Colorado Eviction Process

Broken Lease Condition

The eviction process in Colorado begins when a condition of the lease is broken by the tenant. Whether this is a matter of a noise complaint, pet violation or failure to pay rent, the landlord must post a notice in a clearly visible place. The notice should explain how the tenant has broken the lease and inform the tenant that he has 3 days (the day of the posting of the notice excluded) to amend the situation or vacate the premises. If the tenant fails to do so, even if he has not seen the notice, eviction procedures can begin.

In Colorado, a landlord is not allowed to evict a tenant. The sheriff is the only one who is allowed to enforce an eviction. It is against the law for a landlord to lock a tenant out of the apartment or house or to intimidate the tenant in any way. Landlords are also not allowed to shut off utilities or move the tenant's property out of the unit. If a tenant is locked out, he should call the police and not attempt to break into the premises. If the tenant has not complied with the posted notice after 3 days, the landlord can file an eviction suit at the local Justice Center. The landlord does not have to accept rent after this period. After the 3-day period, the sheriff will remove the tenant's property and the tenant himself if he refuses to leave. Utilities can be shut off at this time by the sheriff. Abandoned animals are turned over to Animal Control officers.

Once a notice has been posted, the tenant should contact the landlord to see what he can do to fix the situation. He can also contact his local Community Mediation Services center, should one exist in his area. He can also seek legal counsel to aid in righting the situation. If a tenant finds that his home has become uninhabitable, he should contact his landlord and allow a reasonable amount of time to remedy the situation. If this has not been done, he may vacate the premises, break the lease and owe no further rent. This can only be done in extreme circumstances, and a lawyer should be consulted before a tenant takes this action.

In the event of an eviction of a mobile home from a mobile home park when rent has not been paid, the tenant has 5 days after the posting of the notice to remove the home. Landlords may not place mobile homes on the sides of public roadways and must consult Colorado State Statutes concerning the towing of mobile homes before one can be moved.