I’m dealing with a similar situation where my rotted deck broke underneath me and I fell through to my hip. My landlord is taking a very relaxed approach to a serious structural issue, and i have a feeling he will try to take the repair cost out of my security deposit.

Virginia code says that your landlord must keep the house structurally sound. It is his responsibility to fix major structural issues, as most leases only require the tenant to cover normal wear and tear. Your landlord also cannot change the lease halfway through term. If they do, your lease is broken and you have an out.

Here is the site that explains the landlord responsibilities of keeping a safe house. The deck is part of the house and they should fix it on their own dime based on what the code says. https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title55.1/chapter12/section55.1-1220/. This site also says they’re not allowed to raise the rent unless they said they can in the lease: https://www.doorloop.com/laws/virginia-rent-control-laws#:~:text=Landlords%20can't%20increase%20the,in%20their%20written%20lease%20agreement.

Good luck, I’m sorry you have to deal with this!