The Iowa rental agreements are contracts written between the landlord overseeing property and a tenant who wishes to use it. These legal documents establish the amount of the rent, as well as the other terms of using the space. Agreements are subject to the Iowa landlord-tenant laws.
Iowa Rental Agreement Types
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Iowa Required Lease Disclosures
- Landlord’s Name & Address (required for all) – Every Iowa lease agreement shall contain the landlord (or an authorized agent’s) contact information to help establish communication for legal notices.
- Utility Disclosure (required for some) – If the Iowa property for rent shares utilities with a common area or another unit, the breakdown of how charges are billed and any service charges that are included must be disclosed in the Iowa lease to ensure that each tenant pays their share and utility services can be maintained.
- CERCLA Disclosure (required for some) – For any Iowa property located in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)’s database, there must be a disclosure stating that it has been affected by the act, which alerts tenants that there has been excessive pollutants or contaminants in the ground in the past and limits liability in the case of exposure.
- Lead-Based Paint Disclosure (required for some) – If the Iowa rental property was built before 1978, landlords are required to provide information about the risks posed by lead paints and any instances of lead paint in the unit in a lead-based paint disclosure that warns potential tenants of the risks involved with living near lead-based paint.
To learn more about required disclosures in Iowa, click here.
Iowa Landlord Tenant Laws
- Warranty of Habitability – Iowa landlords are mandated to provide adequate plumbing, electric outlets, HVAC, running hot/cold water, and more. Any repairs requested by their tenants for these amenities must be performed within 7 days. Iowa tenants do not have the right to withhold rent, but they may use the repair and deduct method.
- Evictions – Iowa landlords may evict tenants for a number of reasons including, but not limited to failure to pay rent, a violation of a leasing term, or committing an illegal act. Landlords must provide tenants with prior notice to pay, comply or quit, depending on the type of eviction.
- Security Deposits – A security deposit charged by an Iowa landlord cannot be worth more than 2 months’ rent in value. Regardless of their value, these deposits must be returned to their proper tenant within 30 days of their lease’s termination.
- Lease Termination – To terminate a month-to-month lease, an Iowa tenant must provide their landlord with 30 days of advance notice. A tenant may be able to end their lease legally if they are able to demonstrate their need for termination based upon active military duty, unit uninhabitability, landlord harassment, or domestic violence.
- Rent Increases & Fees – Iowa landlords are free to raise rent as much as they want with at least 30 days advanced notice. Additionally, late fees cannot be greater than $12 per day and a maximum of $60 or $20 per day and a maximum of $100.
- Landlord Entry – An Iowa landlord must always provide 24 hours of advance notice before entering an occupied dwelling. Moreover, their entry must only come at a “reasonable time.” This standard does not apply to emergency situations.
- Settling Legal Disputes – Formal disputes between landlords and tenants in Iowa can be settled in small claims court. These claims must be valued at less than $6,500 and fall within the 10- or 5-year statute of limitations for written and oral contracts, respectively.
To learn more about landlord tenant laws in Iowa, click here.
