Six Plaintiffs Request Class Action Certification Against Apartments Downtown in Iowa City

A pending class action lawsuit has been filed against Apartments Downtown in Iowa City, regarding lease and rental code violations. The lawsuit is against Apts. Downtown Inc., also known as, Apartments Downtown, Apartments Near Campus, Associated University Realty, and Iowa City Maintenance.

This apartment leasing company rents to over 1,000 students and is one of the largest student landlords near the University of Iowa, overpowering other local landlords. The company is owed by the Clark family, who owns over 100 buildings with hundreds of rentals near the campus as well as throughout downtown. Some reports have mentioned that the Clark family is the largest landowner in Iowa City.

Apartments Downtown is being charged with allegedly violating the rights of their tenants and violating a number of sections of the Iowa Code. One example of this violation occurred when Apts. Downtown automatically charged cleaning fees requiring the tenants to pay for cleaning that the landlord should legally be required to do.

Another allegation is that Apts. Downtown charged tenants fees for damages to common areas they did not damage, and the lawsuit also alleges that they have withheld some security deposits for unwarranted reasons. The Press Citizen reported that even if the landlord charged $100 for cleaning fees to 1,000 tenants, Apts. Downtown would gain $100,000 a year.

Six people have become plaintiffs in this lawsuit against Apts. Downtown in Iowa City. The request for class action certification has been made, and more than 50 other tenants have come forward expressing interest in the class action lawsuit.

The plaintiffs believe that Apts. Downtown is taking advantage of young students with regards to illegal charges. However, the business manager for Apts. Downtown said that he does not feel that the lawsuit should be certified as a class action lawsuit in Iowa.

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Categories: Class Actions