Title: Tenant's Right to Break a Rental Lease in Colorado | Nolo
Headings: Tenant's Right to Break a Rental Lease in Colorado
Tenant's Right to Break a Rental Lease in Colorado
Learn when and how tenants may legally break a fixed-term lease in Colorado and how to limit liability for rent through the end of the lease term.
Tenant Rights and Responsibilities When Signing a Lease in Colorado
When Breaking a Lease Is Justified in Colorado
You Are Starting Active Military Duty
You Are a Victim of Domestic Violence
The Rental Unit Is Unsafe or Violates Colorado Health or Safety Codes
Your Landlord Harasses You or Violates Your Privacy Rights
Your Landlord Fails to Repair a Gas-Related Hazardous Condition
Landlord's Duty to Find a New Tenant in Colorado
How to Minimize Your Financial Responsibility When Breaking a Lease
More Information on Tenant Rights to Break a Lease
More Information on Landlord-Tenant Law in Colorado

Content: But keep in mind that if the landlord doesn't agree to let you off the hook, you will be liable for paying rent until the landlord, using reasonable efforts, rerents the unit. This could be a substantial amount of money if you leave several months before your lease ends, or if the market is cold (there's lots of competitive units out there, unrented). Your landlord will probably first use your security deposit to cover the amount you owe. But if your deposit is not sufficient, your landlord may sue you, probably in a Colorado small claims court where the limit is $7,500 in Colorado. ( If the amount at issue is equal to or less than $25,000, your landlord might sue you in the appropriate Colorado county court .) How to Minimize Your Financial Responsibility When Breaking a Lease
If you want to leave early, and you don't have legal justification to do so, there are better options than just moving out and hoping your landlord gets a new tenant quickly. There's a lot you can do to limit the amount of money you need to pay your landlord—and help ensure a good reference from the landlord when you're looking for your next place to live. You can help the situation a lot by providing as much notice as possible and writing a sincere letter to your landlord explaining why you need to leave early. Ideally you can offer your landlord a qualified replacement tenant, someone with good credit and excellent references, to sign a new lease with your landlord. More Information on Tenant Rights to Break a Lease
Every Tenant's Legal Guide, by Janet Portman and Marcia Stewart (Nolo) provides extensive legal and practical advice that every tenant needs, from move in to move out, including how to get your landlord to cancel your lease, plus dozens of forms and sample letters.