s governmental structure. It was an independent city for decades before voting to reincorporate as a town within Alleghany County on July 1, 2001 — one of only a handful of Virginia localities to ever make that transition. Today, Clifton Forge is the largest community within Alleghany County’s borders, with a population of roughly 3,300, while simultaneously being subject to both county governance and its own town charter. For landlords, this means properties in Clifton Forge fall under Alleghany County jurisdiction for court purposes — evictions are filed in Alleghany General District Court rather than any separate Clifton Forge court (the former Clifton Forge City court closed when it reincorporated, and its records were transferred to the Alleghany GDC). The town has a railroad heritage going back to its days as a C&O Railway hub, and that industrial identity still shapes the community’s character. The Chesapeake and Ohio Historical Society is headquartered there, and the town’s historic downtown preserves much of its early 20th-century commercial architecture.
Filing an Eviction in Alleghany County
Evictions for properties in Alleghany County (not in the City of Covington, which is a separate jurisdiction) are filed in the Alleghany General and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Combined Courts at 266 West Main Street, P.O. Box 139, Covington, VA 24426. Phone: (540) 965-1720. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Civil Court, which is where unlawful detainer hearings take place, is scheduled on Monday afternoons from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., except on any fifth Monday of the month when there is no civil court session. Plan your filing timeline accordingly so the hearing falls on an available Monday.
As with all Virginia evictions, the process begins with written notice. For nonpayment of rent, a 5-Day Notice to Pay or Quit must be served — the tenant has five days to pay all past-due rent in full or vacate the premises. For other lease violations such as unauthorized occupants, property damage, or lease term breaches, a 30-Day Notice to Comply or Vacate is required, giving the tenant 21 days to cure the violation and an additional 9 days to vacate if they cannot. For month-to-month tenancies where the landlord wishes to end the tenancy without cause, 30 days’ written notice is required. After the notice period expires without compliance, the landlord files the Unlawful Detainer complaint with the GDC clerk. The Alleghany County Sheriff serves the summons on the tenant, a hearing is scheduled, and if the landlord prevails and the tenant does not appeal within 10 days, a Writ of Eviction is obtained and the Sheriff executes the removal — typically with at least 72 hours’ notice to the tenant. Self-help evictions are strictly prohibited under Virginia law and expose the landlord to significant liability.
One important note: the City of Covington, though it serves as Alleghany County’s county seat, is an independent city with its own separate GDC docket. Rental properties within Covington city limits are filed in Covington’s court, not Alleghany’s. Always verify whether your property address is technically in Alleghany County or in the City of Covington before filing — the courthouse building may be the same physical location, but the docket and clerk’s office you deal with may differ.
This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Landlord-tenant law is subject to change. Consult a licensed Virginia attorney or contact Alleghany General District Court at (540) 965-1720 for guidance specific to your situation. Last updated: March 2026.
|
