55-246.1 - Who may recover rent or possession.
§ 55-246.1. Who may recover rent or possession.
Notwithstanding any rule of court to the contrary, (i) any person licensedunder the provisions of § 54.1-2106.1, (ii) any property manager, or amanaging agent of a landlord as defined in § 55-248.4, or (iii) any employee,who is authorized in writing by a corporate officer with the approval of theboard of directors, or by a manager, a general partner or a trustee, of apartnership, association, corporation, limited liability company, limitedpartnership, professional corporation, professional limited liabilitycompany, registered limited liability partnership, registered limitedliability limited partnership or business trust to sign pleadings as theagent of the business entity may obtain a judgment (a) for possession in thegeneral district court for the county or city wherein the premises, or partthereof, is situated or (b) for rent or damages, including actual damages forbreach of the rental agreement, in any general district court where venue isproper under § 8.01-259, against any defendant who fails to appear in personor by counsel and is in default if the person seeking such judgment had acontractual agreement with the landlord to manage the premises for which rentor possession is due and may prepare, execute, file, and have served on otherparties in any general district court a warrant in debt, suggestion forsummons in garnishment, garnishment summons, writ of possession, or writ offieri facias arising out of a landlord tenant relationship.
(1983, c. 8; 1989, c. 612; 1998, c. 452; 2003, cc. 665, 667; 2004, cc. 338,365; 2010, c. 550.)