DENVER (KDVR) — The idea that someone might have died or committed a crime in a home or apartment you’re looking at buying or renting is not pleasant.

It does happen occasionally, and some people might not want to go forward with a purchase or lease if they find out that the home or unit has a violent or unsavory past.

But are sellers or landlords required to tell you?

Do landlords or sellers have to tell you if someone died in a house?

The short answer is no. In Colorado, they are not required to tell you.

You can ask about it and they may tell you, but if the information does not affect the physical condition of the apartment or house, they are not legally required to tell you.

Specifically, if there are facts or suspicions about the property that is “psychologically impacting” or stigmatizing, they are not required to tell you.

This can include homicides or other felonies that previously happened there.

They also cannot be punished for failing to disclose this information to a potential buyer or tenant because it isn’t required to do so.

What about other states?

Most states do not require a seller or landlord to disclose that someone died in a home or apartment.

However, there are a few states with laws that require it or require sellers and landlords to not lie about it if asked.

For example, in California, if someone died in a house in the last three years, a landlord or seller has to tell you that. However, they only have to tell you that someone died, not any specific information about the death.

In Georgia and South Carolina, sellers and landlords aren’t required to tell you about a death in the home, but, when asked, they have to tell the truth if they know it.