Iowa Code ch. 562A § 562A.33
Recovery of possession limited
Operative Text
A landlord may not recover or take possession of the dwelling unit by action or otherwise, including willful diminution of services to the tenant by interrupting or causing the interruption of electric, gas, water or other essential service to the tenant, except in case of abandonment, surrender, or as permitted in this chapter.
Iowa Code § 562A.33 limits the ways a landlord can regain possession of a rental unit. Outside of abandonment, surrender, or procedures specifically authorized elsewhere in Chapter 562A, a landlord is prohibited from taking back a unit through self-help methods. The provision explicitly calls out the deliberate cutting off of essential utilities—such as electricity, gas, or water—as a prohibited means of forcing a tenant out.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Iowa Code § 562A.33, compliant property owners rely exclusively on court-supervised legal processes to recover a dwelling unit when a tenancy must end. Operators do not interrupt or arrange the interruption of electric, gas, water, or other essential services as a way to pressure a tenant to vacate. Recognized exceptions—abandonment and surrender—are narrow, and all other recovery methods must fall within the procedures Chapter 562A expressly authorizes.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Iowa Code § 562A.33 gives tenants protection against self-help eviction tactics, including a landlord deliberately shutting off utilities like electricity, gas, or water to force them out. If a landlord takes such actions outside of abandonment, surrender, or a court-authorized process, that conduct may constitute a violation of this provision. Tenants who believe their rights under § 562A.33 have been violated can document the situation, contact a local tenant-rights organization, or explore remedies available through Iowa's court system.
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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