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Iowa

An Iowa lease agreement is a legally binding document between a landlord and a tenant. This contract must comply with Iowa’s landlord-tenant laws and typically includes identifying information for both parties, a description of the premises, pet and smoking prohibitions, health and safety disclosures, and specifics regarding rent and security deposits.

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SimpleBasicLease_Iowa

SimpleBasicLease_Iowa

Rental Lease Laws Overview

Iowa does not have rent control laws, allowing landlords to set rent prices freely. There is a limit on late fees, which must be included in the rental agreement. However, there is no state-mandated grace period for rent payments, and landlords do not require a license to operate.

Required Lease Disclosures

Iowa landlords are mandated to provide specific disclosures to tenants before entering a lease agreement:

  • Shared Utilities Notice: All utilities and associated costs must be clearly explained.
  • Identification: Landlords and property managers must provide identification in the contract.
  • Environmental Information: Tenants must be informed if the property appears in the Environmental Protection Agency’s Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Information System database.
  • Lead-Based Hazards Disclosure: Required for buildings constructed before 1978, in accordance with federal law.
  • Security Deposit Notice: Security deposits must be held in a separate bank account at a federally insured institution.

Security Deposit

The maximum amount for a security deposit in Iowa is up to two months’ rent. While receipts for the security deposit are not explicitly required, landlords must not commingle these funds with their own. If landlords choose to keep security deposits in interest-earning accounts, any interest generated in the first five years belongs to the landlord. Security deposits must be returned within 30 days of lease termination, along with an itemized list of any damage deductions. An itemized list is also required for any withholding from the security deposit.

Rent Payments

Iowa does not impose rent control laws, allowing landlords to set rental prices freely. Rent changes during an active lease are generally not permitted unless specified in the lease agreement. For late fees, if the rent is under $700 per month, late fees cannot exceed $12 per day or $60 per month. For rent over $700, late fees cannot exceed $20 per day or $100 per month. There is no state-mandated grace period for rent payments. Tenants may notify the landlord and deduct costs, recover damages, or seek rent reimbursement if essential services, such as hot water or heat, are not provided.

Landlord Right of Entry

Landlords must provide tenants with 24 hours’ notice before entering the premises, and entry must occur during reasonable hours. In emergencies, landlords are permitted to enter without prior notice. Unless stated otherwise in the lease agreement, tenants may have the right to change locks.

Property Repairs

Landlords are responsible for complying with repair requirements and maintaining safe, habitable conditions. Tenants are responsible for repairing any damages caused by their negligence. If a tenant is absent for more than 14 days, the landlord can enter the property. If a tenant abandons the property, the landlord must attempt to re-rent it at a fair price, ending the rental agreement when a new tenancy begins or upon recognizing abandonment.

Terminating a Lease

For month-to-month tenancies, either party must provide a 30-day written notice to terminate the tenancy. Additionally, if abandoned property valued over $50 is found, the holder must contact the owner and take steps to prevent it from being considered abandoned.

Statutes

FAQs

In Iowa, landlords must provide several required disclosures in a lease agreement, including a Shared Utilities Notice, identification of the landlord and property managers, information about lead-based hazards for buildings constructed before 1978, and a Security Deposit Notice detailing how security deposits are handled.

In Iowa, the maximum security deposit a landlord can charge is up to two months’ rent. Additionally, landlords must keep security deposits in a separate bank account and provide an itemized list of any deductions when returning the deposit within 30 days of lease termination.

Iowa law regulates late fees based on the amount of monthly rent. For rent under $700, late fees cannot exceed $12 per day or $60 per month. For rent over $700, late fees are capped at $20 per day or $100 per month.

In Iowa, landlords must provide tenants with 24 hours’ notice before entering the rental property, and they can only enter during reasonable hours. However, in emergencies, landlords are allowed to enter without prior notice.

If a tenant is absent for more than 14 days, the landlord can enter the property as necessary. If the tenant is deemed to have abandoned the property, the landlord must attempt to re-rent it at a fair price and can terminate the rental agreement when a new tenancy begins.

No, Iowa does not have a state-mandated grace period for rent payments. Tenants are expected to pay rent on time as specified in the lease agreement.

Landlords in Iowa are required to maintain safe and habitable conditions in their rental properties, which includes complying with repair requirements. Tenants are responsible for repairing any damages that result from their negligence.

In Iowa, landlords cannot change rent prices during an active lease unless the lease agreement explicitly allows for such adjustments. Rent control laws do not exist in Iowa, so landlords have the freedom to set initial rent prices.