LANDLORD OBLIGATIONS

Iowa Code tit. XIV, ch. 562B, art. II

in effect

Iowa Code § 562B.13 Rental deposits.

562B.13. Rental deposits. 1. A landlord shall not demand or receive as a security deposit an amount or value in excess of two months’ rent. 2. All rental deposits shall be held by the landlord for the tenant, who is a party to the agreement, in a bank, credit union, or savings and loan association which is insured by an agency of the federal government. Rental deposits shall not be commingled with the personal funds of the landlord. All rental deposits may be held in a trust account, which may be a common trust account and which may be an interest-bearing account. Any interest earned on a rental deposit shall be the property of the landlord. 3. A landlord shall, within thirty days from the date of termination of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant’s mailing address or delivery instructions, return the rental deposit to the tenant or furnish to the tenant a written statement showing the specific reason for withholding of the rental deposit or any portion thereof. If the rental deposit or any portion of the rental deposit is withheld for the restoration of the manufactured or mobile home space, the statement shall specify the nature of the damages. The landlord may withhold from the rental deposit only such amounts as are reasonably necessary for the following reasons: a. To remedy a tenant’s default in the payment of rent or of other funds due to the landlord pursuant to the rental agreement. b. To restore the manufactured or mobile home space to its condition at the commencement of the tenancy, ordinary wear and tear excepted. c. To remove, store, and dispose of a manufactured or mobile home if it is abandoned as defined in section 562B.27. 4. In an action concerning the rental deposit, the burden of proving, by a preponderance of the evidence, the reason for withholding all or any portion of the rental deposit shall be on the landlord. 5. A landlord who fails to provide a written statement within thirty days of termination of the tenancy and receipt of the tenant’s mailing address or delivery instructions shall forfeit all rights to withhold any portion of the rental deposit. If no mailing address or instructions are provided to the landlord within one year from the termination of the tenancy the rental deposit shall revert to the landlord and the tenant will be deemed to have forfeited all rights to the rental deposit. 6. a. Upon termination of a landlord’s interest in the manufactured home community or mobile home park, the landlord or the landlord’s agent shall, within a reasonable time, transfer the rental deposit, or any remainder after any lawful deductions to the landlord’s successor in interest and notify the tenant of the transfer and of the transferee’s name and address or return the deposit, or any remainder after any lawful deductions to the tenant. b. Upon the termination of the landlord’s interest in the manufactured home community or mobile home park and compliance with the provisions of this subsection, the landlord shall be relieved of any further liability with respect to the rental deposit. 7. Upon termination of the landlord’s interest in the manufactured home community or mobile home park, the landlord’s successor in interest shall have all the rights and obligations of the landlord with respect to the rental deposits, except that if the tenant does not object to the stated amount within twenty days after written notice to the tenant of the amount of rental deposit being transferred or assumed, the obligations of the landlord’s successor to return the deposit shall be limited to the amount contained in the notice. The notice shall contain a stamped envelope addressed to the landlord’s successor. 8. The bad faith retention of a deposit by a landlord, or any portion of the rental deposit, in violation of this section shall subject the landlord to punitive damages not to exceed two hundred dollars in addition to actual damages. [C79, 81, §562B.13] 88 Acts, ch 1138, §15; 93 Acts, ch 154, §14; 2001 Acts, ch 153, §15, 16; 2001 Acts, ch 176, §80; 2010 Acts, ch 1017, §5, 11; 2013 Acts, ch 30, §261

Iowa Code § 562B.14 Disclosure and tender of written rental agreement.

562B.14. Disclosure and tender of written rental agreement. 1. The landlord shall offer the tenant the opportunity to sign a written agreement for a mobile home space. 2. The landlord or any person authorized to enter into a rental agreement on the landlord’s behalf shall disclose to the tenant in writing at or before entering into the rental agreement the name and address of: a. The person authorized to manage the manufactured home community or mobile home park. b. The owner of the manufactured home community or mobile home park or a person authorized to act for and on behalf of the owner for the purpose of service of process and for the purpose of receiving and receipting for notices and demands. 3. The information required to be furnished by this section shall be kept current and refurnished to the tenant upon the tenant’s request. When there is a new owner or operator this section extends to and is enforceable against any successor landlord, owner or manager. 4. A person who fails to comply with subsections 1 and 2 becomes an agent of each person who is a landlord for the following purposes: a. Service of process and receiving and receipting for notices and demands. b. Performing the obligations of the landlord under this chapter and under the rental agreement and expending or making available for the purpose all rent collected from the manufactured home community or mobile home park. 5. If there is a written rental agreement, the landlord must tender and deliver a signed copy of the rental agreement to the tenant and the tenant must sign and deliver to the landlord one fully executed copy of such rental agreement within ten days after the agreement is executed. Noncompliance with this subsection shall be deemed a material noncompliance by the landlord or the tenant, as the case may be, of the rental agreement. 6. a. The landlord or any person authorized to enter into a rental agreement on the landlord’s behalf shall provide a written explanation of utility rates, charges, and services to the prospective tenant before the rental agreement is signed unless the utility charges are paid by the tenant directly to the utility company. b. Tenants shall be notified of any increase in utility rates or charges in the manner set forth in subsection 7 for rent increases, unless the landlord does not receive at least ninety days’ prior notice of such increase from the utility provider, in which case no prior notice of the increase from the landlord to the tenant is required for the increase to be effective. c. Nothing in this chapter shall authorize a landlord to meter a premises contrary to applicable law, rule, or tariff, or assess a utility charge to the tenant contrary to applicable law, rule, or tariff. 7. Each tenant shall be notified, in writing, of any rent increase at least ninety days before the effective date. Such effective date shall not be sooner than the expiration date of the original rental agreement or any renewal or extension thereof. [C79, 81, §562B.14] 2001 Acts, ch 153, §16; 2022 Acts, ch 1070, §5 – 8 2022 amendment to subsection 7 applies to rent increases first noticed under chapter 562B occurring on or after May 17, 2022; 2022 Acts, ch 1070, §7

Iowa Code § 562B.15 Landlord to deliver possession of mobile home space.

562B.15. Landlord to deliver possession of mobile home space. At the commencement of the term the landlord shall deliver possession of the mobile home space to the tenant in compliance with the rental agreement and section 562B.16. The landlord may bring an action for possession against a person wrongfully in possession and may recover the damages provided in section 562B.30, subsection 2. [C79, 81, §562B.15] 88 Acts, ch 1158, §94; 2001 Acts, ch 153, §16; 2002 Acts, ch 1050, §60, 65

Iowa Code § 562B.16 Landlord to maintain fit premises.

562B.16. Landlord to maintain fit premises. 1. The landlord shall: a. Comply with the requirements of all applicable city, county and state codes materially affecting health and safety which are primarily imposed upon the landlord. b. Make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the mobile home space in a fit and habitable condition. c. Keep all common areas of the manufactured home community or mobile home park in a clean and safe condition. d. Maintain in good and safe working order and condition all facilities supplied or required to be supplied by the landlord. e. Provide for removal of garbage, rubbish, and other waste from the manufactured home community or mobile home park. f. Furnish outlets for electric, water and sewer services. 2. A landlord shall not impose any conditions of rental or occupancy which restrict the tenant in the choice of a seller of fuel, furnishings, goods, services or mobile homes connected with the rental or occupancy of a mobile home space unless such condition is necessary to protect the health, safety, aesthetic value or welfare of mobile home tenants in the manufactured home community or park. The landlord may impose reasonable requirements designed to standardize methods of utility connection and hookup. If any such conditions are imposed which result in charges for such goods or services, the charges shall not exceed the actual cost incurred in providing the tenant with such goods or services. [C79, 81, §562B.16] 2001 Acts, ch 153, §16

Iowa Code § 562B.16A Sale of manufactured home community or mobile home park — notices.

562B.16A. Sale of manufactured home community or mobile home park — notices. Upon termination of the landlord’s interest in the manufactured home community or mobile home park, the landlord’s successor in interest shall have the same legal obligations, rights, and remedies of the landlord, including with respect to all rental agreements. 2022 Acts, ch 1070, §15, 16 Section applies to manufactured home community or mobile home park sale transactions made on or after July 1, 2022; 2022 Acts, ch 1070, §16

Iowa Code § 562B.17 Limitation of liability.

562B.17. Limitation of liability. 1. A landlord who conveys a manufactured home community or mobile home park in a good faith sale to a bona fide purchaser is relieved of liability under the rental agreement and this chapter as to events occurring subsequent to written notice to the tenant of the conveyance. 2. A manager of a manufactured home community or mobile home park is relieved of liability under the rental agreement and this chapter as to events occurring after written notice to the tenant of the termination of the person’s management, except such notice shall not terminate any agreement or legal liability arising prior to the notice. 3. Except in cases of willful, reckless, or gross negligence, a landlord is not liable in a civil action for personal injury, death, property damage, or other damages resulting from or arising out of an occurrence involving a firearm, a firearm component, or ammunition that the landlord is required to allow on the property under section 562B.11. [C79, 81, §562B.17] 2001 Acts, ch 153, §16; 2021 Acts, ch 35, §27

Iowa Code § 562B.17A Sale of mobile home by landlord.

562B.17A. Sale of mobile home by landlord. 1. Any sale of a mobile home located in a manufactured home community or mobile home park by a landlord or landlord’s agent shall be by written agreement and the landlord shall, upon the buyer’s fulfillment of all payment and other terms under the agreement, produce and assign the current certificate of title obtained from the department of transportation. The agreement shall state the basic terms of sale, including the total cost of the mobile home, and, in the case of an installment contract, finance charges, annual percentage rate, and the frequency and amount of each installment payment. 2. If such sale does not comply with this section, the court may award monetary or equitable relief, including voiding the sale, and the buyer may recover damages incurred, amounts paid as a rental deposit in excess of two months’ rent, and reasonable attorney fees. 3. A claim under subsection 2 may be combined with an action under chapter 648. 2022 Acts, ch 1070, §13

Source: Iowa Legislature (legis.iowa.gov)URL: https://www.legis.iowa.gov/law/iowaCode/sections?codeChapter=562B&year=2026Fetched: 10/20/2026