Hugo, CO asked in Employment Law and Landlord - Tenant for Colorado

Q: Received a notice to vacate in 21 days, I have worked were I live for 5 years and not paid. Is this legal

I worked for owner and lived at motel he owns for five years we were to re t rooms, and keep property cleaned and mowed. He did not pay us and now wants to terminate our employment. He has not paid sales tax last document says 2013, he has repeatedly had power shut off closed accounts we used for upkeep,

1 Lawyer Answer

A: It may be illegal. I would recommend you contact an attorney.

In Colorado, we have the unlawful eviction statute. In certain cases, if the landlord is intentionally shutting off the power to the residence it may constitute an unlawful eviction. This is a very fact-intensive analysis. The new version of the statute permits statutory damages as well.

In terms of a notice to quit, it would depend on if you have a lease and other facts. Like I said, I would reach out to an attorney.

Please be aware, any answer is based on the events occurring in Colorado. Further, please be aware that this is not legal advice. This is generic information intended to help the reader develop questions to ask an attorney when they are ready. Each case is different. Anyone reading this answer in need of legal advice should contact an attorney. Larranaga Law offers free case evaluation. Please note that representation is not guaranteed.

Sincerely,

Michael Larranaga

Larranaga Law

Website: www.larranagalaw.com

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.