Can landlords in Colorado wait up to 60 days to return security deposits?

Coloradosun · Jul 27, 2026 · 206 words · By Cassis Tingley

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What to know about Can landlords in Colorado wait up to 60 days to return security deposits?

Although landlords in Colorado generally must return a security deposit within 30 days after a lease ends, the deadline can be extended to up to 60 days under the lease.

Claims checked 8

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

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Center100%

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2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Although landlords in Colorado generally must return a security deposit within 30 days after a lease ends, the deadline can be extended to up to 60 days under the lease.

Why it matters

Landlords may withhold security deposit funds to cover unpaid rent and utilities and damage caused by the tenant beyond usual wear and tear.

Common ground

Landlords must provide an itemized statement of damage to the tenant, and documentation upon request.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: Can landlords in Colorado wait up to 60 days to return security deposits??
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that the deadline can be extended to up to 60 days under the lease?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://coloradosun.com/2026/07/27/can-landlords-in-colorado-wait-up-to-60-days-…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 8 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

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Claim 1: “the deadline can be extended to up to 60 days under the lease”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm that a written lease agreement in Colorado can extend the security deposit return deadline up to 60 days.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Colorado is a landlocked state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, and part of the Southwestern United States, sharing the Four Corners regio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Fort Collins is a home rule city in Larimer County, Colorado, United States, and serves as the county seat and most populous municipality of the county. It is the fourth-most populous city in Colorado…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Collins,_Colorado

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Interstate 60 (also known as Interstate 60: Episodes of the Road) is a 2002 American independent road film written and directed by Bob Gale in his directorial debut. The film stars James Marsden, Gary…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_60

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “landlords cannot withhold security deposit funds from the victim for damage caused by those crimes”

CORROBORATED

Evidence from Hb 25-1168 explicitly states that a landlord cannot deduct from a victim-survivor's security deposit for damages caused by unlawful sexual behavior, stalking, domestic violence, or abuse.

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web search NEUTRAL — How does a security deposit work? A security deposit is a sum of money paid at the beginning of a lease that is held aside in security, sometimes in an escrow account, for the entirety of the lease.Th…
https://www.doorloop.com/blog/can-landlord-keep-security-dep…

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web search NEUTRAL — A landlord cannot deduct from a victim-survivor’s security deposit or charge them for damages caused by unlawful sexual behavior, stalking, domestic violence, or abuse; the landlord may only seek comp…
https://www.coloradorpm.com/hb-25-1168-concerning-housing-pr…

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web search NEUTRAL — Landlords cannot deduct for. Normal wear and tear: Landlords are not allowed to use funds from the deposit to remedy minor issues throughout the property. Those include nail holes, scuffed baseboards,…
https://www.turbotenant.com/rental-lease-agreement/georgia/s…

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Claim 3: “Landlords must provide an itemized statement of damage to the tenant, and documentation upon request”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources state that Colorado landlords must provide an itemized statement of deductions/damages to the tenant.

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web search NEUTRAL — Landlords must provide an itemized statement of damage to the tenant, and documentation upon request. If the landlord withholds a security deposit beyond the agreed-upon deadline without cause, tenant…
https://gigafact.org/fact-briefs/can-landlords-in-colorado-w…

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web search NEUTRAL — Review Colorado landlord-tenant laws for 2026, including leases, screening, deposits, rent payments, repairs, notices, and evictions.Landlords must charge the same fee to all applicants and include a …
https://articles.ezlandlordforms.com/state-landlord-tenant-l…

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web search NEUTRAL — According to Colorado law, landlords must provide tenants with a written itemized list of all deductions taken from their security deposit upon its return.
https://www.ibuyers.app/colorado/what-to-do-if-tenant-damage…

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Claim 4: “landlords in Colorado generally must return a security deposit within 30 days after a lease ends”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources confirm that Colorado Revised Statutes Section 38-12-103 generally requires the return of security deposits within one month (30 days).

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Colorado Springs is a home rule city that is the county seat of and the most populous city in El Paso County, Colorado, United States. The city had a population of 478,961 at the 2020 census, a 15.02%…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Springs,_Colorado

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Colorado gubernatorial election will be held on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Colorado. Incumbent Democratic governor Jared Polis is ineligible to seek re-election to a third con…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Colorado_gubernatorial_el…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “they can pursue payment from the person responsible for the damage”

CORROBORATED

The same legislative evidence (Hb 25-1168) that prohibits deducting from the victim's deposit explicitly states that the landlord may seek compensation from the responsible party.

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web search NEUTRAL — Domestic abuse can include physical, sexual, psychological, emotional, economic and tech abuse, and has a devastating impact on survivors.Q16: Do perpetrators of domestic abuse use the threat of termi…
https://refuge.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Refuge-resp…

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web search NEUTRAL — A must-watch documentary. #ScreamsBeforeSilence sheds light on the unspeakable sexual violence committed on October 7. As heartbreaking as these stories in t...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAr9oGSXgak

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web search NEUTRAL — A landlord may not use domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking as a good cause for eviction.A landlord may not hold a tenant who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence, or stalking …
https://www.vtaffordablehousing.org/post/housing-rights-for-…

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Claim 6: “Colorado also has protections for tenants who are forced to break a lease to flee domestic abuse, sexual violence or stalking”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm that Colorado provides protections for victims of domestic violence, stalking, or sexual assault to terminate leases early.

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web search NEUTRAL — Colorado extends special protections to tenants who are victims of domestic violence. This includes the ability for victims to terminate a lease early.
https://colawteam.com/blog/dv-tenant-protections/

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web search NEUTRAL — Domestic violence, stalking, or sexual assault.Some lease agreements allow tenants to transfer or assign a lease to another qualified tenant. Approval requirements and conditions vary by landlord and …
https://opplehouse.com/how-to-break-a-lease-in-colorado-what…

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web search NEUTRAL — Many states extend protections to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or abuse committed by a household member. To receive these protections, tenants often must pr…
https://www.superlawyers.com/resources/landlord-and-tenant/b…

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Claim 7: “Landlords may withhold security deposit funds to cover unpaid rent and utilities and damage caused by the tenant beyond usual wear and tear”

CORROBORATED

Web search results confirm that landlords are permitted to deduct unpaid rent, utilities, and damages exceeding normal wear and tear from security deposits.

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web search NEUTRAL — Charges for unpaid rent, damages beyond normal wear and tear, excessive cleaning, and unpaid utilities are valid deductions. Yet, landlords cannot claim repainting costs due to gradual paint fading or…
https://www.leaserunner.com/blog/what-can-landlord-deduct-fr…

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web search NEUTRAL — Withhold security deposits for unpaid rent or damages beyond normal wear and tear. Initiate legal eviction processes if tenants fail to comply with lease terms, such as non-payment or engaging in ille…
https://www.doorloop.com/laws/california-landlord-tenant-rig…

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web search NEUTRAL — Stay responsible with tenant security deposits. Landlords are permitted to retain and use a tenant’s security deposit under specific conditions. The most frequent reason is to cover repairs for damage…
https://www.rpmfolsomlake.com/citrus-heights-security-deposi…

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Claim 8: “If the landlord withholds a security deposit beyond the agreed-upon deadline without cause, tenants can sue them for up to three times the amount owed, plus legal fees”

CORROBORATED

The Judicial Legal Help Center and other sources confirm that a landlord may be liable for three times the amount of the deposit plus attorney fees for willfully and wrongfully withholding funds.

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web search NEUTRAL — In any court action brought by a tenant under this section, the landlord shall bear the burden of proving that his withholding of the security deposit or any portion of it was not wrongful.
https://colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_38-12-103

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web search NEUTRAL — If your landlord has missed the return deadline, sent a deficient accounting, or withheld amounts you believe are improper, the next step is a written demand letter — and it is a legal prerequisite to…
https://promptcounsel.law/blog/colorado-security-deposit-dis…

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web search NEUTRAL — A landlord may be liable for three times the amount of the deposit he or she keeps plus attorney fees and court costs if the landlord willfully and wrongfully keeps part or all of the deposit.
https://lawhelp.colorado.gov/security-deposits

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.