Iowa 2025-2026 Regular Session

Iowa Senate Bill SSB1144

Introduced
2/18/25  

Caption

A bill for an act relating to home inspections, including persons authorized to perform home inspections and requirements for independent home inspection reports, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable.(See SF 460.)

Impact

By introducing strict criteria for home inspectors, SSB1144 is set to influence the real estate market significantly. The requirement for a comprehensive inspection before property transfers helps to address concerns about property condition, potentially reducing disputes during buying and selling processes. Additionally, it establishes penalties for non-compliance, which enhances accountability among home inspectors and discourages unethical practices, such as conflicts of interest related to repair services.

Summary

Senate Study Bill 1144 aims to enhance the regulatory framework surrounding home inspections in Iowa. The bill specifies who is authorized to conduct home inspections, limiting this to licensed home inspectors, architects, and professional engineers. It emphasizes the necessity for independent home inspection reports that must adhere to established standards and ethics. This regulation seeks to ensure that home inspectors provide thorough and reliable assessments of residential properties, thereby protecting buyers and fostering transparency in real estate transactions.

Contention

Notable points of contention surrounding this bill include the imposition of penalties for failing to adhere to the inspection reporting standards and insurance requirements. Some stakeholders argue that these penalties could create financial burdens on smaller inspection firms. Others have raised concerns about how the limitations on the scope of home inspections might affect homebuyers' access to crucial information about their prospective purchases. Critics may perceive the bill as favoring larger, established firms while making it challenging for new entrants to compete in the home inspection market.

Companion Bills

IA SF460

Replaced by A bill for an act relating to home inspections, including persons authorized to perform home inspections and requirements for independent home inspection reports, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable. (Formerly SSB 1144.) Effective date: 07/01/2025.

Previously Filed As

IA SSB1156

A bill for an act relating to unfair residential real estate service agreements, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable.(See SF 417.)

IA SSB3095

A bill for an act relating to certain powers and duties of the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing including confidentiality of information and records, and dependent adult abuse, and making penalties applicable.(See SF 2295.)

IA HSB194

A bill for an act relating to persons certified to conduct time-of-transfer inspections of private sewage disposal systems, and providing penalties.(See HF 634.)

IA HSB596

A bill for an act relating to certain powers and duties of the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing including confidentiality of information and records, and dependent adult abuse, and making penalties applicable.(See HF 2390.)

IA SF417

A bill for an act relating to unfair residential real estate service agreements, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable.(Formerly SSB 1156.)

IA SF423

A bill for an act relating to property law, including rental properties, manufactured home communities, mobile home parks, and actions relating to such properties, making penalties applicable, and including effective date and applicability provisions.

IA SF2295

A bill for an act relating to certain powers and duties of the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing including confidentiality of information and records, and dependent adult abuse, and making penalties applicable.(Formerly SSB 3095.)

IA HSB98

A bill for an act modifying provisions applicable to individuals licensed by the plumbing and mechanical systems board, providing for state inspections of certain plumbing and mechanical system installations, making penalties applicable, and including effective date provisions.

IA HSB175

A bill for an act relating to unfair residential real estate service agreements, providing penalties, and making penalties applicable.(See HF 475.)

IA SSB1073

A bill for an act relating to boiler inspections.(See SF 321.)

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