With an excellent transportation and health system, great public schools, and many options for outdoor activities, it's not surprising that Niche.com awarded Denver, CO, an overall A- livability score. All these exceptional qualities, plus the fact that 51% of its population are renters, make Mile High City a prime location for landlords.
Still, renting out your Denver property comes with the risk of increased upkeep costs and quicker degradation.
Fortunately, state laws establish legal tenant property maintenance responsibilities. They also let landlords negotiate optional maintenance tasks.
To that end, our team at PMI Denver West put together this guide on Denver rental obligations. Read on to discover the legal duties your tenants must adhere to.
Tenant Legal Responsibilities for Property Maintenance
In Colorado, including Denver, tenants must comply with Colorado Revised Statutes § 38-12-504. The law makes the following tenant maintenance duties mandatory:
- Using the premises that they occupy and are in control of in a reasonably clean and safe manner
- Keeping the rented dwelling sanitary
- Complying with applicable building, health, and housing codes that can affect health and safety
- Following proper, clean, safe, and sanitary methods when disposing of rubbish, garbage, waste, and ashes from the rental
- Using all the rental's electrical, HVAC, plumbing, amenities, and facilities in a reasonable manner
- Not intentionally or negligently causing property damage or letting anyone do so
The law also requires Denver, CO, tenants to notify their landlords promptly if the rental premises become uninhabitable. They must do the same if a condition arises that may make the property uninhabitable if not addressed immediately. For example, if there's a pest infestation, severe mold growth, or plumbing leaks.
If you ever get such a notification from tenants, please ensure you conduct property inspections and repairs ASAP.
Optional Maintenance Tasks for Denver Tenants
Under Colorado Revised Statutes § 38-12-504, you, as a landlord, can impose optional or additional but still reasonable property upkeep rules upon tenants. Just be sure to include them in the rental agreement.
Some examples of optional tasks you can have tenants perform are:
- Changing HVAC filters every one to three months
- Raking fallen leaves
- Mowing the grass
- Changing light bulbs
Since the above chores are optional, tenants don't necessarily have to agree to do them. Still, you can encourage them to do so by offering incentives, such as gift cards or small rental discounts.
Incentivizing tenants can also make them more appreciative of you. The more they appreciate you, the likelier they will renew their lease.
Ensure Tenants Adhere to Property Maintenance Rules
Remember: Just because the law sets property maintenance requirements for tenants doesn't mean they'll always comply. For this reason, you must carefully screen tenants. You should also conduct regular Denver property inspections to confirm they're doing their part to keep your rental in shape.
If you don't have time to do all that, PMI Denver West certainly does.
Our full-service property management company can oversee most, if not all, aspects of your rental. We'll handle marketing, tenant placement, maintenance, and lease enforcement, to name a few. With our owner's and CFO's decades of management and real estate industry experience, we can help maximize your rental income.
Get in touch with us today, and we'll happily give you a free property analysis!
