Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Colorado

I live with two other people, one who left the state without notice due to a "family emergency" a month ago, leaving the other roommate and myself to cover rent for that month. She left her keys and all of her property including a dog at the apartment and has not responded to any attempts to contact her. We have just paid another month's rent and our landlord is telling us that we can't have her removed from the lease for the rest of the lease term, three months, and that we cannot renew our lease with a different roommate at the end of the term because she has not signed a release. Do we have any rights to live here after our roommate abandoned the apartment and is it worth suing her in small claims for unpaid rent and utilities?


Asked on 11/01/16, 9:41 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Stephen Harkess Colorado Legal Solutions

You can sue her for her share of the rent. Whether it is "worth it" to do so will depend on whether you can collect on a judgment. That will depend on whether you can find her and whether she has a steady job or significant assets.

You have the right to remain through the end of your lease. There is nothing preventing the landlord from entering into a new lease with anyone at that point, but that will be up to the landlord and you to reach an agreement. If the landlord does not want to enter into a new lease with you - for any reason - then you will have to move.

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Answered on 11/02/16, 8:19 am


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