A sensible order of steps

  1. Call 911 for any wellness concern.If you suspect a tenant has died, do not enter alone to check. Request a welfare check through police, and let responders make entry.
  2. Wait for release.Once the coroner or medical examiner and police are finished, confirm with them that the unit is released and ask how to reach the next of kin, if they will share it.
  3. Secure the unit.Change or secure locks if keys are unaccounted for. Close the affected room and post no details on the door.
  4. Contact your insurer.Report the loss on the landlord policy. Ask whether lost rent coverage applies while the unit is unusable.
  5. Talk with family or the estate.Explain that biohazard cleanup is needed and agree on how the tenant's belongings will be handled before anything is removed.
  6. Arrange cleanup.Hire a provider you have checked, with a written scope that protects belongings not affected by contamination.
  7. Address the lease.Ask an attorney how the lease ends, how the deposit is handled and what notices are required.

Belongings are the hardest part

The tenant's furniture, clothing, papers and keepsakes belong to their estate, not to the landlord. Even when the family is far away or hard to reach, discarding belongings without following the proper process can create legal exposure. Colorado has rules for handling a deceased tenant's property and for abandoned property; they are worth reviewing with a landlord-tenant attorney or an experienced property manager rather than guessing.

Contaminated items are different. A mattress or upholstered chair soaked with fluids generally has to be removed for health reasons. Ask the cleanup provider to photograph and list every contaminated item before disposal and to set aside papers, photographs, jewelry, keys, phones and anything that looks personal. That record helps the family and protects you.

Questions for your attorney or property manager

  1. What notice must the owner give the estate or next of kin, and how long must belongings be stored?
  2. Can family members remove belongings before an estate representative is appointed?
  3. How do the lease and security deposit work after a tenant's death in Colorado?
  4. Is there any duty to disclose the death to future applicants? Colorado law treats some circumstances as psychologically impacted property, so ask how that applies.
  5. Can cleanup costs be charged to the estate, or are they an insurance matter?

Contacts to have on hand

Police non-emergency line
For welfare check follow-up and release confirmation in your city
Coroner or medical examiner
Denver: Office of the Medical Examiner; other counties: the elected county coroner
Landlord insurer
Claim number and adjuster contact
Estate contact
Next of kin or appointed personal representative

General information for the Denver area, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.