Information on Rhode Island Renter's Rights
Renters in Rhode Island have a number of legal rights when residing in a rental property. All renters should understand their rights regarding the lease agreement, eviction and termination before they enter into a rental agreement.
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Lease Agreement and Rent Increases
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A lease agreement may be written or oral. When the lease agreement does not specify the rental period, it will be week-to-week when the rent is paid on a weekly basis and month-to-month when paid on a monthly basis. A rental increase requires the landlord to provide a written notice to the tenant at least 30 days prior to the termination of the lease if the lease is a weekly or monthly lease.
Eviction
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If the eviction is for non-payment of rent, the landlord must first serve the tenant with a five-day notice which gives the tenant five days to pay the arrears. If the rent is not paid, the landlord may file a complaint for eviction. A hearing will then be set nine days from the date of filing and a notice and summons served on the tenant. If the eviction is for a reason other than non-payment of rent, the tenant will have 20 days to answer the complaint and then a hearing will be set by the court upon request by the landlord.
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Termination
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A weekly lease may be terminated by the landlord by sending the proper notice to the tenant at least 10 days prior to the termination date. For a monthly lease or any other term less than a year the landlord must give 30 days notice before termination. For lease terms of more than one year, the landlord must provide three months notice to the tenant.
Deposits
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A landlord in Rhode Island may require a deposit that does not exceed one month's rent. Upon termination of the lease, the landlord must return the deposit within 20 days if the tenant gave proper notice, vacated the property, returned the keys and left a forwarding address. If the landlord deducts anything from the deposit, she must provide written notice of what legal deductions were taken.
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