Senate Passes Warranty of Habitability Legislation
March 26, 2019
Denver, CO – The Colorado State Senate today voted 21-to-13 (1 excused) to advance HB19-1170, Residential Tenants Health and Safety Act, a bill sponsored by Senators Angela Williams (D-Denver) and Jeff Bridges (D-Arapahoe County) to protect renters whose landlords are slow to fix vital repairs, putting the health and safety of their tenants at risk. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration of amendments.
“It is clear that our current warranty of habitability statutes are not sufficient when it comes to protecting tenants from retaliation or protecting the health and safety of Colorado renters,” said Senator Williams. “Colorado increasingly has more renters than homeowners, and this bill will help hold landlords accountable while reducing the burden on tenants.”
“The need for this legislation was never clearer than when I had to go door-to-door this past October because the heat went out in an apartment complex in my district during one of the coldest weekends of the year,” said Senator Bridges. “This legislation is about making sure tenants who are spending money on rent are actually getting the basic necessities that they are paying for.”
HB19-1170 would give renters greater control when facing problems like insect infestations and maintenance issues. The legislation would require landlords to house tenants in a comparable unit or pay to have them moved while repairs are underway. It would also allow tenants to more easily withhold rent if repairs are not made, while giving landlords a time limit on making such repairs.
To learn more about HB19-1170, please visit https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb19-1170.
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