Littleton, CO Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum heat
- 68 F in habitable rooms, bathrooms, toilets
- Exception floor
- 65 F when monthly average tops 30 F
- Enforcing agency
- Littleton Building Division code official
- Screen standard
- 16 mesh per inch, self-closing doors
- Guard height
- at least 36 inches above walking surface
- Max penalty
- $2,650 fine, 364 days jail for adults
Summary
Littleton's Building Division enforces the 2025 International Property Maintenance Code as locally amended, and Section 602.3 forces any landlord who furnishes heat under a lease to keep habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms at a minimum 68-degree temperature. The same chapter sets screen, stairway-guard and weed-control minimums, and a property that fails inspection can be placarded as unfit for habitation.
Every owner and operator of any building who rents, leases or lets one or more dwelling units or sleeping units on terms, either expressed or implied, to furnish heat to the occupants thereof shall supply heat to maintain a minimum temperature of 68 ... F (20 ... C) in all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms.
Full Breakdown
2 winter design temperature and the heating system is already running at full capacity, and a lowered 65-degree floor in months when the average outdoor temperature exceeds 30 degrees. 1). Premises must stay free of weeds under Title 7, Chapter 4, with notice served under Title 7, Chapter 1, Section 7-1-6. 7, warning occupants and imposing penalties for occupying, operating equipment in, or removing the placard from a condemned unit.
Violations & Fines
A landlord who ignores an IPMC order or a Building Division notice is prosecuted under Littleton City Code Section 1-4-1, the General Penalty: a fine of up to $2,650, up to 364 days in jail, and up to a year of probation for adults, with each day the violation continues counted as a separate offense. Minors face the same $2,650 cap without jail time. Placarded units cannot legally be occupied until the code official lifts the notice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the minimum temperature my Littleton landlord must maintain?
Can my landlord be fined for not fixing a broken screen door or unsafe stairs?
What does it mean if the city placards my apartment building?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Littleton
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Repairs & Habitability in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Arapahoe County handle repairs & habitability.