* Tenants need help asap *

[Seth Kristian]

My In-laws had found a rental last year after over a year of looking and after 7 months on the lease were just sent a notice of early termination on the lease. They are not behind on rent, they pay each month on time and have no breached any agreement on the lease, and acknowledged by the landlord in the notice. After moving into the property in the summer 2021 they began to notice so many things were not quite as they seemed, any many never disclosed by the landlord. They documented each event/item and notified the landlord when they’d come up. 

The house is on well/septic and the storage tank runs out of water every day. It’s enough for a bath and a single load of laundry before it runs out. 

The deck is decades old and literally falling off of the house, which is their access to the front door

There has been an existing mice infestation since moving in and throughout the winter. So they are in the walls and floors, not just a seasonal mice issue typical with some rural homes. 

Water pipes freeze and have burst at least once, luckily they were home

outlet under sink caught fire, again lucky they were home

power is knocked out regurally from weather elements

downstairs rooms receive no heat from hvac system and is in the single digits without using a space heater

the wall heating elements downstairs have been broken, replaced and broken again, and was told they cost 500-700 a month in electricity to keep the placed moderately warm

the list goes on and on, and they have notified the landlord of each occurrence. To me it seems theres a warranty of habitability issue, especially with kids in the home. (Their kid sleeps upstairs since its too cold in their room). 

The landlord hasn’t addressed any of the afformentioned issues short of the mice (which terminix was called 3 times but never actually showed up) and so mice are still an issue. And they are neat freaks, its not a dirty house

The water burst and they were there to help the plumber, who evidentially cut a live line feeding the under sink outlet, which they had to then fix themselves.

While waitin to hear back from the landlord about the mice and other issues for months it seems, they just received a notice from landlord to terminate lease early because he prefers to move back into the house and DYI everything before listing it. No, the house is not currently listed

Their lease is through July this year and were given notice on 3/5 to leave by 4/30 with an “apology and promise” of a great recommendation to the next property. 

In the lease it doesn’t state anything specific about early termination to sell property, just the 30 day/60 day notice clause and that landloard can terminate early for any reason. 

It’s my understanding that landlords cannot terminate a lease for “any reason” and if not explicitly stated in the lease, any changes to said lease have to be agreed on and signed by all parties to the original contract. Is this not correct? They need assistance but aren’t so savvy when it comes to where to ask sometimes. If theres anyone with some legal chops in this field of Colorado Law, please contact me. They have just over a month to eithe find a place or dispute this. I feel they should at least have their moving expenses taken care of, if not completely relocated at the landlords cost, given their notice was haste and a breach of contract. Thank you, especially if you read all the way through this haha

Cheers!