Iowa Month-to-Month Lease Agreement

An Iowa month-to-month rental agreement is a contract (not necessarily in writing) which allows a tenant to rent property from a landlord, for one month at a time, in exchange for a fee (“rent”). The rental renews monthly, until either party gives proper notice to end it.

Basics of an Iowa Month-to-Month Rental Agreement

In Iowa, a landlord and tenant create a month-to-month lease by agreeing to rent a property according to acceptable terms. Written rental agreements are clearer and legally stronger, but oral leases are legal in a month-to-month context.

Parties under a month-to-month lease enjoy full rights under Iowa landlord-tenant law. The tenant must use the property in a responsible way and pay rent on time. The landlord must keep essential features of the property in habitable condition, and protect the tenant’s quiet enjoyment of the lease.

The main difference between a month-to-month lease and a fixed-term lease is that month-to-month leases can be terminated (with proper notice) by either party for any reason without penalty. Landlords also can usually modify terms from one month to the next, again with proper notice.

Required Disclosures for Month-to-Month Rentals in Iowa

Iowa landlords may not rent a property out without making the following disclosures to a potential tenant, as relevant:

• Landlord’s Name and Address – Landlords must give the tenant their name and address, or that of their authorized agent, to enable smooth communication of legal notice.
• Shared Utilities – Landlords renting a unit that shares a utility meter with other parts of the property must disclose how utilities are billed for the property.
• CERCLA (Superfund) Disclosure – Iowa properties listed in the directory of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), also known as “Superfund,” must disclose this status in a rental agreement.
  
• Lead-Based Paint – Landlords must provide an EPA-approved disclosure and informational pamphlet to tenants renting any property built before 1978.

Required Notice To End a Month-to-Month Rental in Iowa

Iowa lets both the landlord or tenant terminate a month-to-month lease with at least 30 days of advance notice. [1] In general, any reason that isn’t landlord retaliation is a legal and valid grounds for ending a month-to-month lease.

Iowa requires written notice to end a month-to-month lease. Delivery must generally be either hand-delivered to the party in question, or mailed with a signed receipt of delivery by a competent person at the address of record.

Required Notice To Raise the Rent on a Iowa Month-to-Month Lease

Iowa requires that notice for a rental increase be delivered in writing, at least 30 days in advance. [2]

Eviction in Iowa Month-to-Month Rentals

Iowa tenants may face eviction for violating a month-to-month lease or remaining on the property after the notice period allowed by a valid termination. Evictions in Iowa typically take three to eight weeks.

For more information on the eviction process in Iowa, click here.