Colorado landlord repair laws
What your landlord is required to fix, how long they have once you put it in writing, and what Coloradolaw lets you do if they don't.
The deadline
7 days after written notice
Under C.R.S. § 38-12-503(6)(a)(I), you must contact me not more than 24 hours after receiving this notice with your intentions and an estimate of when the work will begin and end. Under § 38-12-503(2)(b)(I), you must commence remedial action within 24 hours where the condition materially interferes with life, health or safety, or within 72 hours where the premises are uninhabitable. Under § 38-12-503(3)(a)(II), a rebuttable presumption that you failed to comply arises if the condition continues 7 calendar days after you received this notice where it materially interferes with life, health or safety, or 14 calendar days where the premises are uninhabitable.
C.R.S. § 38-12-503 · C.R.S. §§ 38-12-503(2), (3), 38-12-507
What your landlord must maintain
Under C.R.S. § 38-12-503, a landlord must maintain the premises in a condition fit for human habitation under the warranty of habitability, which cannot be waived.
Conditions the statute covers
- ✓No working heat
- ✓No running water
- ✓No hot water
- ✓Electrical system not working or unsafe
- ✓Plumbing not in working order
- ✓Sewage backup or unsanitary conditions
- ✓Air conditioning not working (where supplied)
- ✓Supplied appliances not working — stove, refrigerator
- ✓Unsafe floors, stairs, railings, ceiling, or roof
- ✓Roof, window, or plumbing leak causing damage
- ✓Mold growth
- ✓Rodent or insect infestation
- ✓Common areas unsafe or unsanitary
- ✓No garbage receptacles or removal
- ✓Broken exterior door, window, or lock
- ✓Building or housing code violation
What you can do about it
Once written notice has been given and the statutory period has passed, you may terminate the rental agreement on notice under § 38-12-507(1)(a); repair the condition and deduct the cost from rent under § 38-12-507(1)(c); and bring a claim for actual damages including the reduction in fair rental value, court costs, reasonable attorney fees and punitive damages, together with injunctive relief.
Repair-and-deduct limit: § 38-12-507(1)(c) sets no dollar cap and no frequency limit, but the deduction is lawful only if you are first given at least 10 days' advance written notice of my intent to hire a licensed or otherwise qualified professional (48 hours where the condition materially interferes with life, health or safety), that professional is not a relative of mine and provides an estimate reasonably consistent with industry standards, and I provide a receipt or invoice; a deduction made in bad faith exposes a tenant to double damages.
Retaliation is illegal
C.R.S. § 38-12-509 prohibits retaliation where the tenant's protected act was a motivating factor, and provides for damages of not more than three months' periodic rent or three times the tenant's actual damages, whichever is greater, plus reasonable attorney fees and costs.
Limits and exceptions
Section 38-12-506 provides a narrow single-family exception where there is no government subsidy, the parties signed a separate written agreement, and the tenant has the requisite skills.
Put it in writing — the way the statute expects
We'll write your notice citing C.R.S. § 38-12-503, the deadline it gives your landlord, and what happens if they miss it. Free to generate and download. If you want it sent USPS Certified Mail with tracking, we do that too.
Write my Colorado repair noticeCommon questions
- How long does a landlord have to make repairs in Colorado?
- Under C.R.S. § 38-12-503(6)(a)(I), you must contact me not more than 24 hours after receiving this notice with your intentions and an estimate of when the work will begin and end. Under § 38-12-503(2)(b)(I), you must commence remedial action within 24 hours where the condition materially interferes with life, health or safety, or within 72 hours where the premises are uninhabitable. Under § 38-12-503(3)(a)(II), a rebuttable presumption that you failed to comply arises if the condition continues 7 calendar days after you received this notice where it materially interferes with life, health or safety, or 14 calendar days where the premises are uninhabitable. That clock starts when your landlord receives written notice — which is why how you send it matters.
- Can I withhold rent or repair it myself in Colorado?
- Colorado allows repair-and-deduct within limits: § 38-12-507(1)(c) sets no dollar cap and no frequency limit, but the deduction is lawful only if you are first given at least 10 days' advance written notice of my intent to hire a licensed or otherwise qualified professional (48 hours where the condition materially interferes with life, health or safety), that professional is not a relative of mine and provides an estimate reasonably consistent with industry standards, and I provide a receipt or invoice; a deduction made in bad faith exposes a tenant to double damages. You must give written notice first, and the statutory waiting period must pass before you act.
- Can my landlord retaliate if I ask for repairs in Colorado?
- C.R.S. § 38-12-509 prohibits retaliation where the tenant's protected act was a motivating factor, and provides for damages of not more than three months' periodic rent or three times the tenant's actual damages, whichever is greater, plus reasonable attorney fees and costs.
- Do I have to put a repair request in writing in Colorado?
- Yes — and it is the single most important step. Under C.R.S. §§ 38-12-503(2), (3), 38-12-507, the landlord's obligations and your remedies run from written notice. A text message or a phone call generally leaves you arguing about whether and when your landlord was told.
Moving out of this Colorado rental?
Colorado gives your landlord 30 days to return your security deposit under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103. See the deposit rules →
Verified against Colorado's published statute text on August 11, 2026 — read the statute yourself. General information, not legal advice. We are not a law firm.