Top Things to Know Before You Rent Your Home

The Colorado Warranty of Habitability was established in order to keep unscrupulous landlords from taking advantage of tenants.

Renting to friends and family seems like a great situation and in many cases it is. There are a couple of tax implications you need to understand first.

There are a number of reasons why you might consider becoming a landlord in Colorado Springs or anywhere in El Paso County. Maybe you’re downsizing to a smaller property, but still want to maintain your current home for income. Perhaps you’ve found a great deal on an income-producing property and are planning to use the revenue for your retirement. Or you’ve found your dream home with an attached apartment or suite that will help you defray the costs.

When it comes to rental property, there’s a lot that you can do upfront to help ensure that you’ll be in for a smooth and relatively stress-free journey.

While landlords are usually free to allow, or ban pets from their rentals, and are well within their rights to do so, there’s one very important exception to this rule that landlords should know about: assistance animals.

When it comes to the issue of service animals and emotional support animals (ESAs), landlords should note that these animals are exempt from no-pets policies. The reason is simple: these animals are not considered to be pets, but rather necessary aids for someone who has a disability. Because they don’t fall under the category of pets, landlords should make every effort to accommodate a reasonable request from a tenant who has a disability and allow these animals in their units. Landlords should also waive any pet rent or additional security deposits that they would normally require for pets.