Does Iowa's Landlord-Tenant Act Cover You and Your Landlord?
by: Iowa Legal Aid
(Section 562A.5, Code of Iowa)
Iowa's landlord-tenant law, the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Law, applies to the usual situation where a person or household of people rent a house or apartment to live in. But a few situations are not covered by this law.
Each of the following arrangements is NOT included in the coverage of this law:
Transitional Housing (temporary, nonpermanent housing) run by a nonprofit organization is not covered under Iowa's landlord-tenant law any more. But, tenants in a transitional housing still have some rights. For example, if a tenant in transitional housing for the homeless is going to be evicted, federal law may give some protection. HUD rules (which apply to many transitional housing projects) say that people should be evicted only in the most severe cases. HUD rules also say that the landlord has to give a clear notice of the reasons, and give the tenant a chance for administrative review. 24 C.F.R. ยง583.300(i). In addition, housing discrimination laws would still apply to transitional housing. Iowa's eviction law, Chapter 648 applies to transitional housing only in certain circumstances. It is possible that a tenant in transitional housing may be able to be removed with no notice or court hearing.
Renting a mobile home space in a mobile home park. The rental of a space to put a tenant's mobile home is covered by Chapter 562B of the Code of Iowa, not by the landlord-tenant act. (But the landlord-tenant act does cover a tenant's rental of the mobile home itself, as opposed to the rental of a space to put the tenant's own mobile home in.)
Living in an institution, as part of a program of medical or old age care, educational or religious training, or the like. (Examples: Most nursing homes or college dormitory arrangements.)
Living in a place which you are buying, as opposed to renting.
Staying in a hotel or motel on your way someplace else.
Living in a place provided by a tenant's employer, where the tenant is to live there only as long as the tenant continues working in and around the living quarters.
Living in a house or apartment occupied primarily for agricultural purposes.
Although there are other very narrow exceptions to what this law covers, the list above covers the main ones.
REMEMBER Even if your living arrangement is not covered by this law, there are other laws which do apply to your situation, and you may wish to talk to your lawyer, or read the laws themselves to get help with your special problem.
Any tenant with problems involving an eviction should see an attorney for advice. To find out the number of the Iowa Legal Aid office serving your area, call 1-800-532-1275.
Last Reviewed On: 12/27/07
READ THIS BEFORE USING ANY PART OF THE IOWA LEGAL AID WEBSITE (ILAW) If you cannot afford a lawyer and have a legal problem in Iowa, you may be able to get free legal help. Call Iowa Legal Aid. To find out which office serves your county, call 1-800-532-1275 or 515-243-2151 in the Des Moines calling area. If you are age 60 or over, you may be able to get free legal advice from The Legal Hotline for Older Iowans at 1-800-992-8161 or 282-8161 in Des Moines. All numbers are Voice and TTY. Assistance in appealing denial of veterans benefits are also offered at no cost by county commission of veteran affairs offices as maintained pursuant to section 35B.6.
This Website Does NOT Give Legal Advice. When you use ILAW, you are just making a request for information. No part of this site or any link found through this site is meant to give you legal advice. Using any part of this site does not make you a client. If you send an e-mail to anyone you reach through this site, it does not make you a client of any lawyer. See a lawyer to get complete, correct, and up-to-date legal advice.
ILAW Only Has a General Summary of the Law. It is not meant to fully explain topics. Do not assume what you read on ILAW applies to your specific case. Also, the law may vary from state to state. What you find on this website may not apply where you live or to court actions filed in other states.
The Law Often Changes. Content on this site was correct when it was written. Check the date on each page. Do not assume what you see here is still correct when you read it.
Links. This website has links to other Internet sites. We have these links so you can find help on legal matters from the justice community. Other sites are responsible for all content on their sites.
E-mail. Using ILAW or sending e-mail through this website does NOT make you a client of any person or program you reach through this site. When you use e-mail, you risk having someone else access part or all of your message.
As You Look at this Website, Remember it is Not a Substitute for Legal Advice.
The Iowa Legal Aid Website is a project of Iowa Legal Aid, the Volunteer Lawyer Projects of the Iowa State Bar and Polk County Bar Associations and HELP Legal Assistance.
