Senate Study Bill 1156 - Introduced SENATE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE BILL BY CHAIRPERSON BROWN) A BILL FOR An Act relating to unfair residential real estate service 1 agreements, providing penalties, and making penalties 2 applicable. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1944XC (6) 90 ko/ns
S.F. _____ Section 1. NEW SECTION . 558B.1 Definitions. 1 As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise 2 requires: 3 1. a. “Common interest community” means real estate 4 described in a declaration with respect to which a person, 5 by virtue of the person’s ownership of a unit, is obligated 6 to pay for a share of real estate taxes, insurance premiums, 7 maintenance, or improvement of, or services or other expenses 8 related to, common elements, other units, or other real estate 9 described in the declaration. “Common interest community” 10 includes a planned community, a cooperative under chapter 499A, 11 and a horizontal property regime under chapter 499B. 12 b. “Common interest community” does not include any of the 13 following: 14 (1) A covenant that requires the owners of separate parcels 15 of real estate to share costs or other obligations related to a 16 wall, driveway, well, or other similar structure, unless all 17 such owners consent in writing to the creation of a common 18 interest community. 19 (2) Real estate described in paragraph “a” if all units are 20 owned by a single owner. 21 2. “Consumer” means a natural person being provided a 22 service under a service agreement, or the natural person’s 23 legal representative. 24 3. “Record” means presentation of a document to a county 25 recorder in this state for official placement in the public 26 land records. 27 4. “Residential real estate” means real property located 28 in this state which is used primarily for personal, family, 29 or household purposes and is improved by one to four dwelling 30 units. 31 5. “Service agreement” means a contract under which a person 32 agrees to provide a service in connection with the maintenance 33 of, the purchase of, or the sale of, residential real estate. 34 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 558B.2 Unfair service agreements —— 35 -1- LSB 1944XC (6) 90 ko/ns 1/ 5
S.F. _____ penalties. 1 1. A service agreement shall be considered unfair under this 2 section if a service that is covered by the service agreement 3 is not required to be completely performed within one year 4 after the date on which the service agreement is executed, and 5 the service agreement has any of the following characteristics: 6 a. The service agreement purports to run with the land or 7 to be binding on future owners of interests in the residential 8 real estate that is the subject of the service agreement. 9 b. The service agreement permits assignment of the right to 10 provide service under the service agreement without requiring 11 notice to, and the consent of, the owner of the residential 12 real estate that is the subject of the service agreement. 13 c. The service agreement purports to create a lien, 14 encumbrance, or other real property security interest on the 15 residential real estate that is the subject of the service 16 agreement. 17 2. If a service agreement is unfair under this section, the 18 service agreement shall be unenforceable. 19 3. If a person enters into an unfair service agreement 20 with a consumer, the person commits an unlawful practice under 21 section 714.16. 22 4. a. A person shall not record, or cause to be recorded, 23 an unfair service agreement, or a notice or memorandum of an 24 unfair service agreement. 25 b. A person who records, or causes to be recorded, a 26 notice or memorandum of an unfair service agreement commits an 27 aggravated misdemeanor. 28 c. A county recorder may refuse to record an unfair service 29 agreement. 30 d. If an unfair service agreement is recorded, the recorded 31 service agreement shall not provide actual or constructive 32 notice against an otherwise bona fide purchaser or creditor, 33 or actual or constructive notice against heirs or other 34 successors-in-interest to the residential real estate that is 35 -2- LSB 1944XC (6) 90 ko/ns 2/ 5
S.F. _____ the subject of the recorded service agreement. 1 e. If an unfair service agreement or a notice or memorandum 2 of an unfair service agreement is recorded, any person with an 3 interest in the residential real estate that is the subject 4 of the service agreement may apply to a district court in the 5 county in which the service agreement is recorded for a court 6 order declaring the service agreement unenforceable. 7 f. If an unfair service agreement or a notice or memorandum 8 of an unfair service agreement is recorded, any person with an 9 interest in the residential real estate that is the subject 10 of the recorded service agreement may recover actual damages, 11 costs, and attorney fees as may be proven against the person 12 who recorded the service agreement. 13 5. This section does not apply to any of the following: 14 a. A home warranty or similar agreement that covers the 15 cost of maintenance for a fixed period of time of a major home 16 system including but not limited to plumbing, electrical, 17 heating, ventilation, or air conditioning. 18 b. An insurance contract. 19 c. An option or a right of refusal to purchase residential 20 real estate. 21 d. A maintenance or repair agreement entered into by the 22 homeowners’ association of a common interest community. 23 e. A mortgage loan, or a commitment to make or to receive a 24 mortgage loan. 25 f. A security agreement under the uniform commercial code 26 related to the sale or rental of personal property or fixtures. 27 g. Water, sewer, electrical, telephone, cable, or any other 28 regulated utility service providers. 29 6. This section shall not be construed to impair a person’s 30 rights established by a mechanics’ lien under chapter 572. 31 Sec. 3. Section 714.16, subsection 2, Code 2023, is amended 32 by adding the following new paragraph: 33 NEW PARAGRAPH . q. It shall be an unlawful practice for a 34 person to violate section 558B.2, subsection 3. 35 -3- LSB 1944XC (6) 90 ko/ns 3/ 5
S.F. _____ EXPLANATION 1 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 This bill relates to unfair residential real estate service 4 agreements (agreement). 5 An agreement shall be considered unfair under the bill if a 6 service that is covered by the agreement is not required to be 7 completely performed within one year after the date on which 8 the agreement is executed, and the agreement has any of the 9 characteristics detailed in the bill. “Service agreement” is 10 defined in the bill as a contract under which a person agrees 11 to provide a service in connection with the maintenance of, 12 the purchase of, or the sale of, residential real estate (real 13 estate). “Residential real estate” is also defined in the 14 bill. 15 If an agreement is unfair, the agreement shall be 16 unenforceable. If a person enters into an unfair agreement 17 with a consumer, the person commits an unlawful practice. 18 Several types of remedies are available if a court finds that a 19 person has committed an unlawful practice, including injunctive 20 relief, disgorgement of moneys or property, and a civil penalty 21 not to exceed $40,000 per violation. 22 The bill prohibits a person from recording or causing to be 23 recorded an unfair agreement, or a notice or memorandum (memo) 24 of an unfair agreement. A person that records, or causes to 25 be recorded, a notice or memo of an unfair agreement commits 26 an aggravated misdemeanor. An aggravated misdemeanor is 27 punishable by confinement for no more than two years and a fine 28 of at least $855 but not more than $8,540. 29 A county recorder may refuse to record an unfair agreement. 30 If an unfair agreement is recorded, the recorded agreement 31 shall not provide actual or constructive notice against an 32 otherwise bona fide purchaser or creditor, or against heirs 33 or other successors-in-interest to the real estate that is 34 the subject of the agreement. If an unfair agreement or a 35 -4- LSB 1944XC (6) 90 ko/ns 4/ 5
S.F. _____ notice or memo of an unfair agreement is recorded, any person 1 with an interest in the real estate that is the subject of 2 the agreement may apply to a district court in the county in 3 which it is recorded for a court order declaring the agreement 4 unenforceable, and any person with an interest in the real 5 estate that is the subject of the agreement may recover actual 6 damages, costs, and attorney fees as may be proven against the 7 person that recorded the agreement. 8 The bill does not apply to a home warranty or similar 9 agreement, an insurance contract, an option or right of refusal 10 to purchase real estate, a maintenance or repair agreement 11 entered into by the homeowners’ association of a common 12 interest community, a mortgage loan or a commitment to make 13 or receive a mortgage loan, a security agreement under the 14 uniform commercial code relating to the sale or rental of 15 personal property or fixtures, or to regulated utility service 16 providers. “Common interest community” is defined in the bill. 17 The bill shall also not be construed to impair a person’s 18 rights established by a mechanics’ lien. 19 -5- LSB 1944XC (6) 90 ko/ns 5/ 5