Virginia landlord guide — city ordinances, courthouse info & local rules
📍 GDC: 619 Second Street, Municipal Building, Radford, VA 24141 👥 Pop. ~17,000 — New River Valley — Radford University town ⚖️ 27th Judicial District — Combined GDC/JDR Court 🏛 I-81 / US-11 — New River — Radford University — NRV region
Radford is a New River Valley independent city of roughly 17,000 residents where Radford University is the undisputed center of gravity for both the local economy and the rental market. The university enrolls approximately 8,000 students and employs a substantial faculty and staff, creating a rental demand base that is unusual in composition: heavily student-weighted, seasonally driven by academic calendars, and concentrated in the neighborhoods immediately surrounding campus and along the US-11 corridor. Radford sits on the New River with the Blue Ridge foothills as its backdrop — a genuinely attractive small city with a walkable downtown and recreational access that has made it increasingly popular with outdoor recreation enthusiasts and remote workers in addition to the traditional student market. Beyond the university, Radford is home to Radford Army Ammunition Plant, one of the country’s major propellant manufacturing facilities, and the New River Valley Medical Center, both of which provide stable non-student rental demand from government workers and healthcare employees.
Typical rents range from $700–$1,100/month. Radford uses a combined GDC/JDR Court at 619 Second Street. Civil UD: 1st & 3rd Fridays at 9:00 a.m. First continuance by Clerk; subsequent by Judge.
📊 Quick Stats
GDC Location
619 Second Street, Municipal Building, Radford, VA 24141
Population
~17,000 (2025 est.) — Radford University (~8,000 students) — New River Valley
Region
Southwest Virginia — Montgomery/Pulaski Counties adjacent — I-81 / New River
Key Areas
RU campus-adjacent neighborhoods, downtown Radford, East Main Street corridor, New River waterfront
Major Employers
Radford University, Radford Army Ammunition Plant (govt.), NRV Medical Center, city gov.
Verify current business license and rental registration requirements with Radford City Commissioner of the Revenue at (540) 731-3661 and confirm inspection obligations at radfordva.gov. The student rental market creates active code enforcement interest around occupancy, noise, and property maintenance. Confirm maximum occupancy standards before renting to student groups.
Rent Control
None (Va. Code § 55.1-1322).
Security Deposit
Capped at 2 months’ rent (Va. Code § 55.1-1226). Return within 45 days with written itemization. At Radford rents, deposits of $1,400–$2,200 are typical. Student tenants warrant extra care in move-in documentation given turnover patterns and the potential for property wear.
Fee Disclosure (2024)
Va. Code § 55.1-1204.1 — all charges on first page of lease.
Radford Combined GDC/JDR — 27th Judicial District
Address: 619 Second Street, Municipal Building, Radford, VA 24141. Clerk: Ruby R. Stump. Phone: (540) 731-3609. FAX: (540) 731-3692. Office Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. GDC Judges (27th District): Hon. Gerald Eugene Mabe II (Chief Judge), Hon. J. D. Bolt, Hon. Erin J. DeHart (Presiding), Hon. Randal J. Duncan, Hon. Gino W. Williams. Note: This is a combined GDC and JDR court. The same building serves both.
Civil UD Docket — 1st & 3rd Fridays
Civil UD matters: 1st & 3rd Fridays at 9:00 a.m. Criminal/Traffic: Thursdays (traffic 8:30 a.m., misdemeanors 10:00 a.m., arraignments 1:00 p.m., felonies 1:30 p.m.). JDR matters: Tuesdays and select Fridays.
Continuance Policy
First continuance granted by Clerk; subsequent requests by Judge. Contact Clerk at (540) 731-3609.
Student Tenant Guidance
Radford University students are the dominant rental demographic near campus. Best practices: require a creditworthy parent/guardian co-signer on all student leases; include explicit lease provisions on noise, maximum occupants, and property care; use a signed move-in checklist with photos; align lease end dates with May graduation or August move-out. Student rental income is seasonal — vacancy risk is highest May through August.
Entry Notice
Minimum 72 hours’ advance written notice (2024 VRLTA update).
Late Fees
Capped at 10% of monthly rent. At $850/month, max late fee = $85.
Legal Aid
Legal Aid Society of Roanoke Valley: (540) 344-2088. Virginia Lawyer Referral: (800) 552-7977. Court: (540) 731-3609. City Hall: (540) 731-3603. DHCD: dhcd.virginia.gov.
Virginia requires 5-day written pay-or-quit notice (§55.1-1245(F)). No statutory grace period, but rent must be 5 days late before late fees apply (§55.1-1204.1). Tenant can redeem tenancy by paying all rent, late fees, attorney fees, and court costs on or before the court return date (§55.1-1250). Tenant may also present a "redemption tender" - a written commitment from a government or nonprofit entity to pay within 10 days of return date. Late fee cap: 10% of periodic rent. The Eviction Diversion Program was renewed and expanded in 2025, allowing qualifying lower-income tenants to be placed on court-ordered payment plans.
Serve the required notice based on the eviction reason (nonpayment or lease violation).
Wait for the notice period to expire. If tenant cures the issue (where allowed), the process stops.
File an eviction case with the General District Court. Pay the filing fee (~$58).
Tenant is served with a summons and has the opportunity to respond.
Attend the court hearing and present your case.
If you prevail, obtain a writ of possession from the court.
Law enforcement executes the writ and removes the tenant if necessary.
⚠️ Disclaimer: This page provides general information about Virginia eviction laws and does not constitute legal advice.
Eviction procedures can vary by county and may change over time. Local jurisdictions may have additional requirements or tenant protections.
For specific legal guidance, consult a qualified Virginia attorney or local legal aid organization.
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⚠️ Disclaimer: These calculations are estimates based on state statutes and typical court timelines. Actual results vary by county, court backlog, and case specifics. Always verify current requirements with your local courthouse. This is not legal advice.
Underground Landlord
🏠 Screening Tips
For RU student tenants: always require a creditworthy parent co-signer — this is the single most important risk management tool in a student market. For university faculty/staff and Radford Army Ammunition Plant workers: standard 3x income verification. Align lease terms with academic calendar. Civil UD: 1st & 3rd Fridays at 9:00 a.m. First continuance by Clerk; subsequent by Judge.
Radford City Virginia Landlord-Tenant Law: The New River Valley’s University Town — Student Markets, Seasonal Demand, and What the Court Calendar Actually Means for Your UD Filing
Radford operates like two cities simultaneously. From August through May, when Radford University’s approximately 8,000 students are on campus, the city hums with activity — cafes and bars crowded, off-campus housing at or near capacity, and the landlord market genuinely competitive. From late May through early August, with students gone and the next year’s leases not yet activated, the city is quieter, vacancy risk is real, and landlords who haven’t secured the following year’s tenants are scrambling. This academic cycle is the defining characteristic of the Radford rental market, and any landlord who buys property here without fully internalizing it is setting themselves up for cash flow problems. The solution is simple in principle: sign leases for the following academic year before current tenants leave, align term end dates with May or August, and build vacancy buffers into your financial model.
Beyond the student market, Radford has a non-student base worth cultivating. Radford University employs hundreds of faculty, administrators, and staff who are stable, long-term tenants. The Radford Army Ammunition Plant, operated by the U.S. government on the outskirts of the city, employs civilian engineers, chemists, and skilled trades workers who are among the most reliable tenants in the market. New River Valley Medical Center healthcare workers round out the non-student base. If you can attract these tenant profiles, particularly to units slightly removed from the densest student neighborhoods, you’ll find lower turnover and fewer noise and property-condition issues than the pure student market delivers.
The Student Co-Signer Rule & Bi-Monthly Civil Docket
In a college-town market, the co-signer is your primary risk management tool. A student with no credit history, no verifiable income, and no track record of paying rent represents significant credit risk regardless of how responsible they seem in person. A creditworthy parent or guardian co-signer who signs the lease and is jointly and severally liable for rent and damages changes the risk profile entirely — it creates an enforceable financial obligation against someone with assets. Make co-signers a non-negotiable requirement for any applicant who cannot independently meet your income and credit standards, which will be the majority of student applicants. The Radford Combined GDC at 619 Second Street runs civil matters on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month at 9:00 a.m. This bi-monthly schedule means your filing-to-hearing window can be three to six weeks depending on timing. Plan accordingly when non-payment begins. First continuances are grantable by the Clerk; all subsequent requests go to the Judge. Legal Aid Society of Roanoke Valley serves tenants at (540) 344-2088.
⚠️ Legal Disclaimer: General informational purposes only. Civil UD: 1st & 3rd Fridays at 9:00 a.m. First continuance by Clerk; subsequent by Judge. Student tenants: require parent co-signer. Align lease terms with academic calendar to manage vacancy risk. Radford Combined GDC/JDR: 619 Second Street — (540) 731-3609. Legal Aid Society of Roanoke Valley: (540) 344-2088. Last updated: March 2026.
