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HF973 • 2026

A bill for an act relating to property law, including manufactured or mobile home retailer licenses, rent, rental agreements, notice requirements, and possession of property.(Formerly HSB 234 .)

A bill for an act relating to property law, including manufactured or mobile home retailer licenses, rent, rental agreements, notice requirements, and possession of property.(Formerly HSB 234 .)

Housing
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS
Last action
2025-05-15
Official status
Rereferred to Ways and Means. H.J. 1222 .
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

A bill for an act relating to property law, including manufactured or mobile home retailer licenses, rent, rental agreements, notice requirements, and possession of property.(Formerly HSB 234 .)

A bill for an act relating to property law, including manufactured or mobile home retailer licenses, rent, rental agreements, notice requirements, and possession of property.(Formerly HSB 234 .)

What This Bill Does

  • A bill for an act relating to property law, including manufactured or mobile home retailer licenses, rent, rental agreements, notice requirements, and possession of property.(Formerly HSB 234 .)

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-15 Iowa Legislature

    Rereferred to Ways and Means. H.J. 1222 .

  2. 2025-05-13 Iowa Legislature

    Amendment H-1339 filed. H.J. 1178 .

  3. 2025-03-21 Iowa Legislature

    Introduced, placed on Ways and Means calendar. H.J. 771 .

Official Summary Text

A bill for an act relating to property law, including manufactured or mobile home retailer licenses, rent, rental agreements, notice requirements, and possession of property.(Formerly HSB 234 .)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
House

File

973

-

Introduced

HOUSE

FILE

973

BY

COMMITTEE

ON

WAYS

AND

MEANS

(SUCCESSOR

TO

HSB

234)

A

BILL

FOR

An

Act

relating

to

property

law,

including

manufactured

or

1

mobile

home

retailer

licenses,

rent,

rental

agreements,

2

notice

requirements,

and

possession

of

property.

3

BE

IT

ENACTED

BY

THE

GENERAL

ASSEMBLY

OF

THE

STATE

OF

IOWA:

4

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Section

1.

Section

103A.52,

subsection

2,

Code

2025,

is

1

amended

to

read

as

follows:

2

2.

License

fee.

The

license

fee

for

a

manufactured

or

3

mobile

home

retailer

is

an

annual

fee

of

one

hundred

twenty

4

dollars.

If

the

application

is

denied,

the

commissioner

shall

5

refund

the

fee.

6

Sec.

2.

Section

562A.6,

subsection

10,

Code

2025,

is

amended

7

to

read

as

follows:

8

10.

“Rent”

means

a

payment

to

be

made

to

the

landlord

under

9

the

rental

agreement

,

including

base

rent,

utilities,

late

10

fees,

and

other

payments

made

by

the

tenant

to

the

landlord

11

under

the

rental

agreement

.

12

Sec.

3.

Section

562A.8,

subsection

2,

Code

2025,

is

amended

13

to

read

as

follows:

14

2.

Notice

served

by

mail

under

this

section

is

deemed

15

completed

four

days

after

the

notice

is

deposited

in

the

mail

16

and

postmarked

for

delivery,

whether

or

not

the

recipient

signs

17

a

receipt

for

the

notice.

In

computing

the

time

for

completion

18

of

service,

the

first

day

shall

be

excluded

and

the

final

day

19

shall

be

included

regardless

of

whether

the

fourth

day

is

a

20

Saturday,

Sunday,

or

federal

holiday.

21

Sec.

4.

Section

562A.11,

subsection

3,

Code

2025,

is

amended

22

to

read

as

follows:

23

3.

A

provision

prohibited

by

this

section

included

in

a

24

rental

agreement

is

unenforceable.

If

a

landlord

willfully

25

uses

enforces

a

provision

in

a

rental

agreement

containing

26

provisions

known

by

the

landlord

to

be

prohibited,

a

tenant

may

27

recover

actual

damages

sustained

by

the

tenant

and

not

more

28

than

three

months’

periodic

rent

and

reasonable

attorney

fees.

29

Sec.

5.

Section

562A.29A,

subsection

1,

paragraph

c,

Code

30

2025,

is

amended

to

read

as

follows:

31

c.

Posting

on

the

primary

entrance

door

of

the

dwelling

32

unit

and

mailing

by

both

regular

mail

and

certified

mail,

as

33

defined

in

section

618.15

,

to

the

address

of

the

dwelling

34

unit

or

to

the

tenant’s

last

known

address,

if

different

from

35

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the

address

of

the

dwelling

unit.

A

notice

posted

according

1

to

this

paragraph

shall

be

posted

within

the

applicable

time

2

period

for

serving

notice

and

shall

include

the

date

the

notice

3

was

posted.

A

notice

delivered

under

this

paragraph

that

is

4

addressed

to

all

tenants

and

unknown

parties

in

possession

5

shall

be

deemed

to

provide

notice

to

all

tenants,

occupants,

6

and

parties

in

possession

of

the

premises.

7

Sec.

6.

Section

562B.9,

subsection

2,

Code

2025,

is

amended

8

to

read

as

follows:

9

2.

Notice

served

by

mail

under

this

section

is

deemed

10

completed

four

days

after

the

notice

is

deposited

in

the

mail

11

and

postmarked

for

delivery,

whether

or

not

the

recipient

signs

12

a

receipt

for

the

notice.

In

computing

the

time

for

completion

13

of

service,

the

first

day

shall

be

excluded

and

the

final

day

14

shall

be

included

regardless

of

whether

the

fourth

day

is

a

15

Saturday,

Sunday,

or

federal

holiday.

16

Sec.

7.

Section

562B.11,

subsection

3,

Code

2025,

is

amended

17

to

read

as

follows:

18

3.

A

provision

prohibited

by

this

section

included

in

a

19

rental

agreement

is

unenforceable.

If

a

landlord

or

tenant

20

knowingly

uses

enforces

a

provision

in

a

rental

agreement

21

containing

provisions

known

to

be

prohibited

by

this

chapter

,

22

the

other

party

may

recover

actual

damages

sustained.

23

Sec.

8.

Section

562B.20,

subsection

1,

Code

2025,

is

amended

24

to

read

as

follows:

25

1.

A

landlord

shall

not

have

the

right

of

access

to

a

mobile

26

home

owned

by

a

tenant

unless

such

access

is

necessary

to

27

prevent

damage

to

the

mobile

home

space

,

or

is

in

response

to

28

an

emergency

situation

,

or,

after

entry

of

an

order

of

removal

29

of

the

tenant,

is

for

the

purpose

of

making

safe

the

mobile

30

home

or

mobile

home

space,

including

securing

or

winterizing

31

the

mobile

home

or

mobile

home

space

.

32

Sec.

9.

Section

562B.27A,

subsection

1,

paragraph

c,

Code

33

2025,

is

amended

to

read

as

follows:

34

c.

Posting

on

the

primary

entrance

door

of

the

dwelling

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unit

and

mailing

by

both

regular

mail

and

certified

mail,

as

1

defined

in

section

618.15

,

to

the

address

of

the

dwelling

2

unit

or

to

the

tenant’s

last

known

address,

if

different

from

3

the

address

of

the

dwelling

unit.

A

notice

posted

according

4

to

this

paragraph

shall

be

posted

within

the

applicable

time

5

period

for

serving

notice

and

shall

include

the

date

the

notice

6

was

posted.

A

notice

delivered

under

this

paragraph

that

is

7

addressed

to

all

tenants

and

unknown

parties

in

possession

8

shall

be

deemed

to

provide

notice

to

all

tenants,

occupants,

9

and

parties

in

possession

of

the

premises.

10

Sec.

10.

Section

648.3,

subsection

2,

paragraphs

a

and

c,

11

Code

2025,

are

amended

to

read

as

follows:

12

a.

Delivery

evidenced

by

an

acknowledgment

of

delivery

that

13

is

signed

and

dated

by

a

resident

of

the

premises

who

is

at

14

least

eighteen

years

of

age.

Delivery

A

notice

delivered

under

15

this

paragraph

that

is

addressed

to

all

tenants

and

unknown

16

parties

in

possession

shall

be

deemed

to

provide

notice

to

the

17

defendant

all

tenants,

occupants,

and

parties

in

possession

of

18

the

premises

.

19

c.

Posting

on

the

primary

entrance

door

of

the

premises

and

20

mailing

by

both

regular

mail

and

certified

mail,

as

defined

21

in

section

618.15

,

to

the

address

of

the

premises

or

to

the

22

defendant’s

last

known

address,

if

different

from

the

address

23

of

the

premises.

A

notice

posted

according

to

this

paragraph

24

shall

be

posted

within

the

applicable

time

period

for

serving

25

notice

and

shall

include

the

date

the

notice

was

posted.

A

26

notice

delivered

under

this

paragraph

that

is

addressed

to

27

all

tenants

and

unknown

parties

in

possession

shall

be

deemed

28

to

provide

notice

to

all

tenants,

occupants,

and

parties

in

29

possession

of

the

premises.

30

Sec.

11.

Section

648.5,

subsection

2,

paragraph

c,

Code

31

2025,

is

amended

to

read

as

follows:

32

c.

If

service

cannot

be

made

following

two

attempts

using

33

a

method

specified

under

paragraph

“a”

or

“b”

,

by

posting

on

34

the

primary

entrance

door

of

the

premises

and

mailing

by

both

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regular

mail

and

certified

mail,

as

defined

in

section

618.15

,

1

to

the

address

of

the

premises

or

to

the

defendant’s

last

known

2

address,

if

different

from

the

address

of

the

premises.

An

3

original

notice

posted

according

to

this

paragraph

shall

be

4

posted

not

less

than

three

days

prior

to

the

hearing

and

shall

5

include

the

date

the

original

notice

was

posted.

Service

of

6

original

notice

by

mailing

shall

occur

not

less

than

three

days

7

prior

to

the

hearing

,

but

may

otherwise

occur

prior

to

the

two

8

attempts

using

a

method

specified

under

paragraph

“a”

or

“b”

.

9

Sec.

12.

Section

648.18,

Code

2025,

is

amended

to

read

as

10

follows:

11

648.18

Possession

——

bar.

12

Thirty

Ninety

days’

peaceable

possession

with

the

knowledge

13

of

the

plaintiff

after

the

cause

of

action

accrues

is

a

bar

to

14

this

proceeding.

15

Sec.

13.

Section

648.22,

Code

2025,

is

amended

to

read

as

16

follows:

17

648.22

Judgment

——

execution

——

costs.

18

1.

If

the

defendant

is

found

guilty,

judgment

shall

be

19

entered

that

the

defendant

be

removed

from

the

premises,

and

20

that

the

plaintiff

be

put

in

possession

of

the

premises,

and

21

an

execution

for

the

defendant’s

removal

within

three

days

22

from

the

judgment

shall

issue

accordingly,

to

which

shall

be

23

added

a

clause

commanding

the

officer

to

collect

the

costs

as

24

in

ordinary

cases.

25

2.

Any

personal

property

of

the

defendant

remaining

on

the

26

premises

after

the

defendant’s

removal

under

this

section

may

27

be

immediately

disposed

of

by

the

plaintiff.

Personal

property

28

under

this

subsection

does

not

include

a

mobile

home

as

defined

29

in

section

562B.7,

or

the

contents

therein,

unless

the

mobile

30

home

is

the

premises.

31

EXPLANATION

32

The

inclusion

of

this

explanation

does

not

constitute

agreement

with

33

the

explanation’s

substance

by

the

members

of

the

general

assembly.

34

This

bill

relates

to

property

law.

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The

bill

increases

the

annual

fee

for

a

manufactured

or

1

mobile

home

retailer

license

from

$100

to

$120.

2

The

bill

defines

the

term

“rent”

for

purposes

of

Code

chapter

3

562A

(uniform

residential

landlord

and

tenant

law)

to

include

4

base

rent,

utilities,

late

fees,

and

other

payments

made

by

5

the

tenant

to

the

landlord

under

the

rental

agreement.

The

6

general

assembly

made

an

identical

change

to

the

term

“rent”

in

7

Code

chapter

562B

(manufactured

home

communities

or

mobile

home

8

parks

residential

landlord

and

tenant

law)

in

2022.

9

The

bill

provides

that

in

computing

time

for

completion

of

10

service

under

Code

chapters

562A

and

562B,

the

first

day

shall

11

be

excluded

and

the

final

day

shall

be

included

regardless

of

12

whether

it

is

a

weekend

or

federal

holiday.

13

Under

current

law,

a

landlord

(Code

chapter

562A)

or

a

14

landlord

or

tenant

(Code

chapter

562B)

is

prohibited

from

15

willfully

(Code

chapter

562A)

or

knowingly

(Code

chapter

16

562B)

using

a

rental

agreement

containing

provisions

that

are

17

prohibited

by

current

law.

The

bill

alters

these

provisions

to

18

instead

prohibit

a

landlord

from

willfully

(Code

chapter

562A)

19

or

knowingly

(Code

chapter

562B)

enforcing

a

provision

of

a

20

rental

agreement

that

is

prohibited

by

current

law.

The

bill

21

allows

a

landlord

access

to

a

mobile

home

owned

by

a

tenant,

22

after

entry

of

an

order

of

removal

of

the

tenant,

to

secure

the

23

mobile

home

or

mobile

home

space.

24

The

bill

provides

that

for

Code

chapters

562A,

562B,

and

648

25

(forcible

entry

and

detainer),

notices

delivered

by

posting

on

26

the

primary

entrance

door

and

mailing

to

the

premises

that

are

27

addressed

to

all

tenants

and

unknown

parties

in

possession

are

28

deemed

to

have

provided

notice

to

all

tenants,

occupants,

and

29

parties

in

possession

of

the

premises.

For

Code

chapter

648,

30

this

also

applies

to

delivery

to

a

resident

of

the

premises

31

that

is

at

least

18

years

old.

32

The

bill

allows

service

of

notice

by

mail

in

a

forcible

33

entry

and

detainer

case

to

occur

prior

to

the

two

attempts

of

34

personal

service

and

delivery

evidenced

by

an

acknowledgment

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of

service.

1

The

bill

provides

that

90

days’

peaceable

possession

with

2

the

knowledge

of

the

plaintiff

after

the

cause

of

action

3

accrues

is

a

bar

to

a

forcible

entry

and

detainer

proceeding.

4

This

is

a

change

from

30

days

in

current

law.

5

The

bill

provides

that

in

a

forcible

entry

and

detainer

6

action,

any

personal

property

of

the

defendant

remaining

after

7

removal

from

the

premises

may

be

disposed

of

by

the

plaintiff.

8

This

does

not

include

a

mobile

home

or

its

contents

unless

the

9

mobile

home

is

the

premises.

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