Landlord kept your deposit in Colorado? Find your next step.
No refund, only part of your money back, or charges you disagree with? Start with what you received, then build a response using your records and Colorado law.
Analysis free · Full case package $29-$49, one time · mailing optional
The deadline check is optional. See what you get
What do you need help with?
Open the situation that fits. Each route gives you something to check, something to keep, and a next step.
I received nothingNo refund and no list of deductions.
Check the trigger, then the date. 30 days (HB25-1249 replaced 'one month' effective Jan 1, 2026) after lease termination or surrender and acceptance, whichever occurs last; the lease may extend the period up to 60 days.
Colorado makes the letter a legal step: you must give the landlord written notice of your demand and your intent to sue at least 7 days before filing, and treble damages are available only if they fail to return the money within those 7 days (§ 38-12-103(3)(c)).
Keep: your deposit payment, move-out or key-return record, forwarding-address notice and any earlier written request. These establish the timeline behind your demand.
Analyze my missing refund - free →I received part of my depositSome money came back. Find out what explains the difference.
Reconcile the refund. Compare the original deposit, what was returned and each deduction. Separate charges you accept from charges you dispute.
Check the amount they kept - free →Enter the refund and deductions in the case builder. You do not need a separate worksheet first.
The Colorado accounting rule: A written statement listing the exact reasons for retention must accompany payment of the balance. Since Jan 2026, no retention for normal wear and tear (expanded definition), pre-existing damage, carpet replacement (unless substantial irreparable damage beyond normal wear - and only if the carpet was replaced with new carpet within the 10 years before termination, § 38-12-103(11)), or repainting (unless substantial damage).
Keep: the refund record, deduction list and notice envelope or delivery record. If money is still unexplained, identify that gap in your written request.
I disagree with the deductionsYou have a charge list, whether or not a refund arrived.
Respond to the specific charges. Note each amount, why you dispute it, and which photo, message or record supports your position. Check the notice instructions above before choosing how and when to reply.
Check my deductions - free →The records rule in Colorado: Since Jan 2026: on tenant request the landlord must produce within 14 days all relevant documentation in their possession - photos, inspection reports, receipts, invoices, or estimates (HB25-1249).
No move-in photos? Use an inventory checklist, inspection report, dated repair request, messages or witness accounts to explain the condition.
I already sent a demandThe landlord has not paid, or the dispute is still unresolved.
Preserve proof of the notice and allow the required seven days before filing. Compare the response with actual damage and the 2026 restrictions on carpet replacement and repainting.
See the Colorado court route →Keep: your sent demand, delivery record and any reply. Use the court guide to check where to file, which forms to use, and the filing and service costs.
Turn the dispute into a documented demand
- Free: understand your dispute
- Add your refund, charges and records. Get a charge-by-charge analysis of the deposit rules and potential remedies under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103.
- Optional: your case documents, $29-$49
- Your demand letter, damages summary and evidence checklist, ready to review and send with your records. Mailing is optional and costs extra.
One charge, backed by a reason and records
Fictional Colorado example. Assumes coverage under the cited law; not a customer outcome.
- The charge
- Repainting ordinary wall scuffs: $900
- Records to attach
- move-in photos and move-out photos
Open PDF ↗In the generated letter
Ordinary wear and tear - not deductible. Repainting after a tenancy is ordinary wear and tear unless the walls were damaged beyond normal use (large holes, unauthorized colors). Dated move-in and move-out photos help distinguish ordinary wear from tenant-caused damage.
Prefer to write it yourself? Use the free Colorado letter template.
Before you call the refund late
30 days (HB25-1249 replaced 'one month' effective Jan 1, 2026) after lease termination or surrender and acceptance, whichever occurs last; the lease may extend the period up to 60 days.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 38-12-103 (as amended by HB25-1249, eff. Jan 1, 2026) ↗Deposit statute reviewed August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules.
Check the return timeline
Optional date estimate. Read the start conditions above; a passed date alone does not establish a violation. Your date and deposit amount carry into the free analysis.
Already know the dates? Go straight to the refund and charges.
Continue to my free analysis →Questions before your next step
What should I do first if my landlord kept my deposit in Colorado?
Check the statutory deadline. 30 days (HB25-1249 replaced 'one month' effective Jan 1, 2026) after lease termination or surrender and acceptance, whichever occurs last; the lease may extend the period up to 60 days. Save your move-out records, any refund and the itemized statement. Compare them with the deadline and deduction rules below.
Do I need a lawyer to get my deposit back in Colorado?
You can write a demand yourself. If you consider a court claim, small claims court (limit: $7,500) is designed for self-represented tenants - filing fees run $31-$55 depending on claim size.
What happens if my landlord doesn't return my security deposit in 30 or 60 days in Colorado?
Failure to comply with the section's requirements, or otherwise wrongfully withholding, means the landlord 'forfeits the landlord's rights to withhold any portion of the security deposit' (§ 38-12-103(2), as amended); wrongful retention then triggers treble damages if the deposit still isn't returned within 7 days of the tenant's demand and notice of intent to sue.
What can I ask to recover in a Colorado deposit dispute?
Wrongful retention (HB25-1249 replaced 'willful' effective Jan 1, 2026) makes the landlord liable for treble the portion wrongfully withheld plus attorney fees and costs (§ 38-12-103(3)(a)). The tenant must first notify the landlord of the demand for return and the intent to sue at least 7 days before filing, and treble damages/fees are available only if the landlord fails to return the withheld amount within 7 days after receiving that demand and notice (§ 38-12-103(3)(c)) - the landlord's final cure window. The landlord bears the burden of proving the withholding was not wrongful and that it complied with the section; retaining 125%+ of actual damages is presumed to unreasonably exceed actual damages, i.e. bad-faith retention (§ 38-12-103(3.5)(b)).
Read the full Colorado deposit-law guide for the return, deduction and remedy rules.