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Landlord/Tenant

Landlord Tenant Law at Jarvis Law

We represent landlords and tenants in the entire world of residential and commercial leasing, limited to the geography that starts in Manassas (Fairfax County), runs west on 66 to Front Royal, north to Winchester on 81, and points to the south in the Valley. Within that world we:

  • Advise on updated laws under the Virginia Realtor Landlord Tenant Act (“VRLTA”)—to adapt to the new world of COVID, Rent Relief Programs and fast-changing laws
  • Provide expert analysis to landlords and tenants on all actual and potential legal issues and troubles in both commercial and residential leases, with a focus on drafting and litigation
  • Draft basic lease templates for landlords operating under VRLTA, Section 8 and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (“LIHTC”) housing voucher programs
  • Take on landlords by filing tenant’s assertions and petitions for unlawful ousters under the VRLTA
  • Advise tenants and landlords on possible fair housing law violations
  • Draft reasonable accommodation requests on behalf of tenants facing discriminatory practices, and advise landlords on how to comply with fair housing laws
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Why Jarvis Law?

Hiring a former legal aid attorney for landlord/tenant work is akin to hiring a former prosecutor to run your white-collar crime section in a law firm. At legal aid, we have one primary directive: find a way to delay and defend an eviction and keep a roof over a poor family’s head. When COVID hit, it became almost impossible to evict a tenant for non-payment of rent. Beginning in July 2022, that will be changing, but in the meantime, landlords in Northern Virginia, ranging from Manassas in Prince William County, Fairfax County, Leesburg, and the exurbs to the West (from Front Royal in Warren County to Winchester in Frederick County) have been taking advantage of a booming housing market to sell their rental assets and at times exit the rental business. Now that COVID and the funds distributed under are dissipating, we will find ourselves in an altered and much-changed rental world. Prices are up all over.

When it comes to residential leases, I prefer to work with landlords that comply with both the spirit and the letter of the VRLTA. I like to find ways to keep good tenants in their units and a way to work out disagreements or disputes without resorting to the eviction process. Sometimes, however, even the most compassionate and patient landlord needs help in court. We are happy to help in those situations. And we are comfortable in the world of commercial leases, where landlords and tenants are bound more by the terms they agree to than the laws that bind them.

When it comes to General District Court, I’m also comfortable. I know the judges very well in Front Royal, Winchester, Shenandoah, Clarke and Harrisonburg. I also know the courts and their systems in Prince William County (Manassas) and of course the right pen color to use in Fairfax–and perhaps even the correctly colored cover sheet (that only Fairfax uses).

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Amanda Chaillan

Senior Adviser, Business

Amanda Chaillan earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in English from Chapman University in 2008. Her collegiate study focused on intercultural and global relations, including a research semester at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic and a semester of study at Georgetown University, Washington, DC. She also completed an Executive Certificate in Strategic Management from the Harvard Extension School in 2017.

Amanda’s career has always been at the intersection of nonprofits, business and government. Focused on delivering positive impact, she has helped build organizations, develop business strategies and craft messaging that advances the work of visionaries and leaders that are shaping the world. She played a critical role in marketing and practice integration for the energy sector group of a global law firm, led engagement with legal counsel and the Board of Directors to establish and facilitate strategic planning for the launch of a water-focused nonprofit, and has led program teams addressing a range of corporate social responsibilities (CSR) issues.  

Amanda brings her business acumen and operational expertise to every engagement, drawing on her particular strengths in stakeholder engagement, program development and storytelling. She is committed to continuing to build a career of service and working to make a positive impact on the world.

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Tarra Smeltzer

Office Manager

Tarra Smeltzer has constructed a career that builds on her passion for personal wellness and strong business ethics. She brings a big heart and incredible attention to detail to every role she takes on. Whether it’s supporting customers or working with colleagues, she is a doer and fixer, helping manage cases, fostering a collaborative culture and trouble-shooting operational and legal issues.

With more than 30 years of customer service experience, Tarra manages the trial and team schedules and coordinates office operations to deliver the best outcomes for Jarvis clients. She also brings research skills and issue experience in the areas of real estate, consumer and family law.

Tarra is a vital member of the Jarvis team, and a caring champion of clients. In her free time she enjoys hiking in the Shenandoah Valley, reading and spending time with her loving family.

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Madeline Farris

Paralegal

A student at the College of William & Mary, Madeline Farris is a Classics Major who plans to follow in the footsteps of Mrs. Jarvis as a lawyer and an author. Ever since the age of 12, Madeline has been writing: with six complete novels, Madeline is determined to publish her work, but she loves her work at Jarvis Law, where she is able to crack fascinating cases and help good people. Madeline figures in a leadership position in her campus’s Unitarian Universalist ministry, and also works at the Williamsburg Unitarian Universalist Church as the Childcare Coordinator.

Madeline has experience in the nonprofit and legal aid sectors: she worked with Mrs. Jarvis as Mrs. Jarvis’s intern while Mrs. Jarvis was still a staff attorney at Blue Ridge Legal Services, and also worked with Valley Assistance Network from 2019-2020 as an intern, where she was able to help connect struggling people with necessary resources.

Madeline is also the stepdaughter of a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), so she is studying to obtain her light sport pilots license, for as Leonardo Da Vinci once said, “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.”

Madeline’s favorite areas of law are family, consumer protection, and business law. She enjoys finding odd solutions to difficult problems, and assisting wonderful souls in a world that is sometimes unforgiving and cruel. Madeline’s hobbies include playing the clarinet, taking long walks in nature, and talking to her vivacious pet goldfish, Bertie.

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Joshua Smeltzer

Paralegal

Joshua Smeltzer obtained a Bachelor of Science in Philosophy from James Madison University in 2022, following his service with the U.S. Army. He is a compassionate and committed public servant building a career that draws on his strong communication, research and management skills.

Josh seeks out opportunities that require critical thinking and creative solutions to address the complex challenges faced by clients. As a lead researcher, he dives deep into an issue to inform the legal strategy of the Jarvis team. He has led research on legal issues including consumer law, real estate, family law and estate planning.

Josh is a dedicated family man and proud member of the Shenandoah Valley community. In his free time, Josh enjoys physical activities and indulging in a new book.

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Elaine Jarvis

Elaine Jarvis obtained her law degree from the Marshall Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary in 1997. She practiced law in D.C. and Northern Virginia for several years, obtaining experience in litigation, antitrust, mergers & acquisitions, bankruptcy and contract law. She put the practice of law on hold for a bit to raise three children and run multiple businesses, with a focus on publishing and helping non-profits. Over the course of a decade, Elaine wrote ten novels and built a social media following of more than 50,000 people with her page and blog, Running from Hell with El. Her first two novels, Ripple: a Tale of Hope and Redemption and I Run: a Novel won awards and hit Amazon bestseller’s list at #1 and #2.

In 2015, Elaine moved from Fairfax County to the mountains of Front Royal and found her love for the practice of law rekindled. She joined Blue Ridge Legal Services, Inc. (BRLS) in Winchester, where she helped low-income clients in Frederick County, Clarke County, Front Royal, Shenandoah and Page County–and all parts in between. These clients faced legal issues in consumer law, bankruptcy, landlord/tenant, and estate planning. At BRLS, Elaine counted success as roofs kept over heads and clients saved from overwhelming threats to their survival. Leaving BRLS and her office mates was hard, but being able to help folks in Northern Virginia, Manassas, Winchester, the Valley and of course Front Royal while also focusing on complex fact patterns, small businesses, and aggrieved consumers makes for a journey into an exciting future. Elaine’s outside interests include writing, flying airplanes, hiking, adventuring, gardening and piloting things that go fast and land gently. She enjoys running and traveling from mountain to ocean and just about anywhere in between—as long as she can escape the city. She welcomes people from all faith traditions, ethnic backgrounds, genders, and personal belief systems to her practice.

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