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2008 SESSION
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 55-218.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 55-218.1. Appointment of resident agent by nonresident property owner; service of process, etc., on such agent or on Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Any nonresident person as the term "person" is
defined in § 55-248.4 of this title of this the Commonwealth who
owns and leases residential or commercial real property consisting of four or
more units within a county or city in this the Commonwealth shall
have and continuously maintain an agent who is a resident and maintains a
business office within this the Commonwealth. Every lease
executed by or on behalf of nonresident property owners regarding any such real
property shall specifically designate such agent and the agent's office address
for the purpose of service of any process, notice, order or demand required or
permitted by law to be served upon such property owner.
Whenever any nonresident property owner fails to appoint or
maintain an agent, as required herein, or whenever his agent cannot with
reasonable diligence be found, then the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall be
an agent of the nonresident property owner upon whom may be served any process,
notice, order or demand. Service may be made on the Secretary or any of his
staff at his office who shall forthwith cause it to be sent by registered or
certified mail addressed to the property owner at his address as shown on the
lease official tax records maintained by the locality where the property
is located.
The name and office address of the agent appointed as provided herein shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the court in which deeds are recorded in the county or city wherein the property lies. Recordation shall be in the same book as certificates of fictitious names are recorded as provided by § 59.1-74 for which the clerk shall be entitled to a fee of $10.
No nonresident property owner shall maintain an action in the
courts of this the Commonwealth concerning property for which a
designation is required hereunder until such designation has been filed.