LANDLORD OBLIGATIONS

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

in effect

Iowa Code § 562A.12 Rental deposits.

562A.12. 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 or savings and loan association or credit union which is insured by an agency of the federal government. Rental deposits shall not be commingled with the personal funds of the landlord. Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 543B, 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 during the first five years of a tenancy shall be the property of the landlord. 3. a. 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 dwelling unit, 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: (1) To remedy a tenant’s default in the payment of rent or of other funds due to the landlord pursuant to the rental agreement. (2) To restore the dwelling unit to its condition at the commencement of the tenancy, ordinary wear and tear excepted. (3) To recover expenses incurred in acquiring possession of the premises from a tenant who does not act in good faith in failing to surrender and vacate the premises upon noncompliance with the rental agreement and notification of such noncompliance pursuant to this chapter. b. 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. 4. 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. 5. a. Upon termination of a landlord’s interest in the dwelling unit, the landlord or an agent of the landlord 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 dwelling unit and compliance with the provisions of this subsection, the landlord shall be relieved of any further liability with respect to the rental deposit. 6. Upon termination of the landlord’s interest in the dwelling unit, 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. 7. 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 twice the monthly rental payment in addition to actual damages. 8. The court may, in any action on a rental agreement, award reasonable attorney fees to the prevailing party. [C75, 77, §562.9 – 562.14; C79, 81, §562A.12] 93 Acts, ch 154, §13; 2010 Acts, ch 1017, §2, 11; 2013 Acts, ch 30, §261; 2013 Acts, ch 97, §4; 2014 Acts, ch 1026, §123

Iowa Code § 562A.13 Disclosure.

562A.13. Disclosure. 1. The landlord or a person authorized to enter into a rental agreement on behalf of the landlord shall disclose to the tenant in writing at or before the commencement of the tenancy the name and address of: a. The person authorized to manage the premises. b. An owner of the premises 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. 2. The information required to be furnished by this section shall be kept current and this section extends to and is enforceable against a successor landlord, owner, or manager. 3. A person who fails to comply with subsection 1 becomes an agent of each person who is a landlord for the purpose of: 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 that purpose all rent collected from the premises. 4. The landlord or any person authorized to enter into a rental agreement on the landlord’s behalf shall fully explain utility rates, charges and services to the prospective tenant before the rental agreement is signed unless paid by the tenant directly to the utility company. 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. 6. The landlord or a person authorized to enter into a rental agreement on behalf of the landlord shall disclose to each tenant in writing before the commencement of the tenancy if the property is listed in the comprehensive environmental response compensation and liability information system maintained by the federal environmental protection agency. [C79, 81, §562A.13] 2004 Acts, ch 1071, §1

Iowa Code § 562A.14 Landlord to supply possession of dwelling unit.

562A.14. Landlord to supply possession of dwelling unit. At the commencement of the term, the landlord shall deliver possession of the premises to the tenant in compliance with the rental agreement and section 562A.15. The landlord may bring an action for possession against a person wrongfully in possession and may recover the damages provided in section 562A.34, subsection 4. [C79, 81, §562A.14]

Iowa Code § 562A.15 Landlord to maintain fit premises.

562A.15. Landlord to maintain fit premises. 1. a. The landlord shall: (1) Comply with the requirements of applicable building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety. (2) Make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition. (3) Keep all common areas of the premises in a clean and safe condition. The landlord shall not be liable for any injury caused by any objects or materials which belong to or which have been placed by a tenant in the common areas of the premises used by the tenant. (4) Maintain in good and safe working order and condition all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air-conditioning, and other facilities and appliances, including elevators, supplied or required to be supplied by the landlord. (5) Provide and maintain appropriate receptacles and conveniences, accessible to all tenants, for the central collection and removal of ashes, garbage, rubbish, and other waste incidental to the occupancy of the dwelling unit and arrange for their removal. (6) Supply running water and reasonable amounts of hot water at all times and reasonable heat, except where the building that includes the dwelling unit is not required by law to be equipped for that purpose, or the dwelling unit is so constructed that heat or hot water is generated by an installation within the exclusive control of the tenant and supplied by a direct public utility connection. b. If the duty imposed by paragraph “a”, subparagraph (1), is greater than a duty imposed by another subparagraph of paragraph “a”, the landlord’s duty shall be determined by reference to paragraph “a”, subparagraph (1). 2. The landlord and tenant of a single family residence may agree in writing that the tenant perform the landlord’s duties specified in subsection 1, paragraph “a”, subparagraphs (5) and (6), and also specified repairs, maintenance tasks, alterations, and remodeling, but only if the transaction is entered into in good faith. 3. The landlord and tenant of a dwelling unit other than a single family residence may agree that the tenant is to perform specified repairs, maintenance tasks, alterations, or remodeling only: a. If the agreement of the parties is entered into in good faith and is set forth in a separate writing signed by the parties and supported by adequate consideration; b. If the agreement does not diminish or affect the obligation of the landlord to other tenants in the premises. 4. The landlord shall not treat performance of the separate agreement described in subsection 3 as a condition to an obligation or performance of a rental agreement. [C79, 81, §562A.15] 2013 Acts, ch 30, §177

Iowa Code § 562A.16 Limitation of liability.

562A.16. Limitation of liability. 1. Unless otherwise agreed, a landlord, who conveys premises that include a dwelling unit subject to a rental agreement 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 premises that includes a dwelling unit 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. 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 562A.11. [C79, 81, §562A.16] 2021 Acts, ch 35, §23

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