| Rent Increase Facts | Answer |
| Reason Needed? | No |
| Maximum Amount | None |
| Required Notice | 30 Days |
Does Iowa Have Rent Control Laws?
Iowa does not have rent control laws limiting the amount that landlords may ask for rent and state law prohibits local governments from establishing rent control laws.
When Can a Landlord Raise Rent in Iowa?
Landlords in Iowa can raise the rent at any time, as long as they comply with the following:
- Wait until the end of the lease term (unless otherwise specified in the lease)
- Aren’t raising rent for discriminatory or retaliatory reasons
- Give reasonable notice
30 days before the end of a year-long lease, a landlord sends the tenant a notice that rent will increase by 3% if they choose to renew the lease.
When Can’t a Landlord Raise Rent in Iowa?
Landlords in Iowa may not raise the rent if:
- The increase is applied in a way that discriminates against one of the protected classes specified in the Fair Housing Act
- It is done in retaliation against a protected tenant action, such as filing a complaint
- It is during the middle of a lease’s fixed term (unless stated otherwise in the lease agreement).
Cities and towns may have local ordinances which provide additional protection from discrimination for renters.
A Des Moines ordinance forbids landlords from discriminating against a tenant’s source of income.
How Often Can Rent Be Increased in Iowa?
Landlords in Iowa can increase the rent as often as they wish, as long as sufficient notice is provided each time.
How Much Notice is Needed to Raise Rent in Iowa?
In Iowa, landlords cannot raise the rent during a lease term and must give 30 days of advance written notice to increase the rent.
How Much Can a Landlord Raise Rent in Iowa?
Iowa landlords may raise the rent by any amount they wish. There is no legal limit or cap on the amount of a rent increase.
Sources
- 1 Iowa Code § 364.3
-
Source LinkA city shall not adopt or enforce any ordinance imposing any limitation on the amount of rent that can be charged for leasing private residential or commercial property. This subsection does not prevent the right of a city to manage and control residential property in which the city has a property interest.
- 2 Iowa Code § 562A.36(1)
-
Except as provided in this section, a landlord may not retaliate by increasing rent or decreasing services or by bringing or threatening to bring an action for possession after:
a. The tenant has complained to a governmental agency charged with responsibility for enforcement of a building or housing code of a violation applicable to the premises materially affecting health and safety;
b. The tenant has complained to the landlord of a violation under section 562A.15; or
c. The tenant has organized or become a member of a tenants’ union or similar organization.
Source Link - 3 Des Moines Code of Ord. § 62-101(a)(1)
-
It shall be an illegal discriminatory housing practice for any person, or for any owner or person acting for an owner of rights to a dwelling, with or without compensation, including but not limited to persons licensed as real estate brokers or salespersons, attorneys, auctioneers, appraisers, agents or representatives by power of attorney or appointment, or any person acting under court order, deed of trust, or will to:
(1) Refuse to sell, lease or rent after making of a bona fide offer; refuse to show or represent that a dwelling is unavailable; or refuse to negotiate for the sale, lease or rental of any dwelling or refuse to sublease or assign or otherwise make unavailable or deny a dwelling to any person because of race, religion, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, disability, familial status, or source of income.
Source Link - 4 Iowa Code § 562A.13(5)
-
Each tenant shall be notified, in writing, of any rent increase at least thirty days before the effective date. Such effective date shall not be sooner than the expiration date of original rental agreement or any renewal or extension thereof.
Source Link
