Tenant Damage to Rentals in Colorado

For landlords, tenant damage is a serious concern in Denver, Boulder, Grand Junction, and every other community where they have rental properties. While all landlords expect some wear and tear on their investments, serious damage caused can cause significant financial losses. Fortunately, Colorado has laws to protect both landlords and tenants in the event of landlord-tenant disputes about property damage.

If you're a landlord facing rental damage in Colorado or are a renter being accused of damage, contact Flaxman Law Group. We can address your questions and explore what legal remedies may exist in your case.

It is expected that properties will face some wear and tear but claims of tenant damage arise when more serious harm comes to a condo, apartment, rental home, or commercial rental. These types of damage can include:

• Holes in walls
• Broken windows
• Pest infestations that have gone unaddressed
• Mold that has gone unaddressed and may have caused extensive damage
• Hoarding
• Pet damage, including gouges in walls, stains, and chew marks
• Burns
• Deliberate damage, such as smashed appliances or broken doors

In Colorado, renters are expected to take reasonable steps to keep their rentals safe and clean. Part of this may involve reporting damage so landlords can repair it.

In turn, landlords are expected to complete repairs and maintenance in a timely way. They are expected to keep properties safe and habitable.

Under Colorado law, landlords can also collect a security deposit from tenants. In the case of damages to the rental property beyond normal wear and tear, landlords can withhold part or all of the security deposit to pay for repairs. However, landlords have to follow Colorado law in order to take this step. This involves submitting a written notice of the withholding to the renter. Every step of the process needs to be compliant with Colorado law.

This is often where landlord-tenant disputes happen. Tenants may claim that landlords have taken too long to complete required repairs or that damages were normal wear and tear. It is not uncommon for there to be disagreement about how much repairs will cost or when they will be complete. Tenants will want to retain all of their security deposit and may seek a defence against any withholding. In these situations, negotiation can help resolve the problem. Should negotiations or arbitration not work, tenants and landlords have the right to present their case before the courts for a judge to decide.

Resolving a tenant damage claim in Colorado is not easy. Whether you're a tenant or renter in Pueblo, Silverthorne, Basalt, or any other community, contact Flaxman Law Group if you need to talk to a tenant damage claims attorney in Colorado. We'd be pleased to arrange a consultation so you can ask questions and discuss how you can resolve the dispute. You can call Flaxman Law Group at 970-999-0530 or contact us online to schedule your free, no obligation case consultation.