Colorado Code § 13-40-104

Unlawful detention defined - definitions
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(1) A person has committed an
unlawful detention of real property in the following cases:
(a) When entry is made, without right or title, into any vacant or unoccupied lands or
tenements;
(b) When entry is made, wrongfully, into any public lands, tenements, mining claims, or
other possessions which are claimed or held by a person who may have located, entered, or
settled upon the same in conformity with the laws, rules, and regulations of the United States, or
of this state, in relation thereto;
(c) When any lessee or tenant at will, or at sufferance, or for any period of time, of any
nonresidential real property or residential premises described in section 38-12-1302 (1)(a),
(1)(b), (1)(d), (1)(e), or (1)(f), including a specific or undivided portion of a building, holds over
and continues in possession of the nonresidential real property or residential premises described
in section 38-12-1302 (1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(d), (1)(e), or (1)(f), or any portion thereof, after the
expiration of the term for which the nonresidential real property or residential premises
described in section 38-12-1302 (1)(a), (1)(b), (1)(d), (1)(e), or (1)(f) was leased or after the
tenancy has been terminated by either party;
(d) When such tenant or lessee holds over without permission of the tenant's or lessee's
landlord after any default in the payment of rent pursuant to the agreement under which the
tenant or lessee holds, and, ten days' notice in writing has been duly served upon the tenant or
lessee holding over, requiring in the alternative the payment of the rent or the possession of the
premises; except that, for a nonresidential agreement or an employer-provided housing
agreement, three days' notice is required pursuant to this section, and for an exempt residential
agreement, five days' notice is required pursuant to this section. No such agreement shall contain
a waiver by the tenant of the notice requirement of this subsection (1)(d). It is not necessary, in
order to work a forfeiture of such agreement for nonpayment of rent, to make a demand for such
rent on the day on which the same becomes due; but a failure to pay such rent upon demand,
when made, works a forfeiture.
(d.5) When such tenant or lessee holds over, without the permission of the landlord,
contrary to any condition or covenant the violation of which is defined as a substantial violation
in section 13-40-107.5, and notice in writing has been duly served upon such tenant or lessee in
accordance with section 13-40-107.5;
(e) When a tenant or lessee holds over without permission, contrary to any material
condition or covenant of the agreement under which the tenant or lessee holds, and ten days'
notice in writing has been duly served upon the tenant or lessee requiring either compliance with
the condition or covenant or the delivery of the possession of the premises; except that, for a
nonresidential agreement or an employer-provided housing agreement, three days' notice is
required, and for an exempt residential agreement, five days' notice is required;
(e.5) (I) When a tenant or lessee has previously been served with the notice described in
paragraph (e) of this subsection (1) requiring compliance with a condition or covenant of the
agreement, and subsequent to that notice holds over, without permission of the tenant or lessee's
landlord, contrary to the same condition or covenant.
(II) A tenancy pursuant to a residential agreement may be terminated at any time
pursuant to this subsection (1)(e.5) on the basis of a subsequent violation of the same condition
or covenant of the agreement. The termination of a residential tenancy is effective ten days after
service of written notice to terminate tenancy. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
subsection (1)(e.5)(II), a tenancy pursuant to a nonresidential agreement, an exempt residential
agreement, or an employer-provided housing agreement may be terminated at any time pursuant
to this subsection (1)(e.5) on the basis of a subsequent violation. The termination of a
nonresidential tenancy or an employer-provided housing tenancy is effective three days after
service of written notice to terminate tenancy, and the termination of a tenancy pursuant to an
exempt residential agreement is effective five days after service of written notice to terminate
tenancy.
(e.8) When a tenant holds over and maintains possession of a residential premises after
the landlord has properly initiated a no-fault eviction by satisfying the notice requirements and
other requirements associated with the no-fault eviction, as described in section 38-12-1303 (3);
(f) When the property has been duly sold under any power of sale, contained in any
mortgage or trust deed that was executed by such person, or any person under whom such person
claims by title subsequent to date of the recording of such mortgage or trust deed, and the title
under such sale has been duly perfected and the purchaser at such sale, or his or her assigns, has
duly demanded the possession thereof;
(g) When the property has been duly sold under the judgment or decree of any court of
competent jurisdiction and the party or privies to such judgment or decree, after the expiration of
the time of redemption when redemption is allowed by law, refuse or neglect to surrender
possession thereof after demand therefor has been duly made by the purchaser at such sale, or his
or her assigns;
(h) When an heir or devisee continues in possession of any premises sold and conveyed
by any personal representative with authority to sell, after demand therefor is duly made;
(i) When a vendee having obtained possession under an agreement to purchase lands or
tenements, and having failed to comply with his agreement, withholds possession thereof from
his vendor, or assigns, after demand therefor is duly made.
(j) (I) When a tenant or lessee holds over without permission of the landlord after the
tenant or lessee has engaged in conduct that is disturbing others or causing a nuisance, which
conduct interferes with the quiet enjoyment of the landlord, if the landlord lives in the same or
an immediately adjacent property, or of others who reside in an immediately adjacent property,
or of other tenants or occupants of the same property, or the tenant or lessee by reason of
negligence damaged the housing accommodation, and ten days' notice in writing has been duly
served upon the tenant or lessee, which notice contains a description of the specific conduct that
disturbed others or caused a nuisance, requiring in the alternative cessation of the conduct that is
disturbing others or causing a nuisance that interferes with the quiet enjoyment of the landlord, if
the landlord lives in the same or immediately adjacent property, or other tenants or occupants of
the same property, or maliciously or by reason of negligence damaged the housing
accommodation or possession of the premises so held; except that, for a nonresidential
agreement or an employer-provided housing agreement, three days' notice is required pursuant to
this subsection (1)(j), and for an exempt residential agreement, five days' notice is required
pursuant to this section.
(II) The lawful exercise by a tenant of any rights pursuant to any law or rule relating to
occupancy of a property, including this subsection (1)(j), shall not be deemed to interfere with
the quiet enjoyment of the landlord or other tenants or other ground for eviction pursuant to this
subsection (1)(j).
(III) It shall not constitute a nuisance or disturbance for purposes of this subsection (1)(j)
if a victim of domestic violence is being accused of causing a disturbance or nuisance as a direct
result of being a victim of domestic violence. This exception applies only to victims of domestic
violence and not to perpetrators.
(2) and (3) Repealed.
(4) (a) It shall not constitute an unlawful detention of real property as described in
paragraph (d.5), (e), or (e.5) of subsection (1) of this section if the tenant or lessee is the victim
of domestic violence, as that term is defined in section 18-6-800.3, C.R.S., or of domestic abuse,
as that term is defined in section 13-14-101 (2), which domestic violence or domestic abuse was
the cause of or resulted in the alleged unlawful detention and which domestic violence or
domestic abuse has been documented by the following:
(I) A police report; or
(II) A valid civil or emergency protection order.
(b) A person is not guilty of an unlawful detention of real property pursuant to paragraph
(a) of this subsection (4) if the alleged violation of the rental or lease agreement is a result of
domestic violence or domestic abuse against the tenant or lessee.
(c) A rental, lease, or other such agreement shall not contain a waiver by the tenant or
lessee of the protections provided in this subsection (4).
(d) Nothing in this subsection (4) shall prevent the landlord from seeking judgment for
possession against the tenant or lessee of the premises who perpetuated the violence or abuse
that was the cause of or resulted in the alleged unlawful detention.
(5) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) "Employer-provided housing agreement" means a residential tenancy agreement
between an employee and an employer when the employer or an affiliate of the employer acts as
a landlord.
(b) "Exempt residential agreement" means a residential agreement leasing a single
family home by a landlord who owns five or fewer single family rental homes and who provides
notice in the agreement that a ten-day notice period required pursuant to this section does not
apply to the tenancy entered into pursuant to the agreement.

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