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DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado renters have new protections under laws that took effect Oct. 1.
HB21-1121 and SB21-173 passed through the Colorado legislature during this year’s session.
The COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project summarized some of the highlights.
Leases and rent
- Landlords are prevented from raising rent more than once a year
- A tenant without a written rental agreement must get 60 days written notice before rent is hiked
- Renters can recover financial damages if they’re illegally locked out or wrongfully evicted by their landlord
Late fees
- Landlords can’t charge a late fee unless payment is at least seven days late
- No late fee can be more than $50 a month or 5% of monthly rent, whichever is more
Evictions
- Tenants can respond in court at any time on the day that response is due, and the court must set the trial for 7-10 days later
- Tenants can claim a breach of the Colorado Warranty of Habitability statute (for example, if a house has a pest infestation, toxic mold or an essential appliance that does not work), and the judge can reduce the amount of rent owed to the landlord
- Renters can pay owed rent to stop the eviction before a judge makes a decision
- The document that allows a sheriff to actually remove a tenant from a property cannot come until 48 hours after the judgment, and a sheriff can’t execute it until at least 10 days after the judgment is entered
Read more in this summary from the COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project.
Anyone who needs rental help can call the Colorado Housing Connects hotline at 844-926-6632 or visit Colorado’s Department of Local Affairs website for resources statewide.
