Last reviewed September 2026
Written by LawLease Editorial
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West Virginia Roommate Agreement
This Roommate Agreement is built with West Virginia as the governing state. These are the West Virginia landlord-tenant rules that most often bear on it, with the statute for each.
West Virginia rules at a glance
| Security deposit limit | No statutory capW. Va. Code §37-6A-2 |
|---|---|
| Deposit return | The shorter of 60 days after the tenancy ends or 45 days after a new tenant moves inW. Va. Code §37-6A-1(7) |
| Deposit terms | West Virginia doesn’t mandate a deposit-receipt form, but any deduction beyond rent and damage — such as cleaning or third-party repair costs — must be provided for in the rental agreement to be taken from the deposit (§37-6A-2(b)(5)). |
| Deposit rights | A lease can’t make the tenant waive any Article 6A deposit right. Such a clause is unenforceable, and a landlord who sues to enforce one owes the tenant’s actual damages and attorney’s fees (§37-6A-4). |
| Month-to-month termination | One full rental period (one month) before the end of a periodW. Va. Code §37-6-5 |
Security deposits in West Virginia
West Virginia sets no maximum security deposit, no separate-account requirement, and no interest requirement. Its Article 6A rules focus on how the deposit may be used and when it must come back — and the deadline works differently than in any neighboring state.
- The “shorter of” deadline — The deposit, minus lawful deductions, must be returned with a written itemization within the “notice period”: 60 days after the tenancy ends or 45 days after a new tenant occupies the unit, whichever is shorter (§§37-6A-1(7), 37-6A-2(a)). Re-renting quickly pulls the deadline forward.
- Permitted deductions — Unpaid rent (including reasonable late charges specified in the rental agreement), damage beyond reasonable wear and tear, unpaid utilities the landlord paid on the tenant’s behalf, reasonable removal and storage of the tenant’s belongings, and other charges provided for in the agreement (§37-6A-2(b)).
- 15-day extension — If the damage exceeds the deposit and needs a third-party contractor, the landlord may notify the tenant in writing within the notice period and take an extra 15 days to itemize (§37-6A-2(c)).
- Delivery — By hand or by mail to the tenant’s last known or forwarding address; if it comes back undeliverable, the landlord holds it for six months for pickup (§37-6A-2(g)).
- Records — The landlord must keep itemized deduction records for one year after the tenancy ends and let the tenant inspect or copy them within 72 hours of a written request (§37-6A-3).
- Penalty — A landlord who willfully or in bad faith fails to comply owes the unreturned deposit plus damages of one and a half times the amount wrongfully withheld (§37-6A-5).
Required disclosures in West Virginia
West Virginia has no statewide mold, bedbug, radon, or flood disclosure requirement for residential leases.
- Lead-based paint — Federal warning and known-hazard disclosure for housing built before 1978 (42 U.S.C. §4852d).
- Deposit terms — West Virginia doesn’t mandate a deposit-receipt form, but any deduction beyond rent and damage — such as cleaning or third-party repair costs — must be provided for in the rental agreement to be taken from the deposit (§37-6A-2(b)(5)).
Tenant protections you can’t waive
- Deposit rights — A lease can’t make the tenant waive any Article 6A deposit right. Such a clause is unenforceable, and a landlord who sues to enforce one owes the tenant’s actual damages and attorney’s fees (§37-6A-4).
- Habitability — The §37-6-30 duties are statutory minimums; a lease can add to them but should not purport to reduce them.
- Court process — Possession is recovered through the court process in Chapter 55 — not by changing locks or removing the tenant’s belongings.
- Retaliation — West Virginia courts recognize retaliatory eviction as a defense when a landlord acts to punish a tenant for asserting legal rights.
West Virginia Roommate Agreement FAQs
How much can a landlord charge for a security deposit in West Virginia?
West Virginia sets no maximum — the amount is whatever the lease specifies. The law instead controls what the deposit can be used for and how quickly it must be returned (W. Va. Code §37-6A-2).
How long does a landlord have to return a security deposit in West Virginia?
Within the shorter of 60 days after the tenancy ends or 45 days after a new tenant moves in, with a written itemization of deductions (§§37-6A-1(7), 37-6A-2). If damage exceeds the deposit and needs a contractor, notice within that period buys an extra 15 days. Willful or bad-faith withholding can cost 1.5 times the amount withheld (§37-6A-5).
How much notice is required to end a month-to-month lease in West Virginia?
One full rental period before the end of a period — so a full month for a monthly tenancy. Year-to-year tenancies need three months’ written notice, and the lease can set a different period by agreement (§37-6-5).
More West Virginia landlord documents
- West Virginia Residential Lease Agreement
- West Virginia Eviction Notice
- West Virginia Security Deposit Return Letter
- West Virginia Rent Increase Notice
- West Virginia Notice to Vacate
- West Virginia Application Approval Letter
- West Virginia Application Denial Letter
- West Virginia Background & Credit Check Authorization
- West Virginia Rental Application
- West Virginia Co-Signer Guarantor Agreement
- West Virginia Bed Bug Addendum
- West Virginia Mold & Mildew Addendum
- West Virginia No-Smoking Addendum
- West Virginia Parking & Storage Addendum
- West Virginia HOA & Community Rules Addendum
- West Virginia Crime-Free Housing Addendum
- West Virginia Utilities & Services Addendum
- West Virginia Early Termination Addendum
- West Virginia Lease Extension Addendum
- West Virginia Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
- West Virginia Military Clause (SCRA)
- West Virginia Pet Addendum
- West Virginia Cash for Keys Agreement
- West Virginia Mutual Lease Termination Agreement
- West Virginia Lease Renewal Agreement
- West Virginia Notice of Non-Renewal
- West Virginia Late Rent Notice
- West Virginia Lease Violation Notice
- West Virginia Notice of Entry
- West Virginia Move-In / Move-Out Inspection Checklist
- West Virginia Rent Receipt
- West Virginia Rent Verification Letter
- West Virginia Tenant Welcome Letter
- West Virginia Property Management Agreement
- West Virginia Commercial Lease
- West Virginia Rent-to-Own Agreement
- West Virginia Short-Term Rental Agreement
- West Virginia Room Rental Agreement
- West Virginia Spanish Lease Agreement
- West Virginia Sublease Agreement
- West Virginia Lease Amendment
Roommate Agreement in other states
- Alabama Roommate Agreement
- Alaska Roommate Agreement
- Arizona Roommate Agreement
- Arkansas Roommate Agreement
- California Roommate Agreement
- Colorado Roommate Agreement
- Connecticut Roommate Agreement
- Delaware Roommate Agreement
- Florida Roommate Agreement
- Georgia Roommate Agreement
- Hawaii Roommate Agreement
- Idaho Roommate Agreement
- Illinois Roommate Agreement
- Indiana Roommate Agreement
- Iowa Roommate Agreement
- Kansas Roommate Agreement
- Kentucky Roommate Agreement
- Louisiana Roommate Agreement
- Maine Roommate Agreement
- Maryland Roommate Agreement
- Massachusetts Roommate Agreement
- Michigan Roommate Agreement
- Minnesota Roommate Agreement
- Mississippi Roommate Agreement
- Missouri Roommate Agreement
- Montana Roommate Agreement
- Nebraska Roommate Agreement
- Nevada Roommate Agreement
- New Hampshire Roommate Agreement
- New Jersey Roommate Agreement
- New Mexico Roommate Agreement
- New York Roommate Agreement
- North Carolina Roommate Agreement
- North Dakota Roommate Agreement
- Ohio Roommate Agreement
- Oklahoma Roommate Agreement
- Oregon Roommate Agreement
- Pennsylvania Roommate Agreement
- Rhode Island Roommate Agreement
- South Carolina Roommate Agreement
- South Dakota Roommate Agreement
- Tennessee Roommate Agreement
- Texas Roommate Agreement
- Utah Roommate Agreement
- Vermont Roommate Agreement
- Virginia Roommate Agreement
- Washington Roommate Agreement
- Wisconsin Roommate Agreement
- Wyoming Roommate Agreement
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