A Rhode Island lease agreement is a document a landlord uses to rent out their property to a tenant. It establishes an arrangement between these two parties and records information like the property’s address, both parties’ contact details, pet allowances, health/safety risks, and rent specifics.
By Type (6)
Room Rental Agreement
A legal contract specifying the terms of renting a room within a property, including duration, payment, and rules.
Commercial Lease Agreement
A legal arrangement where a business entity rents a space for conducting its business activities.
Rent-to-Own Lease Agreement
A lease agreement that includes an option to purchase the property.
Month-to-Month Rental Agreement
Allows tenants to reside in a property on a month-to-month basis without a set long-term obligation.
Sublease Agreement
Permits the sublessee to lease the entire or a portion of the rented property for a designated duration.
Laws
Overview
Rent Control: No
Limit on Late Fees: No
Late Fees in Rental Agreement: No
Grace Period: Yes
License Required for Landlord: No
Required Lease Disclosures
Rhode Island requires landlords to include the following disclosures in their lease agreements:
- Identification. A landlord must provide the names of all individuals who manage the premises to the tenant. The tenant must also receive the information of the property owners and anyone who collects legal correspondence on the owner’s behalf (RI Gen L § 34-18-20).
- Code Violations. A landlord must inform tenants of any outstanding minimum housing code violations, if applicable (RI Gen L § 34-18-22.1).
- Lead-Based Paint Disclosure if the property was built before 1978 (42 U.S. Code § 4852d).
Security Deposit
A landlord can charge up to one month’s rent for a security deposit from a tenant. A landlord must return a tenant’s security deposit within 20 days of the end of the lease (RI Gen L § 34-18-19).
Rhode Island doesn’t have any statutes that dictate if a tenant needs to receive interest or if a landlord needs to keep the security deposit in a separate bank account.
Landlord Right of Entry
A landlord must provide at least two days’ advance notice to a tenant to enter the rental property and may only enter at reasonable times. If there’s an emergency, a landlord can enter without prior notice (RI Gen L § 34-18-26).
Small Claims Court
In a small claims court in Rhode Island, a tenant can sue a landlord for a maximum of $5,000 (RI Gen L § 8-8-3).
Sample
Below, you can explore our Rhode Island lease agreement template. Download it as a PDF or Word file to get started: