Cal. Civ. Code § 38-12-503

Warranty of habitability - notice - landlord obligations.

In Force
Verified 10/16/2026 · Next check 10/23/2026
effective 10/16/2026ColoradoImplied Warranty

Operative Text

Cal. Civ. Code § 38-12-503
(1) In
every rental agreement, the landlord is deemed to warrant that the residential
premises is fit for human habitation at the inception of the tenant's occupancy
and that the landlord will maintain the residential premises as fit for human
habitation throughout the entire period that the tenant lawfully occupies the
residential premises or dwelling unit.

(2) A
landlord breaches the warranty of habitability set forth in subsection (1) of
this section if:

(a) A
residential premises is:

(I) 
Uninhabitable as described in section 38-12-505; or

(II) In
a condition that materially interferes with the tenant's life, health, or
safety; and

(b) The
landlord has notice, as described in subsection (3)(e) of this section, of the
condition described in subsection (2)(a) of this section and:

(I) Has
failed to commence remedial action in accordance with subsection (4) of this
section within the following period after having notice:

(A) 
Twenty-four hours, where the condition materially interferes with the tenant's
life, health, or safety; or

(B) 
Seventy-two hours, where the residential premises are uninhabitable as
described in section 38-12-505 or otherwise;

(II) 
Has commenced remedial action, in accordance with subsection (4) of this
section, within the period described in subsection (2)(b)(I) of this section,
but failed to continue performing the remedial action as needed until the
condition was remedied or repaired;

(III) 
Has failed to completely remedy or repair the condition within a reasonable
time after commencing remedial action;

(IV) 
Has failed to comply with subsection (8) of this section concerning a
residential premises that has been damaged due to an environmental public
health event; or

(V) 
Leases a residential premises to a tenant and the residential premises is in an
uninhabitable condition at the inception of the tenant's occupancy.

(3) (a) 
There is a rebuttable presumption that a landlord has failed to commence
remedial action, continue performing remedial action, or completely remedy or
repair a condition that renders the residential premises uninhabitable within a
reasonable time if the tenant establishes that the residential premises is
uninhabitable, as described in subsection (2)(a) of this section, the tenant
establishes that the landlord has notice of the uninhabitable condition, as
described in subsection (3)(e) of this section, and:

(I) The
landlord has failed to communicate with the tenant after having notice of a
condition within the time frame required under subsection (6) of this section;
or

(II) 
The condition continues to exist:

(A) 
Fourteen calendar days after the landlord received notice of the condition,
where the residential premises are uninhabitable as described in section
38-12-505 or otherwise; or

(B) 
Seven calendar days after the landlord received notice of the condition, where
the condition materially interferes with the tenant's life, health, or safety.

(b) (I) 
A landlord may rebut the presumption described in subsection (3)(a) of this
section by establishing, by a preponderance of the evidence, that:

(A) The
landlord commenced and continued performing remedial action but the condition
could not be completely remedied or repaired due to circumstances outside the
landlord's reasonable control;

(B) 
Remedial action would require entry to the tenant's dwelling unit and the
tenant unreasonably denied the landlord entry to the dwelling unit; or

(C) The
tenant engaged in conduct that unreasonably delayed or otherwise prevented the
landlord from commencing remedial action within the time period described in
subsection (2)(b)(I) of this section, from continuing to perform remedial
action, or from completely remedying or repairing the condition within a
reasonable time.

(II) A
tenant otherwise has the burden of proof to establish a breach of the warranty
of habitability.

(c) 
Notwithstanding the circumstances described in subsection (3)(b)(I) of this
section, a landlord must reasonably continue to make efforts to commence or
continue performing remedial action to remedy or repair a condition that
renders the tenant's residential premises uninhabitable and for which the
landlord has notice. These efforts to commence or continue performing remedial
action shall include prompt correspondence and good faith cooperation with the
tenant and may require prompt correspondence and good faith cooperation with
maintenance staff, third-party contractors, a government official, or any other
person whose involvement is necessary to remedy or repair the condition.

(d) If
a tenant denies entry to the dwelling unit and entry to the dwelling unit is
necessary to commence or continue performing remedial action, the presumptive
time periods described in subsection (3)(a)(II) of this section are tolled
until the date that the tenant proposes as a reasonable alternative date and
time for entry or another date and time that the landlord proposes and to which
the tenant agrees in accordance with subsection (6)(b) of this section.

(e) A
landlord has notice of a condition described in subsection (2)(a) of this
section if there is any writing that provides a basis for the landlord to
substantially know that the condition exists or may exist, including:

(I) 
Written notice from a governmental entity regarding the condition;

(II) 
Written notice from a third party regarding the condition;

(III) 
Written notice from a tenant concerning a condition that may affect multiple
tenants;

(IV) A
tenant's written correspondence with maintenance staff or a maintenance service
provided by the landlord, including a maintenance service provided by a third
party;

(V) 
Written observations or written reports that the landlord has obtained
personally, directly, or indirectly; or

(VI) 
Written notice from the tenant regarding the condition, which notice is sent in
a manner that the landlord typically uses to communicate with the tenant.

(f) (I) 
Any notice provided by a tenant is sufficient if the notice is provided to the
landlord in a manner that is required or permitted by the rental agreement or
by any property rules or regulations pertaining to the tenancy or residential
premises.

(II) A
rental agreement or property rule or regulation pertaining to a tenancy or
residential premises that states that a tenant may or must give notice of an
uninhabitable condition to the landlord verbally waives the landlord's right to
receive written notice under subsection (3)(e) of this section.

(4) (a)
(I) Upon having notice of a condition described in subsection (2)(a) of this
section, a landlord shall commence remedial action within the time period
described in subsection (2)(b) of this section unless the circumstances
described in subsection (3)(b)(I) of this section prevented the landlord from
commencing remedial action.

(II) If
the condition materially interferes with the tenant's life, health, or safety
or is a condition described in section 38-12-505 (4)(l), remedial action must
include a landlord providing the tenant, at the request of the tenant and
within twenty-four hours after the tenant's request:

(A) A
comparable dwelling unit, as selected by the landlord, at no cost to the
tenant; or

(B) A
hotel room, as selected by the landlord, at no cost to the tenant.

(b) (I) 
A comparable dwelling unit or hotel room must include at least the same number
of beds as there are beds used in a tenant's dwelling unit.

(II) If
a tenant requires a comparable dwelling unit or hotel room for more than
forty-eight hours:

(A) The
comparable dwelling unit or hotel room must include a refrigerator with a
freezer and a range stove or oven; or

(B) The
landlord must provide a per diem for daily meals and incidentals for each
tenant in an amount that is at least equal to the Colorado state employee per
diem for intrastate travel as established by the department of personnel. The
landlord must provide the per diem to the tenant at the time the landlord
reasonably expects the tenant to be in a comparable dwelling unit or hotel room
for more than forty-eight hours and for every twenty-four-hour period
thereafter.

(III)
(A) A comparable dwelling unit or hotel room must be habitable, accessible
to an individual with disabilities if the tenant has a disability, and located
within five miles of the tenant's dwelling unit, unless the tenant consents at
the time of the request or after the request to a comparable dwelling unit or
hotel room that is further than five miles from the tenant's dwelling unit.

(B) The
landlord may select a comparable dwelling unit or hotel room that is further
than five miles but less than ten miles from the tenant's dwelling unit if the
comparable dwelling unit or hotel room that is further away from the tenant's
dwelling unit is substantially less expensive than other options that are
available within five miles of the tenant's dwelling unit.

(C) If
a comparable dwelling unit or hotel room within five or ten miles of the
tenant's dwelling unit is not available for the tenant's use in accordance with
subsections (4)(b)(III)(A) and (4)(b)(III)(B) of this section, the landlord
must select the nearest available comparable dwelling unit or hotel room.

(IV) If
a tenant is relocated pursuant to subsection (4)(a) of this section, a landlord
is required to pay for only the following expenses that arise from relocating
the tenant:

(A) A
per diem allowance pursuant to subsection (4)(b)(II)(B) of this section; and

(B) 
Reasonable costs that are incurred due to the tenant's relocation, including
storage and transportation costs.

(V) A
relocated tenant remains responsible for any portion of the rent payment owed
under the rental agreement during the period of any temporary relocation and
for the remainder of the term of the rental agreement following remediation.

(c) If
a tenant is provided a hotel room due to a condition described in subsection
(4)(a)(II) of this section and the condition cannot be remedied or repaired
within sixty consecutive days due to circumstances outside the landlord's
reasonable control, the landlord is required to provide the hotel room to the
tenant for only up to sixty consecutive days. The landlord is relieved of the
landlord's obligation to provide hotel accommodations to the tenant if the
landlord:

(I) 
Determines that the condition at the residential premises cannot be remedied or
repaired within sixty consecutive days due to circumstances outside the
landlord's reasonable control;

(II) 
Provides the tenant, at the earliest opportunity, written notice that
specifies:

(A) 
That the uninhabitable condition at the residential premises cannot be remedied
or repaired to a condition that no longer materially interferes with a tenant's
life, health, or safety within sixty consecutive days from the start of the
tenant's hotel stay;

(B) The
date that the tenant's hotel accommodations will no longer be provided to the
tenant at the landlord's expense, which date must be no earlier than sixty
consecutive days after the start of the tenant's hotel stay at the landlord's
expense; and

(C) 
That the tenant may terminate their rental agreement with no liability or
financial penalty to the tenant; and

(III) 
Returns to the tenant the tenant's full security deposit on or before the date
that the landlord provides the tenant notice in accordance with subsection
(4)(c)(II) of this section.

(5) (a) 
A landlord shall maintain accurate and complete records of all written notices
and correspondence, as described in subsection (3)(e) of this section, and all
documentation relevant to any uninhabitable condition or remedial action taken
to remedy or repair a condition that renders a tenant's dwelling unit
uninhabitable.

(b) A
landlord must maintain the records described in subsection (5)(a) of this
section for the entire period of the tenant's occupancy of the dwelling unit
and for at least three years thereafter.

(c) A
landlord shall provide to a tenant, upon request by the tenant, any record,
notice, correspondence, or other documentation related to a condition or
remedial action within ten calendar days after the tenant's request.

(6) (a) 
A landlord that has notice of a condition described in subsection (2)(a) of
this section shall:

(I) 
Contact the tenant not more than twenty-four hours after receiving the notice;
except that a landlord may take up to seventy-two hours to contact the tenant
after the landlord has notice that the residential premises is inaccessible
because of an environmental public health event. The communication must
indicate the landlord's intentions to remedy or repair the condition, including
an estimate of when the remedial action will commence and when it will be
completed.

(II) 
Inform the tenant of the landlord's responsibilities under subsection (4) of
this section, including the landlord's obligation to provide the tenant a
comparable dwelling unit or hotel room at no cost to the tenant; and

(III) 
Provide the tenant with written notice at least twenty-four hours in advance of
entry to the dwelling unit if entry to the dwelling unit is necessary to
commence or maintain remedial action; except that the landlord is not required
to provide advance notice when the condition materially and imminently
threatens an individual's life, health, or safety or when the condition poses
an active and ongoing threat of causing, and, without immediate remediation,
would cause, substantial and material damage to the residential premises.

(b) (I) 
A landlord shall provide the date and time the landlord intends to enter a
tenant's dwelling unit and a reasonable estimate of the duration the landlord,
or any other party acting on behalf of the landlord, will need to be in the
tenant's dwelling unit.

(II) 
Except as provided in subsection (6)(a)(III) of this section, a tenant may
reasonably deny entry to the dwelling unit at the date and time the landlord
requests entry. The landlord must then propose and the tenant may accept or
propose a reasonable alternative date and time for the landlord to enter the
tenant's dwelling unit.

(III) A
tenant may permit the landlord to enter the dwelling unit with less than
twenty-four hours advance notice.

(7) A
landlord that has notice of a condition, as described in subsection (2)(a) of
this section, at the tenant's dwelling unit or the residential premises is
responsible for remedying and repairing the dwelling unit or residential
premises to a habitable standard at the landlord's expense, except as described
in subsection (9) of this section.

(8) (a) 
A landlord that has notice of a condition, as described in subsection (2)(a) of
this section, at a residential premises that has been damaged due to an
environmental public health event shall comply with the standards described in
section 38-12-505 (1)(b)(XIII) within a reasonable amount of time given the
condition of the premises and at the landlord's expense.

(b) 
Once a governmental entity, government official, law enforcement officer, or
public safety officer deems a tenant's dwelling unit safe for reentry after an
environmental public health event, the landlord must grant the tenant or
tenant's representative access to the dwelling unit for the purposes of
retrieving the tenant's personal property, even if the residential premises
that includes the tenant's dwelling unit is considered uninhabitable under this
section.

(c) A
landlord that has remedied or repaired a residential premises to a habitable
standard following an environmental public health event shall provide the
tenant with documentation that demonstrates compliance with the standards
described in section 38-12-505 (1)(b)(XIII).

(d) A
landlord's submission of an insurance claim for an uninhabitable or a
contaminated residential premises after the landlord has notice of a condition
that renders the residential premises uninhabitable after an environmental
public health event is not considered evidence of remediation.

(9) 
When a condition described in subsection (2)(a) of this section is
substantially caused by the misconduct of the tenant, a member of the tenant's
household, a guest or an invitee of the tenant, or a person under the tenant's
direction or control, the condition does not constitute a basis for a breach of
the warranty of habitability under subsection (2) of this section. It is not
misconduct under this subsection (9) by a victim of domestic violence; domestic
abuse; unlawful sexual behavior, as described in section 16-22-102 (9); or
stalking if the condition is the result of domestic violence; domestic abuse;
unlawful sexual behavior, as described in section 16-22-102 (9); or stalking
and the landlord has notice at any time of the domestic violence; domestic
abuse; unlawful sexual behavior, as described in section 16-22-102 (9); or
stalking, as described in section 38-12-402 (2)(a).

(10) 
Except as set forth in this part 5, any agreement waiving or modifying any
right, remedy, obligation, or prohibition provided in this part 5 is void as
contrary to public policy.

(11) A
landlord may terminate a rental agreement, if permitted by the rental agreement
and without further liability to the landlord or tenant, if the residential
premises is damaged as a result of a sudden environmental public health event
or an action taken by a governmental authority that renders continued occupancy
of the residential premises impossible or unlawful and:

(a) The
landlord was not already in breach of the warranty of habitability prior to the
sudden environmental public health event or government action;

(b) It
would be impracticable for the landlord to remedy or repair the residential
premises into compliance with the warranty of habitability due to the sudden
environmental public health event or government action;

(c) The
landlord gives a minimum of thirty days' written notice to the tenant
concerning the termination of the rental agreement due to the sudden
environmental public health event or government action and complies with all
landlord obligations under this part 5 through the date of termination;

(d) The
landlord grants the tenant or tenant's representative access to the tenant's
dwelling unit for the purpose of retrieving the tenant's personal property
prior to the termination of the rental agreement; except that, if it is unsafe
to enter the dwelling unit prior to termination of the rental agreement, the
landlord shall agree in a signed writing to grant the tenant or tenant's
representative access to the dwelling unit to retrieve personal property at the
earliest possible time that it is safe to do so;

(e) 
Notwithstanding section 38-12-103, the landlord returns the tenant's security
deposit prior to or on the date of the termination of the rental agreement; and

(f) The
landlord provides a prorated discount or refund for any portion of rent paid
during the time that the dwelling unit is uninhabitable and for which a
comparable dwelling unit or hotel room was not provided to the tenant.

(12)
(a) Unless the circumstances described in subsection (3)(b)(I) of this
section prevented a landlord from commencing remedial action, the landlord
shall commence remedial action within the period described in subsection (2)(b)
of this section upon having notice of:

(I) 
Mold associated with dampness in a dwelling unit; or

(II) 
Any other condition causing the residential premises to be damp, which
condition, if unremedied or unrepaired, could create mold or would materially
interfere with the life, health, or safety of a tenant.

(b) The
remedial action required pursuant to subsection (12)(a) of this section must
include performing all of the following applicable tasks within a reasonable
amount of time:

(I) 
Mitigating immediate risk from mold by installing a containment, stopping
active sources of water contributing to the mold, installing a high-efficiency
particulate air filtration device to reduce a tenant's exposure to mold, and
performing all of these tasks within seventy-two hours after receiving notice
of the condition;

(II) 
Maintaining the containment described in subsection (12)(b)(I) of this section
throughout the remediation and repair process;

(III) 
Establishing any additional protections for workers and occupants that may be
appropriate given the condition;

(IV) 
Eliminating or limiting moisture sources and drying all materials impacted by
the mold or dampness;

(V) 
Decontaminating or removing materials damaged by mold or dampness;

(VI) 
Evaluating whether the residential premises has been successfully remediated,
including post-remediation testing for the existence of mold; and

(VII) 
Reassembling the residential premises to control sources of moisture to prevent
or limit the recurrence of mold or dampness.

(c) If
the condition described in subsection (12)(a) of this section would interfere
with the tenant's life, health, or safety, the landlord must provide, at the
request of the tenant, a comparable dwelling unit or hotel room in accordance
with subsection (4) of this section.

(13)
(a) A landlord shall not require a tenant to submit an insurance claim with
the tenant's rental insurance carrier to cover a cost or expense related to
remedial action that the landlord is responsible for paying under this part 5.

(b) A
landlord is prohibited from filing a claim with a tenant's rental insurance
carrier to cover a cost or expense related to remedial action that the landlord
is responsible for paying under this part 5 without express written permission
from the tenant provided at the time the claim is submitted.

(14) A
landlord shall hire a professional, as defined in section 38-12-104 (3), to
remedy or repair a hazardous condition related to gas piping, gas facilities,
gas appliances, or other gas equipment at a residential premises.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-503 establishes a warranty of habitability that applies automatically to every residential rental agreement in Colorado, requiring that a dwelling be fit for human habitation both at move-in and throughout the tenancy. A landlord breaches this warranty when the premises are uninhabitable or materially threaten a tenant's life, health, or safety, and the landlord fails to begin repairs within 24 hours (for life/health/safety threats) or 72 hours (for other uninhabitable conditions) after receiving written notice. The statute also sets out detailed obligations around temporary relocation, mold remediation, recordkeeping, and environmental public health events, and voids any lease clause that attempts to waive these protections.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 16, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-503, compliant property operators generally maintain a system for receiving and documenting written repair notices, respond to tenants within 24 hours of notice, and begin remedial work within the statutory timeframes—24 hours for conditions threatening life, health, or safety, and 72 hours for other uninhabitable conditions. Operators typically keep complete records of all notices, correspondence, and remediation steps for the full tenancy period plus at least three years, and make those records available to tenants within 10 calendar days of a request. When a condition requires tenant relocation, compliant operators arrange a comparable dwelling unit or hotel room meeting the statute's specifications—including proximity, accessibility, and amenity requirements—at no cost to the tenant, and hire licensed professionals for any gas-related hazard repairs.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-503 gives Colorado tenants a legally implied guarantee that their home will be habitable from move-in through the end of the tenancy, and it cannot be signed away in a lease. If a landlord fails to begin repairs within the required timeframes after receiving written notice, a rebuttable presumption of breach arises, which tenants may be able to raise as a defense in eviction proceedings or as the basis for other remedies available under Colorado law. Tenants who believe their landlord has violated this provision may consider documenting all communications in writing, contacting a local tenant-rights organization, or consulting with a housing attorney to understand the full range of remedies—such as rent reduction, lease termination, or damages—that Part 5 of Title 38, Article 12 makes available.

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.

Effective Timeline

Current
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References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-505
Not yet ingested
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 16-22-102
Not yet ingested
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-402
Not yet ingested
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103
Not yet ingested
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-104
Not yet ingested

References In

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Related Rules

§ 235-B
Warranty of habitability
§ 504B.161
COVENANTS OF LANDLORD OR LICENSOR.
§ 554.139
Lease or license of residential premises; covenants; modifications; liberal construction, inspection.

Source Information

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