Lease Agreements

• Lease agreements protect the landlord and the tenant involved in a rental relationship. The lease agreement can specify the rules, rent amount, duration of the rental term and clarify tenant responsibilities. In Colorado, landlords cannot change the terms of a lease without the agreement of the tenant. This law protects the tenant from landlords changing rules and responsibilities in the middle of the lease term. Landlords cannot put rules into the lease agreement that are against the landlord tenant law in Colorado.
  
  

Security Deposits

• A security deposit is an amount of money tenants pay to the landlord before moving into the rental property. The deposit pays for damages to the property by the tenant or can be used to pay unpaid rent after the tenant moves out of the residence. The tenant has the right to the return of the security deposit within 30 days of moving out of the rental unit. Landlords may keep the security deposit or a portion of the deposit, but must provide the tenant with a written list of reasons for withholding the deposit.
  
  

Eviction Process

• Landlords must follow the eviction process in Colorado to remove tenants from the property. The tenant must receive a three-day notice and given the opportunity to remedy the situation such as paying back rent or complying with a violation of the lease agreement. Tenants cannot be locked out of the property or intimidated by the landlord during the eviction process.
  
  

Landlord Obligations

• The landlord is responsible for keeping the residence safe and habitable while tenants live in the unit. Renters cannot withhold rent when landlords fail to repair the property or make the repairs and deduct the amount from the rent.