The state of Colorado passed four laws in HB19-1328that significantly affect how Denver landlords and real estate investors manage their rental properties.
We give an overview of these four laws Colorado landlords need to know. In this post, we’ll be breaking down the law update relating to bed bugs in Denver rental properties and discussing what’s expected of Denver landlords and real estate investors.
Bed Bugs in Denver Property Management
Part 1
Historically, bed bugs have not been a big problem in residential properties in Colorado. However, relevant updates to Colorado law have made this topic a talking point for Denver property managers. HB19-1328 law is very lengthy and detailed.
According to the Bed Bugs in Residential Premises Act HB19-1328, a tenant is required to promptly notify a landlord in writing when the tenant knows or reasonably suspects that the tenant’s dwelling unit contains bed bugs.
Part 2
Once a landlord is notified about a possible bed bug infestation, the landlord (or property manager) has 96 hours to:
Obtain an inspection of the unit by a qualified inspection company.
If bed bugs are found, they must inspect all contiguous units.
A "qualified inspector" must inspect the property. A "qualified inspector" is a bed bug detection team, local health department official, certified operator, commercial applicator, qualified supervisor, or technician who is retained by a landlord to conduct an inspection for bed bugs.
A bed bug detection team can be a scent detection canine team that holds a current, independent, third-party certification in accordance with the guidelines for minimum standards for canine bed bug detection team certification established by the National Pest Management Association or its successor organization.
If a Denver rental property is infected with bed bugs, the units around that property will also need to be inspected to make sure that the entire bed bug infestation is treated.
Part 3
After the inspection has taken place, the Denver landlord or property manager has additional responsibilities including:
Reporting the inspection results to the tenant within two business days.
If bed bugs are NOT found, the notice must inform the tenant to contact the local health department if they have additional concerns.
If bed bugs are found, the qualified inspector must issue a report to the landlord or property manager within 24 hours.
Part 4
Follow the direction of the professional!
If bed bugs are discovered and the inspection is positive, Denver landlords have five business days to commence reasonable measures to eradicate as determined by the qualified inspector.
This means that you must do whatever the qualified inspector tells you to do in order to get rid of the bed bugs. If the inspector tells you it will take five treatments to eradicate the bed bug problem, you legally must accept their professional advice and direction.
Part 5
With any professional inspection and property treatment comes a cost. Under Colorado law, the landlord is responsible for covering the full cost to inspect and eradicate the bed bugs.
Even if you suspect that the bed bugs were brought to your property through the tenant, the tenant is not responsible for paying the cost of inspection or treatment of the bed bug issue.
Part 6
Before the bed bug inspection takes place, Denver landlords are required to give a notice to their tenants at least 48 hours before the scheduled inspection. The only way it is acceptable to give a notice shorter than 48 hours is if you address a shorter time period in your lease. If your lease doesn’t address it, you are obligated to give that 48 hour notice, and nothing shorter.
Tenants also have a role to play in this bed bug inspection and sanitation process. Once they are notified of a bed bug inspection in the property they are residing, they must agree that they will not interfere with the inspection and they must cooperate.
The tenant will also have additional cleaning responsibilities before the sanitation process takes place that could include washing all of their clothes, stuffing them in bags, rolling up mattresses, and many other cleaning duties which will be listed by the inspection company.
Parts 7 and 8
Colorado law gives qualified inspectors certain powers to inspect:
Bedding
Furniture
Other items
Tenants are required to comply with reasonable measures to inspect and treat as determined by the qualified inspector, and are also responsible for all costs associated with preparing the rental property for treatment.
For example, if the bed bug inspection company tells a tenant that they need to remove a couch from the property, the tenant is responsible for moving and disposing of that couch at their expense.
Parts 9 and 10
A landlord may not offer for rent a dwelling that the landlord knows or reasonably suspects to contain bed bugs.
A disclosure is a requirement for properties that have been treated for bed bugs. When potential renters ask about bed bugs in a property, metro-Denver landlords are required to disclose:
Whether, to the landlord’s knowledge, the dwelling unit contained bed bugs within the past eight months.
The last date, if any, on which a dwelling unit being rented or offered for rent was inspected and found to be free of bed bugs.
Part 11
If a landlord breaches any aspect of this law, the landlord is liable to the tenant for the tenant’s actual damages.
If the landlord fails to act or fails to act within any of the timelines outlined above, he is responsible for the tenant’s costs and damages associated with a bed bug infestation.
Build Good Tenant Relationships with Grace Property Management
No property manager is excited when they hear of a potential bed bug problem. However, how you respond to issues like these will directly affect your relationships with your tenants.
At Grace Property Management, we understand exactly what this law update means for Denver landlords and are ready to help you out!
Have questions about the Bed Bugs in Residential Premises Act or any other Colorado legislation? Please consider us a resource. Contact our office, or check out our free online learning center with videos and articles about all kinds of Denver property management topics.
Access our free learning center »
