Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Colorado

landlord lies about crime

Last week a man was stabbed in my apartment building. According to the police report it looks like it's gang related. The following day the apartment manager sent out a memo to all residents saying that she had talked to detectives and that a young man had accidentally cut himself on a bottle. I would like to break my lease but don't want to lose my deposit. Do I have any rights because they intentionally lied about the stabbing? Thanks for your help.


Asked on 7/23/02, 4:23 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Jason Savela The Savela Law Firm, PC

Re: landlord lies about crime

Try to talk with the detectives about what they think happened and get their names, date of offense, name of victim etc. If it was a stabbing and possibly gang related, even if the case is not prosecuted, then you may have a few ways to get out of the lease.

Read your lease very carefully. Did the landlord breach any duty to provide a safe living area? Are you so scared to live in the changed neighborhood that your are constructively evicted? Were there any promises to provide security or to make sure this sort of thing did not happen? Is it a gated or secured apartment?

Just lying probably will not help you.

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Answered on 7/23/02, 7:22 pm


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