What Are My Rights as a Tenant in Colorado Springs?

• Like most states, tenants living in Colorado Springs have certain legal housing protections under state and federal law. In Colorado Springs, advocacy groups like the Apartment Association of Southern Colorado can provide assistance to tenants who have housing-related concerns. In addition, the Fair Housing Act of 1968, which is administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), protects tenants from unfair treatment by their landlords.

Lease Application

• Landlords are required to provide prospective tenants with a rental application form, which includes an application fee to cover the cost of verifying an applicant's background. A lease application will be used to verify information such as credit history, income and employment, and rental history. The cost of a lease application ranges from $20 to $30 and is non-refundable. Applicants filling out a rental application have the right to refuse answering any questions that pertain to race, religion, marital status, national origin or disability.

Lease

• A rental lease generally runs for 6 months to 1 year and protects both tenant and landlord. Tenants have the right to refuse signing a lease if the language is unclear; tenants should also ensure that the lease includes important items like: the monthly rent amount, due date, grace period and any late payment fees. Renters should also ensure that a lease agreement clearly outlines the security deposit amount and refund policy.

Security Deposit

• Landlords cannot retain a security deposit to cover the expenses of normal wear and tear. In addition, Colorado housing law prevents landlords from withholding security deposits from tenants without providing an explanation of the damages that were caused by a tenant. If a landlord finds any damages caused by a tenant beyond normal wear and tear, a notice must be sent to the tenant within 30 days. Tenants have the right to sue a landlord for illegally withholding any portion of their security deposit. If tenants receive a judgment for the illegal withholding of their security deposit, they may receive up to three times the amount that was wrongly withheld. Landlords are required to return security deposits within 30 days or provide a written notice for any delays.

Evictions

• Landlords cannot evict tenants or deny tenants access to their apartments without a court order. Prior to taking any legal action against tenants, landlords must first provide their tenants with a written notice. Although landlords have the legal right to evict tenants for non-payment of rent at the end of a lease term, tenants must be given three days to seek legal counsel. The three-day notice should begin after the date that a notice was issued.