What your state's own statute requires a landlord to fix, how long they get after you tell them, and what the law lets you do when they don't.
Last updated
Iowa: repair rule
7 days after written notice
Statute: Iowa Code §§ 562A.15, 562A.21, 562A.23
Almost every remedy in landlord-tenant law starts with written notice and a reasonable chance to fix the problem. A text or a maintenance ticket can count, but an email or a letter that names the problem and the date is what you will want later.
Describe the problem, not the fix: "no hot water since Tuesday" is stronger than "replace the water heater." Keep a copy, and note the date the landlord received it — that date starts whatever clock your state sets.
These remedies are not national. Some states let you hire a repair and deduct a capped amount, some require the rent to be paid into court instead, and several give neither — in those states, withholding rent is simply unpaid rent and can start an eviction.
The rule for your state is above. If it does not name a remedy, your realistic options are a repair request in writing, a code complaint, ending the lease where the statute allows it, or a claim in court.
Your city or county housing or health department can inspect and cite a landlord for conditions that break the local code, and that citation is independent of anything in your lease.
An inspection creates a dated, third-party record of the condition, which is useful whether or not you ever go to court. Retaliating against a tenant for making that kind of complaint is illegal in states that have an anti-retaliation statute.
What can I do if my landlord won't make repairs?
The full answer, with every state's rule in one table.
Repair request letter
A free letter that starts the clock in writing.
Habitability complaint letter
For conditions that make a home unsafe to live in.
Can I withhold rent for repairs?
Where withholding is allowed, and where it backfires.
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