Monday June 01, 2026
What are high-rise / apartment rules?
High-rise and apartment rules are written expectations for how residents use their units, common areas, amenities, parking, and shared building systems. In Virginia rental buildings, landlords may adopt rules about the tenant’s use and occupancy of the dwelling unit and premises, but those rules must meet the requirements in Virginia law to be enforceable. For condominium and association buildings, rules often come from the declaration, bylaws, and board-adopted regulations.Examples of high-rise / apartment rules
Common examples of high-rise / apartment rules include:
- Rent payment: The tenant’s obligation to pay rent in full and on time under the lease or rental agreement.
- Quiet hours: Time periods when residents must limit noise so neighbors can enjoy reasonable peace and comfort.
- Guest policy: Rules for visitors, overnight stays, amenity access, and resident responsibility for guest behavior.
- Pet policy: Rules covering permitted pets, service dogs, restricted animals, waste cleanup, leashes, registration, and pet-related damage.
- Trash and recycling: Requirements for proper disposal, collection schedules, bulk-item procedures, and keeping shared spaces clean.
- Parking rules: Requirements for permits, assigned spaces, visitor parking, EV charging areas, loading zones, and prohibited vehicles.
- Smoking policy: Rules restricting smoking or vaping in units, balconies, common areas, or near entrances, depending on the lease or governing documents.
- Amenity rules: Usage guidelines for gyms, pools, lounges, rooftop areas, package rooms, coworking spaces, or other shared apartment amenities.
- Alteration rules: Requirements before painting, renovating, installing fixtures, replacing flooring, or making other changes to a unit.
- Access rules: Procedures for landlord, manager, vendor, or association access for inspections, repairs, emergencies, or required work.
- Maintenance reporting: Resident responsibility to report leaks, pests, broken equipment, safety issues, or conditions that may damage the building.
- Short-term rental policy: Restrictions on subleasing, transient occupancy, or short-term rentals to support security, occupancy compliance, and building operations.
Rule creation tips
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Let common sense lead the way.
Always balance protecting resident safety and well-being, as well as property values, with homeowner freedom when writing new apartment rules. Ask yourself if the rule being proposed is really necessary. If it isn’t, don’t make it. If the rule creates a bigger problem than already existed, it’s not a good rule. Good apartment rules achieve a specific goal or outcome.
If that isn’t the case, take a closer look at why it’s being considered. Taking a moment to reflect on the rule will help the board avoid both personal and political pressure.
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Be mindful of local laws.
When making policy, be mindful of local laws and ordinances and mirror them when appropriate. Doing so gives the policy more validity and possibly another avenue of enforcement. Always ask association legal counsel to vet new policies so that they don’t run afoul of existing laws, open the association to liability, or conflict with the association’s existing apartment rules.
Learn more in our guide to unenforceable rules in Virginia.
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Keep penalties reasonable.
When crafting apartment rules, always keep penalties for violating them in line with the policy being violated. An outsized penalty for a minor infraction will become a problem. When a rule is initially implemented, consider leniency for a time. A progressive system of a friendly reminder, followed by a written warning, then an official violation notice and penalty is one way to go.
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Simple language and rules are best.
People cannot follow a rule they can’t understand. Following apartment rules shouldn’t be difficult either. That applies to penalties as well; they must be as clear as the rules. Policies should never result in standards that homeowners have to work hard to meet.
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Communicate frequently and clearly.
Ask for resident feedback before crafting a new policy. Is the issue really important to the community as a whole? Is it something the board should invest time in addressing? If so, great!
Identify possible areas of resident resistance or pushback on the rule and address them. Once the rule is passed, communicate the new policy and its consequences through every channel available so that homeowners and residents are aware of it. Use social media, emails, posted signs, community newsletters, and other means to give everyone time to comply before violation notices are issued.
FirstService Residential Connect™ makes communication easier for residents and board members with secure access to community information, including posted association documents, notices, and records through an interactive community website and mobile options.
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Review the rules regularly.
It’s a good idea to take a look at all of the policies on record each year and assess them for validity and relevance. Does a rule made several years ago still make sense? Is it needed? Confirm that no new legislation has been passed to render apartment rules obsolete. Then update or eliminate policies as needed.
Rule enforcement tips
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Be fair and consistent.
Everyone must be expected to follow the apartment rules, and the rules must be fairly enforced. If residents believe they won’t get fair treatment, they have no motivation to comply with a policy. Your professional property management company can help enforce apartment rules in the right way. If needed, they will also follow up to confirm that the situation is resolved.
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Extreme responses seldom work.
Knee-jerk responses are called that for a reason: they are an immediate instinct, especially in the face of a big problem. And they almost always backfire in the long run. Maintaining perspective when handling violations for policy infractions is critical to the process. Be careful about not over-penalizing minor infractions (especially for first-time offenders) and consider reasonable exceptions when warranted.
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Make exceptions when needed.
Leave room for personal judgment when appropriate and reasonable, and allow for leniency if warranted. Your community is exhibiting common sense when the board recognizes that not every policy works for all residents in all situations. This includes exceptions that are required under Virginia Fair Housing Law.
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Handle anonymous complaints carefully.
Think of a complaint from an unverified source or an unnamed source as gossip. People who make credible complaints are willing to stand by their words. You can’t, as a board member, know if the complaint is justified or malicious in motivation. As with any complaint, verify it independently before taking action. Consider implementing a written complaint form that states that a name and contact information must be provided before any action will be taken.
For more information on how a professional management team and communication tools can assist your association, contact FirstService Residential, Virginia’s leading community association management company.
This information is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute, and should not be relied upon as, legal, regulatory, financial, or operational advice, or as a representation or guarantee of any specific services, capabilities, or outcomes. Property management needs, regulatory requirements, market conditions, and available services vary by jurisdiction, property type, and community. FirstService Residential provides services through locally based affiliates and associates, and services and results may vary by community, region, contractual terms, and applicable law.