A Colorado residential lease agreement (“rental agreement”) is a legal contract between a landlord overseeing a residential property and a tenant who wishes to rent it. A residential lease may, on or before move-in, additionally require a security deposit from the tenant as assurance against future property damage.
The following disclosures are required for all residential lease agreements in Colorado.
| Disclosure | Applicability |
|---|---|
| Names and Address of Landlord or Authorized Agent | All Residential Leases |
| Radon Gas | All Residential Leases |
| Income Non-Discrimination | All Landlords with >5 Total Rental Units |
| Lead-Based Paint | All Units Built Prior to 1978 |
Applicable to all residential leases.
All residential leases in the state of Colorado must contain the name and address of the landlord or authorized agent. This enables smooth communication of any important legal notice. In the event of a change in contact information, the landlord must provide updated information within one business day, via writing, electronic notice, or posting at a conspicuous location on the premises. [1]
Applicable to all residential leases.
All residential leases in the state of Colorado must include a radon gas disclosure. This must include current information (as relevant) about radon testing and concentrations on the property, plus the following formal statement about the dangers of radon gas, in legible bold-faced type: [2] [3]
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment strongly recommends that ALL tenants have an indoor radon test performed before leasing residential real property and recommends having the radon levels mitigated if elevated radon concentrations are found. Elevated radon concentrations can be reduced by a radon mitigation professional.
Residential real property may present exposure to dangerous levels of indoor radon gas that may place the occupants at risk of developing radon-induced lung cancer. Radon, a Class A human carcinogen, is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer overall. A landlord is required to provide the tenant with any known information on radon test results of the residential real property.
A radon gas disclosure is not valid unless signed by the tenant.
Applicable to landlords who operate more than five total rental units, including single-family homes.
Colorado requires a rental agreement, by default, to contain a statement that the state prohibits discrimination based on source of income. The statement must be substantially similar to the following: [4]
Colorado Revised Statutes section 24-34-502 (1) prohibits source of income discrimination and requires a non-exempt landlord to accept any lawful and verifiable source of money paid directly, indirectly, or on behalf of a person, including income derived from any lawful profession or occupation and income or rental payments derived from any government or private assistance, grant, or loan program.
A landlord is exempt from providing this statement when renting out five or fewer single-family rental homes, with no more than five total rental units including any single-family homes.
Applicable to any rental units built prior to 1978.
For any property built before 1978, federal law requires that a Colorado residential lease must contain a lead-based paint disclosure. This requires landlords to do the following:
The following lease agreement disclosures and addenda are not required by Colorado law in residential lease agreements, but assist with tenant management and help limit landlord liability.
| Optional Disclosure | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Asbestos | Informs tenants about any asbestos hazards related to the property. Tenants can take precautions to reduce asbestos hazards by avoiding any disturbance of asbestos fibers. |
| Bed Bugs | Informs tenants whether the property or an adjacent unit has a history of suspected bed bug infestation, and reminds the tenant of the obligation to report suspected infestation immediately. |
| Late/Returned Check Fees | Specifies late fees or returned check fees related to the lease. In Colorado there are no restrictions on late fees and a $20 cap on returned check fees. |
| Medical Marijuana Use | Informs tenants about policy related to medical marijuana use on the rental property. Some state laws allow landlords to restrict marijuana usage to non-smoking methods only, or allow use only in designated smoking areas. |
| Mold Disclosure | Informs tenants about actual or suspected mold contamination on the property, along with any remediation efforts, to help limit landlord liability. |
| Move-in Checklist | A move-in checklist inventories existing property damage, when the tenant takes possession of the rental property. This enables accurate deductions from the security deposit upon move-out. |
| Non-Refundable Fees | Charges not agreed by the tenant in the lease may be refundable upon lease termination. For Colorado landlords to charge a non-refundable fee, it must be disclosed and agreed as such in the lease. |
| Shared Utilities Arrangements | Discloses how utilities are metered and billed when multiple rental units share a utility meter for the whole building or property. |
| Smoking | Informs tenants of designated smoking areas that do not interfere with the quiet enjoyment of other tenants. |
Some Colorado cities, like Denver and Colorado Springs, have more comprehensive rules than the statewide standard. Always check local laws.
Mandatory disclosures outline important health, safety, and property information for both landlord and tenant safety. A landlord who fails to provide federally or state-mandated disclosures could face legal repercussions or monetary penalties, either from a tenant lawsuit or from state officials.
Failure to comply with the federal lead-based paint hazard disclosure risks fines of tens of thousands of dollars per violation.
A written rental agreement must include a statement indicating to the tenant the name and address of the person who is the landlord or the landlord’s authorized agent. If the identity of a landlord or a landlord’s authorized agent changes, the new landlord or authorized agent, not later than one business day after such change, shall:
(a) Provide each tenant of the landlord written or electronic notice of the change; or (b) Post the identity of the new landlord or new authorized agent in a conspicuous location on the residential premises.
Before signing a lease agreement for residential real property, the landlord shall disclose and provide in writing to the tenant the following information in a document that the tenant signs to acknowledge receipt of the disclosure:
(I) A warning statement in bold-faced type that is clearly legible in substantially the same form as is specified as follows:
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment strongly recommends that ALL tenants have an indoor radon test performed before leasing residential real property and recommends having the radon levels mitigated if elevated radon concentrations are found. Elevated radon concentrations can be reduced by a radon mitigation professional.
Residential real property may present exposure to dangerous levels of indoor radon gas that may place the occupants at risk of developing radon-induced lung cancer. Radon, a Class A human carcinogen, is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer overall. A landlord is required to provide the tenant with any known information on radon test results of the residential real property.
Before signing a lease agreement for residential real property, the landlord shall disclose and provide in writing to the tenant the following information in a document that the tenant signs to acknowledge receipt of the disclosure:
(II) Any knowledge the landlord has of the residential real property’s radon concentrations, including the following information:
(A) Whether a radon test or tests have been conducted on the residential real property; (B) The most current records and reports pertaining to radon concentrations within the residential real property; (C) A description of any radon concentrations detected or mitigation or remediation performed; and (D) Information regarding any radon mitigation system, including a system description and documentation, if a radon mitigation system has been installed in the residential real property; and (III) A copy of the most recent brochure published by the department of public health and environment in accordance with section 25-11-114 (2)(a) that provides advice about radon in real estate transactions.
(a) A written rental agreement must include a statement that section 24-34-502 (1) prohibits source of income discrimination and requires a non-exempt landlord to accept any lawful and verifiable source of money paid directly, indirectly, or on behalf of a person, including income derived from any lawful profession or occupation and income or rental payments derived from any government or private assistance, grant, or loan program. (b) This subsection (2.5) does not apply to a landlord with five or fewer single-family rental homes and no more than five total rental units including any single-family homes.
How Long Can a Residential Lease Be in Colorado? Depending on circumstances, in Colorado it’s usually possible to have a lease of any length of time, as long as the length of the lease term is specific and agreed in writing by the landlord and tenant. Oral leases can almost never be for a term of more than one year. Read more » Is a Contract to Lease Binding in Colorado? Yes, a contract to lease is legally binding in Colorado. To be valid, a contract to lease may have to be written. Oral leases may be valid in some cases (especially when both parties later behave as though there’s an enforceable oral lease), but often have strict limitations on enforceability for things like length of the lease term. Read more » Do Lease Agreements Need to Be Notarized in Colorado? No, lease agreements do not need to be notarized in Colorado. A notary helps establish the identity of the people signing the lease, if there’s a claim of fraud, but a notary isn’t necessary for a lease to be valid. Read more » Can a Lease Automatically Renew in Colorado? Yes, a lease can automatically renew in Colorado. Most rental agreements will automatically renew when the initial tenancy period is over. Past this point, the lease becomes a month-to-month rental agreement, with the same basic terms and conditions otherwise as the original lease. In some cases, such as if rent is being paid weekly, the lease may become a week-to-week lease. Read more »
