Colorado’s rental market continues to evolve, and 2025 brings both legislative updates and ongoing debates around rent control, tenant protections, and landlord obligations. Here’s a comprehensive overview of what tenants should know about rent increases in Colorado for 2025.
No Statewide Rent Control or Caps
- Colorado does not have statewide rent control. There are no legal limits on how much a landlord can increase rent for most residential properties, unless a specific cap is written into your lease.
- Local governments are prohibited from enacting their own rent control ordinances, a ban in place since 1981 and reaffirmed by failed legislative attempts as recently as 2024.
When and How Can Landlords Raise Rent?
- Timing: Landlords can only raise rent at the end of a lease term, unless the lease specifically allows for mid-term increases. For fixed-term leases (e.g., one year), rent cannot be increased until the lease expires.
- Month-to-Month Leases: For tenants without a fixed lease, landlords can increase rent with proper notice.
Required Notice Periods for Rent Increases
The amount of notice a landlord must give depends on the size of the increase and the type of rental agreement:
| Type of Increase | Notice Required |
|---|---|
| Less than 10% | 30 days |
| 10% or more | 60 days |
| No written lease (oral) | 60 days |
- The notice must be written and specify the new rent amount and the date it will take effect.
- For manufactured home park residents, landlords must provide written notice by January 31, 2025, for increases effective April 1, 2025.
Legal Protections and Exceptions
- No Increase During Lease: Unless your lease states otherwise, rent cannot be increased during an active lease term.
- Retaliation and Discrimination: Landlords cannot increase rent in retaliation for tenants exercising their legal rights or for discriminatory reasons (e.g., based on race, religion, disability, etc.).
- Documentation: While there’s no cap, landlords are encouraged (and sometimes required) to provide documentation that rent increases are in line with current market rates, especially if challenged.
Recent and Upcoming Legislation
- No New Rent Control: Recent legislative efforts to allow local rent control or cap increases did not pass in 2024 or early 2025.
- Transparency and Fees: House Bill 25-1090, signed in 2025, strengthens consumer protections by requiring landlords to clearly disclose all costs and prohibiting hidden fees.
- Antitrust Protections: House Bill 25-1004 prohibits landlords from colluding to manipulate rent prices; tenants can file complaints if they suspect anti-competitive practices.
- Security Deposits: House Bill 25-1249 caps security deposits at one month’s rent and requires installment options, but does not directly affect rent increase rules.
What Should Tenants Do?
- Review Your Lease: Understand what your lease says about rent increases and renewal terms.
- Monitor Notices: Ensure you receive proper written notice before any rent increase.
- Negotiate: If faced with a steep increase, try negotiating with your landlord-many prefer to keep reliable tenants.
- Know Your Rights: If you believe a rent increase is retaliatory, discriminatory, or lacks proper notice, you may have grounds to challenge it with Colorado Legal Services or the Civil Rights Division.
- Stay Informed: Legislative changes are ongoing; advocacy groups continue to push for more tenant protections and potential future rent control.
Key Points for 2025
| Issue | Rule in Colorado (2025) |
|---|---|
| Statewide rent control | None |
| Local rent control allowed? | No |
| Cap on rent increases | No (unless in lease) |
| Notice for <10% increase | 30 days (written) |
| Notice for ≥10% increase | 60 days (written) |
| Notice for oral agreements | 60 days (written) |
| Increases during lease term | Not allowed unless lease permits |
| Retaliatory/discriminatory hikes | Prohibited |
| Documentation of market rate | Recommended/required if challenged |
Colorado’s lack of rent control means tenants must remain vigilant, understand their lease terms, and respond promptly to notices. While there are no caps on increases, proper notice and protection from unfair practices are guaranteed by law. Stay informed about legislative developments, as the landscape could shift in future sessions.
Sources:
- https://doh.colorado.gov/rent-increases
- https://tsm.law/2025-legislation/
- https://www.coloradolegalservices.org/housing/landlords-raising-rent/
- https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1092
- https://www.doorloop.com/laws/colorado-rent-control-laws
