Rental Housing Inspection Overview

The State of Iowa requires that any city with a population of 15,000 or more adopt a housing code and conduct a rental inspection program to ensure that rental housing stock is brought up and maintained to the minimum standards established by the code. Such inspections help ensure that the occupants of these units are provided with acceptable levels of maintenance and habitability.

Cedar Rapids has elected to operate its program on a 5-year cycle. This means that once a Certificate of Compliance has been issued indicating that a property meets the minimum standards of the Housing Code, another inspection will not be scheduled for 5 years unless a complaint is received regarding suspected violations of the code.

The City’s housing code requires that owners of rental property register their property with the Housing Inspection section within 30 days of transfer of title or possession of such property. Once the property has been determined to be rental, housing inspectors will contact the owner to establish a date for a complete inspection of the property. At that time, it will be necessary for the inspector to have access to all housing units, the basement, common areas, etc.

After the property has been found to be or brought into compliance with the Housing Code and all inspection charges have been paid, a Certificate of Compliance will be issued. It should be noted that rental units may not be legally rented unless the owner holds a valid rental Certificate of Compliance.