Iowa Admin. Code r. 641—68 § 641—68.5
Retaliation prohibited.
Operative Text
68.5(1) The lessor of a dwelling, the employees of the lessor, and agents or persons acting on behalf of the lessor shall not retaliate against lessees of residential dwellings and child-occupied facilities whose occupants or visitors have been tested for lead poisoning and shall not discourage the occupants or visitors from being tested for lead poisoning. 68.5(2) An action taken against the lessee is not considered retaliation if it is supported by reasonable cause unrelated to the testing of an occupant for lead poisoning or if it is shown to have occurred as a result of an accident or mistake and not to be the intentional act of the lessor of a dwelling, the employees of the lessor, or agents or persons acting on behalf of the lessor.
Iowa Admin. Code r. 641—68 § 641—68.5 establishes that landlords, their employees, and agents are prohibited from retaliating against tenants in residential dwellings and child-occupied facilities because occupants or visitors have been tested for lead poisoning, or from discouraging such testing. The rule also defines a safe harbor: an action taken against a tenant is not considered retaliation if it stems from a legitimate, unrelated reason or results from an accident or honest mistake rather than intentional conduct. This provision is designed to ensure that lead poisoning testing can occur without fear of adverse consequences for those living in or visiting a dwelling.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Iowa Admin. Code r. 641—68 § 641—68.5, compliant property owners and managers refrain from taking any adverse action against a tenant—such as issuing notices, raising rent, or initiating eviction proceedings—in response to lead poisoning testing involving occupants or visitors. Operators also avoid any conduct that could be interpreted as discouraging testing, such as making threats or imposing conditions tied to testing activity. When an action against a tenant is genuinely based on a reason unrelated to lead testing, or results from an accident or mistake, documenting that independent basis clearly can help distinguish the action from prohibited retaliation.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Iowa Admin. Code r. 641—68 § 641—68.5 gives tenants in residential dwellings and child-occupied facilities protection against landlord retaliation for having occupants or visitors tested for lead poisoning. If a tenant believes a landlord, employee, or agent has taken adverse action or discouraged testing in violation of this rule, general enforcement paths may include filing a complaint with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services or a related state agency, raising the violation as a defense in any related housing proceeding, or consulting a local tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options. Keeping records of communications, notices, and the timing of any adverse actions relative to lead testing activity can be useful when pursuing any of these paths.
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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