Iowa Rental Application
The Iowa Rental Application is a comprehensive, editable template given to prospective renters looking to rent out a property owned or managed by a landlord. Often accompanied by an application fee, the document gives landlords a detailed overview of the applicant’s rental history, previous landlord(s), income (to see if they can make payments), and other important details. Issuing the same rental application to each tenant is very important for ensuring fairness in the application process. The form can be used for either a single applicant or a couple, as the application contains the necessary fields for adding a spouse. In addition to providing a means of acquiring information on the applicant, the form, once completed, grants the landlord with permission to run a series of background checks on the prospective tenant.
State Laws
Maximum Application Fee: No limits.
Security Deposits (§ 562A.12): Landlords cannot charge more than two (2) months’ rent. After the lease has ended and the tenant has vacated the property, the landlord has thirty (30) days to return the full value of the security deposit (or whatever remains). According to Iowa law, landlords can only make deductions from the deposit for the following reasons:
- To amend a tenant’s default (due to rent or other lease-related expenses).
- To return the unit to the condition it was in at the beginning of the lease.*
- To make up for expenses that resulted from the tenant not giving up possession of the unit (and not acting in correspondence with the signed agreement).
* Does not include normal wear and tear.