Rhode Island Standard Residential Lease Agreement
A Rhode Island standard residential lease agreement is a legally enforceable contract to rent property. It usually lasts one year, but the landlord and tenant can agree on a different term that works for them. The agreement serves as a detailed record of the lease conditions, including the payment schedule and any additional terms, such as acceptable property uses.
Download: PDF or MS Word.
- In Rhode Island, a standard residential lease can last up to one year. Leases longer than a year must be in writing, while oral leases are considered valid for shorter periods.
- If there is no agreement on the term of the lease, it defaults to a month-to-month arrangement. If the tenant pays rent weekly, then the default term becomes week-to-week. [1]
- Leases can include an automatic renewal clause. This clause may allow the lease to renew for the same term as the original lease or transition to a month-to-month basis upon expiration.
Required Disclosures
- Lead-based paint disclosure
- Housing code violations
- Identification of management personnel
Visit our Rhode Island lease agreement page for more information on the required disclosures.
Security Deposit
- Maximum Amount ($): One month’s rent. [2]
- Returning to Tenant: Within 20 days. [3]
Rent Payment
- Grace Period: Tenants have a 15-day grace period to pay rent. During this time, the landlord can’t impose late fees on the tenant or initiate eviction proceedings. [4]
- Maximum Late Fee: The state doesn’t limit how much landlords can charge for late fees.
- NSF Fee: A landlord can charge a non-sufficient funds fee of no more than $25 per check. [5]
Landlord Resources
- Landlord-Tenant Laws – Chapter 34-18 (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act).
- Handbook – Rhode Island Landlord-Tenant Handbook.
Related Forms
Rhode Island Rental Application
View Sources
Legal Templates uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
- RI Gen. Laws § 34-18-15. http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/title34/34-18/34-18-15.HTM
- RI Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(a). http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/title34/34-18/34-18-19.HTM#:~:text=19.%C2%A0Security%20deposits.-,(a),-A%20landlord%20may
- RI Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(b). http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/title34/34-18/34-18-19.HTM#:~:text=month%E2%80%99s%20periodic%20rent.-,(b),-Upon%20termination%20of
- RI Gen. Laws § 34-18-35(a). http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE34/34-18/34-18-35.htm
- RI Gen. Laws § 6-42-3. http://webserver.rilegislature.gov//Statutes/TITLE6/6-42/6-42-3.htm
Create Your Rhode Island Standard Residential Lease Agreement Here!
- Terms of Use
- Privacy Policy
- Cookie Policy
- Do Not Sell My Personal Information
(855) 335-9779, Monday-Friday, 9AM - 10PM EST
Copyright 2024 Legal Templates LLC. Legal Templates LLC is not a lawyer, or a law firm and does not engage in the practice of law. Legal Templates cannot and does not provide legal advice or legal representation. All information, software and services provided on the site are for informational purposes and self-help only and are not intended to be a substitute for a lawyer or professional legal advice. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use. Legaltemplates.net is owned and operated by Resume Technologies Limited, London with offices in London United Kingdom.
The document above is a sample. Please note that the language you see here may change depending on your answers to the document questionnaire.
