How long does a landlord in Rhode Island have to return a security deposit?
20 calendar days
Calendar days. Subsection (b) runs the 20 days from the LATER of three events, termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, or the tenant's providing the landlord with a forwarding address for the purpose of receiving the security deposit, so a tenant who never supplies a forwarding address never starts the clock. The statute does not say that address must be in writing. Subsection (f) applies the same 20-day, later-of rule separately to a furniture security deposit on a furnished apartment.
In plain terms, the statute says
The remedy is strict on the face of the statute: subsection (c) says that if the landlord fails to comply with subsection (b), the tenant may recover the amount due together with damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld and reasonable attorney fees, with no requirement of bad faith, willfulness, or wrongful intent. Subsection (h) forbids any waiver of the section in a rental agreement.
Who this covers
Section 34-18-19 sits inside the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, and § 34-18-8 pulls eight arrangements out of the chapter unless the parties expressly agree to be governed by it: institutional residence incidental to detention or medical, geriatric, educational, counseling, religious, or similar service; occupancy under a contract of sale where the occupant is the purchaser or a successor; occupancy by a member of a fraternal or social organization in a structure run for its benefit; transient occupancy in a hotel, motel, or other lodging subject to the sales and use tax or a lodgings tax; occupancy by a paid employee whose right to occupy is conditional on services, maintenance, or repair of premises containing more than eleven units; occupancy by a holder of a proprietary lease in a cooperative; commercial letting and any other estate governed by chapter 18.1 of the title; and residence at a transitional housing facility.
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Questions people ask
How long does a landlord in Rhode Island have to return a security deposit?
Rhode Island: 20 calendar days. Calendar days. Subsection (b) runs the 20 days from the LATER of three events, termination of the tenancy, delivery of possession, or the tenant's providing the landlord with a forwarding address for the purpose of receiving the security deposit, so a tenant who never supplies a forwarding address never starts the clock. The statute does not say that address must be in writing. Subsection (f) applies the same 20-day, later-of rule separately to a furniture security deposit on a furnished apartment.
Who does Rhode Island's security-deposit law cover?
Section 34-18-19 sits inside the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, and § 34-18-8 pulls eight arrangements out of the chapter unless the parties expressly agree to be governed by it: institutional residence incidental to detention or medical, geriatric, educational, counseling, religious, or similar service; occupancy under a contract of sale where the occupant is the purchaser or a successor; occupancy by a member of a fraternal or social organization in a structure run for its benefit; transient occupancy in a hotel, motel, or other lodging subject to the sales and use tax or a lodgings tax; occupancy by a paid employee whose right to occupy is conditional on services, maintenance, or repair of premises containing more than eleven units; occupancy by a holder of a proprietary lease in a cooperative; commercial letting and any other estate governed by chapter 18.1 of the title; and residence at a transitional housing facility.
What happens if a landlord in Rhode Island is late?
The remedy is strict on the face of the statute: subsection (c) says that if the landlord fails to comply with subsection (b), the tenant may recover the amount due together with damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld and reasonable attorney fees, with no requirement of bad faith, willfulness, or wrongful intent. Subsection (h) forbids any waiver of the section in a rental agreement.
Where can I read Rhode Island's security-deposit law?
Rhode Island's rule is in R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19 (exclusions at § 34-18-8). The link on this page goes to the official text, so you can read the section yourself rather than take our word for it.
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