Landlord basics course glossary: 84 terms
Every trade word from the course in plain English, A to Z. Each links to the lesson that teaches it.
A
- Abandonment
- A tenant permanently giving up possession, shown by things like returned keys or removing belongings. Security deposits
- Accessory dwelling unit
- A separate small home on the same lot as a main house, with its own living, sleeping, cooking and bathroom space. Leases and move-in
- Affirmative defense
- A reason a defendant raises in court that defeats a claim even if the claim's facts are true. Repairs and the warranty of habitability
- Affirmative defense
- A reason a defendant raises in court that defeats the claim even if its facts are true. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
- Affirmative defense
- A reason the tenant raises in court that defeats the case even if the facts are true. The eviction case from demand to writ
- A person you give permission to act for you, such as a property manager. Leases and move-in
B
- Burden of proof
- The duty to prove a point in court; here the landlord must prove the withholding was not wrongful. Security deposits
C
- Cause
- A legal reason for evicting a tenant; since April 19, 2024 a landlord generally needs one. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
- Class action
- A court case brought by one or a few people on behalf of a larger group. Leases and move-in
- Common areas
- Hallways, grounds and other spaces held out for all tenants to use. Repairs and the warranty of habitability
- Complaint
- The written court paper that starts the eviction case. The eviction case from demand to writ
- Consumer reporting agency
- A company that gathers credit and background information and sells it as a report. Fair housing and screening
- Cure
- To fix a violation, here within seven days after written notice of a late-fee violation. Rent increases, late fees and what you may charge
- Cure
- To fix a problem, such as paying everything owed under a nonpayment notice before judgment. The eviction case from demand to writ
D
- Date certain
- A fixed end date written into a lease. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
- Default judgment
- A win for one side because the other side did not respond or appear. The eviction case from demand to writ
- Demand
- A written notice asking the tenant to pay, comply or leave. The eviction case from demand to writ
- Denial notice
- The written notice, with reasons, a landlord must give when turning down an application. Fair housing and screening
- Dismiss with prejudice
- To end a case for good so it cannot be filed again. The eviction case from demand to writ
E
- Environmental public health event
- A natural disaster or environmental event, like a flood, wildfire or toxic release, that could harm health nearby. Repairs and the warranty of habitability
- Exempt residential agreement
- A lease of a single-family home by a landlord with five or fewer single-family rentals that states the ten-day period does not apply, giving a five-day notice. The eviction case from demand to writ
F
- Familial status
- Whether a household includes children. Fair housing and screening
- Fee-shifting clause
- A lease term that makes the loser of a court dispute pay the winner's attorney fees. Leases and move-in
- Fee-shifting clause
- A lease clause saying who pays attorney fees and court costs in a dispute. Rent increases, late fees and what you may charge
- Forfeit
- To lose a right, such as the right to keep any part of a deposit. Security deposits
H
- Holding over
- Staying in the home after the tenancy ended without the landlord's permission. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
- Housing subsidy
- A program that pays all or part of a tenant's rent directly or on the tenant's behalf. Fair housing and screening
- Housing voucher
- A federal program payment that helps a tenant pay rent. Fair housing and screening
I
- Injunctive relief
- A court order telling a party to do something, such as make repairs. Repairs and the warranty of habitability
- Itemized statement
- A written list of the exact reasons and amounts a landlord keeps from a deposit. Security deposits
L
- Late fee
- An extra charge for rent that arrives after the due date; Colorado caps it and sets rules for when it may be charged. Rent increases, late fees and what you may charge
- Liquidated damages
- A penalty amount set in advance in a lease for ending it early. Leases and move-in
M
- Mandatory mediation
- A no-cost meeting with a trained neutral person that some tenants who receive listed benefits have a right to before an eviction is filed. The eviction case from demand to writ
- Mitigation
- Work that reduces a hazard, such as a system that vents radon out of a home. Leases and move-in
- Month-to-month
- A tenancy that renews each month with no fixed end date. Rent increases, late fees and what you may charge
N
- No-fault eviction
- An eviction for a listed reason that is not based on anything the tenant did wrong, such as the landlord moving in. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
- Normal wear and tear
- Deterioration from ordinary use, without carelessness, accident or abuse. Leases and move-in
- Normal wear and tear
- Ordinary aging of a home from use, without carelessness, accident or abuse. Security deposits
- Notice to quit
- A written notice that ends a tenancy. Rent increases, late fees and what you may charge
- Notice to quit
- A written notice that a tenancy will end on a stated date. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
P
- Pet deposit
- An extra refundable deposit for a tenant's pet, capped at $300. Security deposits
- Pet deposit
- A refundable extra deposit asked for permitting a pet. Rent increases, late fees and what you may charge
- Pet rent
- Extra monthly rent for a pet, capped at the greater of $35 or 1.5 percent of monthly rent. Security deposits
- Pet rent
- Extra monthly rent a landlord asks for permitting a pet. Rent increases, late fees and what you may charge
- Portable tenant screening report
- A report an applicant orders for themselves, current through a stated date, that the applicant can give to many landlords. Fair housing and screening
- Portable tenant screening report
- A screening report an applicant can hand to a landlord; a landlord may not charge an application fee to an applicant who provides one. Rent increases, late fees and what you may charge
- Preponderance of the evidence
- Proof that something is more likely than not. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
- Presumption
- An assumption a court starts from unless the other side shows otherwise; here, 125 percent or more of actual damages is presumed unreasonable. Security deposits
- Prevailing party
- The side the court decides won the dispute. Leases and move-in
- Prospective tenant
- A person who has applied or asked to rent but has not yet signed a lease. Fair housing and screening
- Protected class
- A group of people the law says you may not treat worse in housing, such as people of a certain race or religion. Fair housing and screening
- Protection order
- A court order that protects a person from another person. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
Q
- Quiet enjoyment
- A tenant's implied right to use the home in peace, without the landlord or others interfering. Leases and move-in
- Quiet enjoyment
- The right to use your home in peace, without disturbance from others. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
R
- Radon
- A natural radioactive gas that can build up inside homes and raise the risk of lung cancer. Leases and move-in
- Reasonably complete notice
- A written or electronic message that describes the problem well enough for the landlord to act. Repairs and the warranty of habitability
- Rebuttable presumption
- An assumption the court starts from that the other side may try to disprove. Repairs and the warranty of habitability
- Relocation payment
- Money paid to a tenant who must move; the act summary we read gives no amount, so this course states none. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
- Remedial action
- Steps taken to fix a problem, such as starting repairs or hiring a professional. Repairs and the warranty of habitability
- Rent
- Money paid for the right to live in and use a home. Fees for utilities, services and the like are not rent. Rent increases, late fees and what you may charge
- Rental agreement
- Any agreement, written or oral, that sets the terms for using and living in a home. Leases and move-in
- Rental application fee
- Any money a landlord charges or accepts for processing an application, including a nonrefundable fee before the tenancy starts. A refundable deposit is not one. Fair housing and screening
- Rental application fee
- A fee charged to an applicant that may only cover the landlord's cost of processing the application. Rent increases, late fees and what you may charge
- Repair and deduct
- A tenant paying a professional to fix a covered problem and subtracting the cost from rent, following set steps. Repairs and the warranty of habitability
- Retaliation
- Punishing a tenant for a good-faith complaint, for example by raising rent or filing for eviction. Repairs and the warranty of habitability
S
- Security deposit
- Money advanced to secure the tenant's performance of a lease, whatever it is called. Security deposits
- Self-help eviction
- Removing a tenant without a court, such as changing locks or shutting off utilities; unlawful. The eviction case from demand to writ
- Service
- Getting a notice to the tenant in a way the law accepts, such as handing it over or posting it. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
- Source of income
- Where a person's rent money comes from: a job, benefits, or a housing program. Fair housing and screening
- Substantial violation
- Acts by a tenant or guest that seriously endanger people or property, or that are listed violent, drug-related or nuisance crimes. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
- Successor in interest
- A new owner who takes over the landlord's place after a sale or similar change. Security deposits
- Summons
- A court paper telling the tenant to answer or appear by a set date. The eviction case from demand to writ
T
- Tenancy
- The right to occupy a home for a period of time. Rent increases, late fees and what you may charge
- Tenancy
- The right to live in a home for a period of time. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
- Tenancy at will
- A tenancy with no set end date. Ending a tenancy: cause, notice to quit and early exits
- Treble
- Three times; the amount owed for willfully withholding a deposit. Security deposits
U
- Uninhabitable
- So lacking in basics like heat, water, safety or sanitation that it fails the habitability standard. Repairs and the warranty of habitability
- Unlawful detention
- Staying in a rental after the notice period or lease has ended, as the statute defines it. The eviction case from demand to writ
- Unlawful removal
- Forcing a tenant out without court process, including shutting off utilities or removing doors, windows or locks. Repairs and the warranty of habitability
V
- Void
- Having no legal force, even if both sides signed it. Leases and move-in
- Void
- Having no legal force, as a lease clause that breaks the statute. Rent increases, late fees and what you may charge
W
- Warranty of habitability
- The promise built into every rental agreement that the home is fit for people to live in. Repairs and the warranty of habitability
- Willful
- Done on purpose or with knowing disregard, not by honest mistake. Security deposits
- Writ of restitution
- A court order allowing an officer to return possession of the property to the landlord. The eviction case from demand to writ