Rhode Island rules for property managers

Rhode Island defines a broker to include anyone who, for a fee, rents or leases real estate for others or negotiates rentals. There is no separate property manager license.

Owners, lessees and lessors acting for their own property, and their regular employees managing it; attorneys; people holding a power of attorney for final execution of a lease; receivers, trustees, executors and court-ordered acts; public officers.

Each firm must keep an escrow account at a federally insured institution in Rhode Island, separate from the broker's own funds, with no commingling, and keep escrow records for 3 years with monthly status reports.

A separate furniture deposit of up to one month's rent is allowed only for furnished units with furniture worth $5,000 or more. A lease cannot waive these rules.

Send an itemized written notice with the refund. Deductions are limited to unpaid rent, reasonable cleaning and trash removal, and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear. Wrongful withholding costs twice the amount withheld plus attorney fees.

The deposit statute does not require interest or a separate account. If the property is sold, whoever holds the landlord's interest when the tenancy ends is responsible for the deposit. Licensed brokers must hold client money in an escrow account (see licensing).

The Act does not cap late fees, but any fees beyond rent must be disclosed in the same lease section as the rent, and landlords cannot add convenience fees to rent payments when a free payment method is not offered.

You may require a state criminal background check and credit report. If the applicant provides one issued within 90 days, you cannot charge. Otherwise you may charge only the actual cost, and must give the applicant a copy.

Applies to residential tenancies other than independent living, assisted living and congregate care facilities.

Rhode Island has no rent cap statute. The main limit is the 60-day (or 120-day) notice rule for increases.

Use the statutory form. If the tenant has not received a demand notice in the prior 6 months, the tenant can still cure by paying all arrears plus court costs at the hearing. You must be registered in the statewide rental registry to file.

Use the statutory form and state what must be done to fix the breach. A repeat of substantially the same breach within 6 months allows a 20-day termination notice with no cure period. Certain serious violations allow filing without notice.

Use a notice substantially similar to the statutory form.

The summons sets the hearing date. Other evictions use a 20-day cure notice and the tenant has 20 days after service to answer. Tenants may move to seal eviction records after a case ends in their favor or is satisfied.

The statute addresses re-renting an abandoned unit but sets no detailed storage period for belongings left behind. After a court-ordered move-out, the tenant must pay moving and prepaid storage costs before belongings are released.

No notice is needed in an emergency, or during a tenant absence of more than 7 days if entry is reasonably needed to protect the property. Do not use entry to harass.

Maintain supplied systems and appliances, provide water, hot water and heat (October 1 to May 1), and carry general liability insurance of at least $100,000, giving the tenant a copy of the declarations page with the lease and at each renewal.

Disclose fees in the same lease section as the rent and state which utilities are included. If you are 120 days delinquent on the mortgage, tell the tenant the property may be foreclosed. Pre-1978 units also need lead compliance under state law and federal disclosure. Out-of-state landlords must file a written designation of an in-state agent for service of process.

Lawful source of income includes housing assistance. Landlords may not ask about immigration or citizenship status, though they may verify identity and finances (2025 law).

Landlords and managers cannot charge rental application fees. If an applicant supplies a state background check or credit report issued within 90 days, no fee is allowed; otherwise you may charge only the actual cost and must give the applicant a copy.

Any party may move to seal an eviction case record starting 30 days after the appeal period ends. The court must seal it if the case was dismissed, a stipulation was satisfied, any money judgment was paid in full, or the case was dismissed for lack of prosecution after 5 years, with one request allowed every 5 years.

Rent increases now need 60 days' written notice, up from 30. Month-to-month tenants over 62 get 120 days, up from 60. Independent living, assisted living and congregate care facilities are excluded.

All landlords had to register with the Department of Health by October 1, 2024 and must re-register each October 1. New rentals must register within 30 days. Unregistered landlords cannot file nonpayment evictions and face monthly fines.

Landlords cannot charge convenience fees on rent payments unless they also accept a payment method with no fee. Leases must list any fees beyond rent in the same section as the rent.

Landlords and their agents may not ask about or require statements on a tenant's or applicant's immigration or citizenship status. They may still verify identity and finances and follow federal law.

• Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights