Opinion ID: 1657171
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Mrs. Sattler

Text: The district court dismissed Julie Sattler from the suit altogether. The court did so because she did not sign the disclosure form and there was no evidence she made any affirmative representations to Jensen. Jensen challenges dismissal of his statutory claim against Mrs. Sattler. He does not appeal dismissal of the common law claims with respect to her. The disclosure requirements of Iowa Code chapter 558A apply to all prospective transferors of real estate. See Iowa Code §§ 558A.2, .6(1). The Act states [a] person interested in transferring real property... shall deliver a written disclosure statement to a person interested in being transferred the real property. Id. § 558A.2(1). Elsewhere the Act defines a transferor as a person who is transferring real property as provided in an instrument containing the power to transfer real estate. Id. § 558A.1(6). Julie Sattler owned the house with her husband and was plainly a transferor under the Act. Therefore she was obligated to provide a written disclosure statement to Jensen. The district court ruled that because Julie Sattler did not sign the disclosure form, she was not liable under chapter 558A for any defects in the property. Neither the Act nor the administrative rules, however, provides an exception from liability for transferors who do not sign their disclosure statements. Were either to do so, of course, no transferor would ever sign a disclosure statement, and thus the manifest purpose of the Act would be defeated. Simply because Julie Sattler did not sign the disclosure form should not allow her to escape liability. The parties do not contest that James Sattler provided Jensen with a disclosure form. Julie Sattler thereby complied with the Act's mandate to provide the buyer a written disclosure statement. See Iowa Code § 558A.2(1) (requiring all transferors to provide a disclosure statement). That said, she may yet be liable if Jensen can show she violated the disclosure provisions of the Act. She remains liable if Jensen can prove she had actual knowledge of the undisclosed defects or failed to exercise ordinary care in obtaining the information. Id. § 558A.6. We reverse and reinstate all statutory claims against Julie Sattler.