Room Rental Agreement in Rhode Island

For renting a room in a home, including your own home. Some states treat a renter in the owner's home (a lodger) differently when ending the arrangement — see your state's household rules.

What Rhode Island law says

Renting a room in your own home (lodgers)	No separate lodger exclusion. Rhode Island's act defines a 'roomer' as a tenant occupying a room or group of rooms used for living and sleeping but not for cooking or eating, so roomers are tenants under the act. Unless the rental agreement fixes a definite term, a roomer who pays weekly rent has a week-to-week tenancy (ended on 10 days' written notice). The act's exclusions do not include renting a room in an owner-occupied home. Source: R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-8, 34-18-11, 34-18-15(d), 34-18-37(a)
Tenancy at will	Rhode Island's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act does not use the term 'tenancy at will'. Unless the rental agreement fixes a definite term, the tenancy is week-to-week for a roomer paying weekly rent and month-to-month in all other cases. Either side may end a month-to-month (or other periodic tenancy longer than a month but shorter than a year) with written notice at least 30 days before the date in the notice; week-to-week needs 10 days; year-to-year needs 3 months before the end of the year. Source: R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-15(d), 34-18-37

Renting a room in your own home (lodgers)

No separate lodger exclusion. Rhode Island's act defines a 'roomer' as a tenant occupying a room or group of rooms used for living and sleeping but not for cooking or eating, so roomers are tenants under the act. Unless the rental agreement fixes a definite term, a roomer who pays weekly rent has a week-to-week tenancy (ended on 10 days' written notice). The act's exclusions do not include renting a room in an owner-occupied home.

Source: R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-8, 34-18-11, 34-18-15(d), 34-18-37(a)

Tenancy at will

Rhode Island's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act does not use the term 'tenancy at will'. Unless the rental agreement fixes a definite term, the tenancy is week-to-week for a roomer paying weekly rent and month-to-month in all other cases. Either side may end a month-to-month (or other periodic tenancy longer than a month but shorter than a year) with written notice at least 30 days before the date in the notice; week-to-week needs 10 days; year-to-year needs 3 months before the end of the year.

Source: R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 34-18-15(d), 34-18-37

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ROOM RENTAL AGREEMENT

Owner/landlord: [owner name] Renter: [renter name]

Room: [room description] in the home at [home address]. Shared areas the renter may use: [shared areas].

Term: begins [start date]; [ends on end date / continues month to month].

Rent: $[monthly rent] due on [due day] by [payment method]. Deposit: $[deposit amount].

Utilities included: [utilities included]. House rules: [house rules, e.g. guests, kitchen use, smoking].

Ending the agreement: either side gives at least [notice period] written notice, and never less than state law requires.

Signatures and dates: [signatures]

Room Rental Agreement for other states · Rhode Island tenant rights

General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.