Prepare for the Virginia Real Estate Exam with our interactive quiz. Study using multiple choice and flashcards, complete with hints and detailed explanations. Ace your test with confidence!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


What is the primary duty of a landlord regarding property conditions?

  1. To ensure the property is stylishly decorated

  2. To meet the implied warranty of habitability

  3. To provide utilities and maintenance

  4. To respond to tenant requests only

The correct answer is: To meet the implied warranty of habitability

The primary duty of a landlord concerning property conditions is to meet the implied warranty of habitability. This legal concept ensures that rental properties are safe, livable, and meet basic health and safety standards. The landlord must provide a rental unit that is fit for human habitation, which includes functioning plumbing, heating, and electrical systems as well as proper weatherproofing and structural soundness. Meeting this warranty is not merely about aesthetics or the decor of the property; it's fundamentally aimed at protecting the tenants’ right to a safe and habitable living environment. If a property fails to meet these standards, a tenant may have grounds to terminate their lease or withhold rent until the issues are addressed. Other options, such as providing utilities and maintenance, are certainly important responsibilities of a landlord within the broader scope of maintaining rental properties. However, these duties stem from the overarching requirement to ensure that the property is habitable. Similarly, responding to tenant requests is a necessary part of property management but does not reflect the primary duty of ensuring basic living conditions are met.