A Rhode Island rental application is essential for property owners and management companies to screen prospective tenants thoroughly, identify potential applicant history issues, and ensure reliable rent payment while safeguarding the property.
Laws
- Application Fee – Non-refundable.
- Fee Limits – No more than the cost of a background check.
- Security Deposit – Landlords cannot charge more than a month’s rent for a security deposit.
Application Fee
- Landlord Can’t Demand an Application Fee: A landlord cannot demand or require a prospective tenant to pay a rental application fee. [1]
- Background Check Fees: A landlord can require a background check or credit report as part of the application process, but they cannot charge a prospective tenant a fee if the tenant provides an official state background check or credit report. The tenant must provide this report within 90 days of applying for the unit. [2]
- If the tenant doesn’t provide the required background check or credit report, the landlord can charge a fee, but the fee should be no more than the actual cost of the check or report. [3]
Fair Housing Protections
A landlord cannot refuse (indirectly or directly) to rent to a tenant based on the following factors: [4]
- Color
- Race
- Religion
- Marital status
- Familial status
- Gender identity or expression
- Sexual orientation
- Sex
- Military status
- Country of ancestral origin
- Disability
- Age
- Domestic violence victim status
They may not inquire about the above factors or refuse housing to any tenant based on the above factors of people that the tenant associates or wishes to associate with. Furthermore, they may not advertise housing with discriminatory limitations or preferences or deny reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.
Security Deposit Limits
- Security Deposit: Landlords cannot charge more than one month’s rent for a security deposit. [5]
- Return of the Security Deposit: Landlords must return the security deposit in full to a tenant (or a partial amount and an explanation of any deductions) within 20 days after the later of the tenant’s provision of a forwarding address, delivery of possession, or termination of the tenancy. [6]
- Furniture Deposit: Landlords can also charge up to one month’s rent for a furniture deposit if the provided furniture in a furnished apartment is equal to $5,000 or more. [7]
Pet Deposits
Rhode Island has no laws governing pet deposits for rental properties.
Sample
