Cal. Civ. Code § 38-12-1005
Bed bugs - renting of dwelling units with bed bugs prohibited.
Operative Text
A landlord shall not offer for rent a dwelling unit that the landlord knows or reasonably suspects to contain bed bugs. Upon request from a prospective tenant, a landlord shall disclose to the prospective tenant whether, to the landlord's knowledge, the dwelling unit that the landlord is offering for rent contained bed bugs within the previous eight months. Upon request from a tenant or a prospective tenant, a landlord shall disclose the last date, if any, on which a dwelling unit being rented or offered for rent was inspected for, and found to be free of, bed bugs.
Under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-1005, a landlord is prohibited from renting out a dwelling unit when the landlord knows or has reasonable suspicion that it contains bed bugs. The law also establishes two disclosure rights: a prospective tenant may ask whether the unit had bed bugs in the past eight months, and any tenant or prospective tenant may ask for the most recent date the unit was inspected and confirmed free of bed bugs. These requirements apply at the point of offering or renting the unit, creating a baseline of transparency around bed bug history before a tenancy begins.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-1005 generally maintain accurate records of bed bug inspections—including the dates on which units were inspected and cleared—so that disclosures can be made promptly and accurately when requested. A compliant operator does not list or show a unit for rent when there is any known or reasonably suspected bed bug presence, and removes the unit from availability until the issue is resolved. Keeping documentation of inspection reports and any remediation work supports the ability to respond to prospective or current tenant inquiries about the unit's bed bug history within the eight-month lookback window.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-1005 gives prospective tenants the right to ask a landlord directly whether the unit they are considering had bed bugs in the prior eight months, and both prospective and current tenants may request the date of the most recent inspection that found the unit free of bed bugs. If a landlord rents a unit while knowing or reasonably suspecting it contains bed bugs, that conduct is prohibited under this provision, which may be relevant if a bed bug problem surfaces shortly after move-in. Tenants who believe this provision has been violated can explore options such as contacting a local tenant-rights organization, reaching out to a Colorado housing agency, or raising the violation in a legal proceeding.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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