DES MOINES – As Mason City has this week passed a new ordinance tightening restrictions on nuisance properties, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad will sign a law Thursday regulating residential landlord and tenant rules.
Gov. Terry E. Branstad today announced he will sign House File 495, an Act relating to the residential landlord and tenant laws and related forcible entry and detainer laws and making penalties applicable.
The law governs how landlords can charge late fees and how large the late fees can be.
The law also states that if damage, defacement, alteration, or destruction of a rental property by the tenant is intentional, the tenant may be criminally charged with criminal mischief pursuant to chapter 716.
Mason City passed an ordinance this week on third reading that allows the city to crack down on problem properties. The ordinance allows the City Administrator to enter private property under certain circumstances without a warrant or court order. Mason City’s City Administrator, Brent Trout, currently holds a conceal and carry gun permit.
Since when do city ordinances over-rule the US Constitution?
@LVS 9:45 today- I agree, and that’s what I thinking in my original post. But you never can tell what this administration will do.
I sincerely hope that while the city administrator knows he can now enter private property under certain circumstances without a warrant or court order, I hope he realizes that the person living there has the right to protect him/herself from what they consider to be imminent danger. And there are very few people that I know of who will put the life of an intruder above the lives of their family. This isn’t a brag. This isn’t a threat. This is a fact.
I really doubt that Mr. Trout will ever enter anyone’s home. He has people that work for him that if needed, will do that.
He will if his life master Eric Bookmeyer tells him to. Brent does anything Eric wants. Sad that such a small, never-achieving man such as Mr. Bookmeyer can order a National Guard officer around like a butler.
You have a good point there Matt. On another note, maybe this new law will help clean up the city a little by keeping the low life scoff laws from living here.
@Allen-I attended a meeting the other day where the local ordinance was explained. At no point in the discussion did I hear our administrator would be personally enforcing the ordinance. It really sounded to me like the police would be the people who would start the process and the city inspectors could also be involved. The city could pull the landlords rental permit after a process and then the renter would be evicted until the problem was abated. (If the renter was the problem then they would be gone). I guess Trout could get involved but I really don’t see where there would be a reason. I’m pretty sure that he does not want to become a policeman or housing inspector.
This comment is not Faye’s after saying that I will say Mr Trout had better not try to enter my house uninvited, for I will protect my place and my family by any means that I may have…..Jim
Renters must take this very seriously. If you(a renter) even hang pictures by altering the wall, you can be charged with a crime. The GOP just put your balls in a sling.
Hey seriously,
Terry Brandstad is really a Democrat. He calls himself a Republican but is as liberal as they come. RINO, “Republican In Name Only”, is probably the correct label.
Look at the vote in the Iowa Legislature. Overwhelming Democratic support passed it.
You are to quick to put Republicans down and blame all the worlds ill on conservatives. Not so.
@seriously-SERIOUSLY-what is wrong with you putting your own interpretation on this new law? You haven’t even read it but you want to put down the Republicans. There is always a part of the laws like this that call for normal wear and tear. As Watchdog said, there was overwhelming Democratic support on this bill.
What relevance does the last sentence have with the story, other than “outing” Mr. Trout, and possibly jeopardizing his safety? Real responsible NIT.
It is relevant. We now have an armed man – who is not a police officer – who can, without a court order, enter our homes. I’ve already reported on Mr. Trout’s conceal and carry permit, so you may want to catch up on the news.