What a Landlord Cannot Do in Rhode Island
The main limits Rhode Island law puts on landlords — lockouts and utility shutoffs, entering without notice, retaliation, deposits, fees and discrimination — each with the statute or official source.
In short: a Rhode Island landlord cannot evict without a court order, cannot punish a tenant for asserting legal rights where state law protects them, and must follow the state's rules on entry, deposits and fees shown below.
| Lockouts & utility shutoffs | Self-help eviction prohibited, including cutting heat, water, hot water, electricity, gas or other essential services. Tenant may recover possession or terminate, and recover the greater of up to 3 months' periodic rent or three times actual damages, plus reasonable attorney's fees. Ban text: http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE34/34-18/34-18-44.htm. On termination the landlord must return the deposit and all prepaid rent. |
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| Landlord entry notice | At least 2 days' notice of intent to enter, at reasonable times, except in an emergency or when impracticable. Entry without consent allowed in emergencies, or during a tenant absence of more than 7 days if reasonably necessary to protect the property. Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-26 |
| Landlord retaliation | Landlord may not raise rent, decrease services, or bring/threaten a possession action because the tenant complained to a code-enforcement agency, complained to the landlord about maintenance violations, organized or joined a tenants' union, or exercised other lawful rights. Retaliation is presumed if the tenant complained within 6 months before the landlord's action. Remedies under § 34-18-34 and a defense to eviction. Presumption does not apply if the complaint came after notice of a rent increase/service reduction. Exceptions: tenant-caused violations, tenant in rent default. Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-46 |
| Security deposit limit | One month's periodic rent. A separate furniture deposit (also capped at one month's rent) is allowed only for furnished units whose furniture has a replacement value of $5,000 or more. Last amended 2015 and 2018. Cannot be waived in the lease (§ 34-18-19(h)). |
| Penalty for withholding | Amount due plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees. Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(c) |
| Late fees | No statutory cap or grace period. Since Jan. 1, 2025, all fees beyond rent must be listed in the lease in the same section as rent (or in writing if no lease), with 30 days' written notice of changes; undisclosed fees are recoverable by the tenant (§ 34-18-15, P.L. 2024 chs. 308-309). Convenience fees on rent payments are banned unless a no-fee method is offered (§ 34-18-61, eff. Jan. 1, 2025). Source: None in Chapter 34-18 |
| Rent control / increase limits | No statewide rent control or cap on the amount of rent increases; only notice requirements (60 days; 120 days for month-to-month tenants over 62). § 34-18-16.1 sets no limit on the amount of an increase (amended P.L. 2024, chs. 243-244, eff. June 24, 2024). Neither the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (ch. 34-18, §§ 34-18-1 to 34-18-67) nor the general municipal powers and ordinance chapters of Title 45 (chs. 45-2 and 45-6) contain a section barring or authorizing local rent control, so whether a city or town may adopt rent control (for example under a home rule charter) has not been settled by statute. Title 45 chapters checked: https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE45/45-2/INDEX.htm ; https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE45/45-6/INDEX.htm. Source: R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-16.1 |
| Statewide ban on refusing Section 8 / source of income | Yes, statewide. Refusing to rent, or inquiring about, 'lawful source of income' is an unlawful housing practice. Lawful source of income includes child support, alimony, Social Security, SSI, other public assistance, and any federal, state or local rental assistance or housing subsidy, including Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, and any requirement associated with those programs. Definition at http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE34/34-37/34-37-3.htm. The Act also bars inquiries about domestic abuse victim status and housing status. |
| Cameras & privacy | No landlord-specific statute. Using or installing an imaging device, for sexual purposes, to capture images of another person's intimate areas without knowledge and consent where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy — or using an imaging device to look into an occupied dwelling for sexual purposes — is video voyeurism (up to 3 years and/or $5,000). Intercepting wire, electronic or oral communications is a felony unless the person is a party or one party consents (one-party consent). Wiretap statute: https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE11/11-35/11-35-21.htm. Landlord entry generally requires two days' notice (§ 34-18-26); abuse of access has remedies under § 34-18-45. |
| Other rental fees | Since January 1, 2025: (1) landlords may not charge a convenience fee on rent payments unless they also accept a form of rent payment that carries no convenience fee; (2) all fees beyond rent must be disclosed in the lease in the same section as the rent, with a statement that additional fees may apply (or, with no written lease, in a written list), and fee changes need 30 days' written notice; the lease must also disclose which utilities are included and any renter's insurance requirement. A tenant may recover any fees paid that were not disclosed as required. Fee disclosure text at http://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE34/34-18/34-18-15.htm (P.L. 2024, ch. 308/309). Disclosure rule does not apply where a subsidy program requires a different lease format. |
Can I sue my landlord in Rhode Island? · All 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.