Iowa Code ch. 562A § 562A.28
Failure to maintain
Operative Text
If there is noncompliance by the tenant with section 562A.17, materially affecting health and safety, that can be remedied by repair or replacement of a damaged item or cleaning, and the tenant fails to comply as promptly as conditions require in case of emergency or within seven days after written notice by the landlord specifying the breach and requesting that the tenant remedy it within that period of time, the landlord may enter the dwelling unit and cause the work to be done in a competent manner and submit an itemized bill for the actual and reasonable cost or the fair and reasonable value of it as rent on the next date when periodic rent is due, or if the rental agreement has terminated, for immediate payment.
Iowa Code § 562A.28 addresses situations where a tenant has failed to meet the maintenance and upkeep obligations set out in § 562A.17 in a way that materially affects health or safety. If the problem can be fixed through repair, replacement, or cleaning, and the tenant does not address it within seven days of receiving written notice from the landlord (or sooner in an emergency), the landlord is permitted to enter the unit and have the work done professionally. The landlord may then bill the tenant for the actual and reasonable cost of that work by adding it to the next rent payment due, or demanding immediate payment if the lease has already ended.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 562A.28, property owners and managers who observe a tenant-caused condition that materially affects health or safety generally document the issue and deliver written notice that specifically identifies the breach and requests correction within seven days. If the tenant does not remedy the problem within that window—or immediately in an emergency—the landlord may arrange for competent professionals to perform the necessary repair, replacement, or cleaning. Keeping detailed, itemized records of all actual and reasonable costs is standard practice, as those costs are recoverable as rent on the next due date or immediately upon lease termination.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 562A.28 means that tenants who receive a written notice citing a health-or-safety maintenance violation under § 562A.17 generally have seven days to correct the problem before the landlord may step in, arrange the work, and charge the cost back as additional rent. Tenants who believe a notice is inaccurate, that the condition was not their responsibility, or that the billed costs are unreasonable have options such as raising those issues as a defense in any subsequent rent or eviction proceeding. Consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with Iowa landlord-tenant law can help clarify what obligations apply and what remedies may be available.
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.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation