Iowa Code ch. 562A § 562A.15
Landlord to maintain fit premises
Operative Text
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.
Iowa Code § 562A.15 establishes a broad set of habitability duties that landlords must meet throughout a tenancy. These include complying with health and safety codes, keeping the premises in fit and habitable condition, maintaining common areas, ensuring all major building systems (electrical, plumbing, heating, etc.) work safely, providing waste-removal facilities, and supplying running water and heat. The law also allows landlords and tenants to shift some of these responsibilities by written agreement under specific conditions, but such agreements cannot undermine the landlord's obligations to other tenants in a multi-unit building.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Iowa Code § 562A.15, compliant property operators generally ensure that all dwelling units and common areas meet applicable building and housing codes, that essential systems such as heating, plumbing, and electrical are kept in safe working order, and that waste receptacles and hot water are consistently available. For single-family rentals, a written agreement can transfer certain maintenance duties—such as trash removal or utility management—to the tenant, provided the arrangement is made in good faith. In multi-unit properties, any such written maintenance agreement must be separately signed, supported by adequate consideration, and must not reduce the landlord's obligations to other tenants in the building.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Iowa Code § 562A.15 gives tenants the right to live in premises that are fit, habitable, and compliant with health and safety codes, with functioning utilities and clean common areas maintained by the landlord. If a landlord fails to meet these duties, tenants may have remedies available under Iowa's landlord-tenant law, such as repair-and-deduct options or rent withholding procedures outlined elsewhere in Chapter 562A. Tenants who believe their landlord is not meeting the standards set by § 562A.15 may wish to document conditions in writing, contact a local housing or code enforcement office, or reach out to a tenant-rights organization for general information about available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 18, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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