Rhode Island (RI) lease form
Rhode Island residential leases are governed by the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 34-18, which sets out specific disclosure duties, required lease content, and a list of provisions that are void as a matter of law. Landlords who knowingly include prohibited clauses face tenant remedies of up to three months' rent plus attorney's fees. Every lease must be drafted with these state-specific rules in mind alongside applicable federal requirements.
Revun generates a Rhode Island-ready lease with the required disclosures and clauses built in, then handles e-signature, rent, and renewals on the same platform.
Before or at the start of the tenancy, the landlord must provide in writing the name and address of the person authorized to manage the premises and the name and address of an owner or agent authorized to receive service of process and official notices, per R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-20.
Before signing any rental agreement, the landlord must inform the prospective tenant of any known, outstanding minimum housing code violations affecting the premises, per R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22.1.
The lease must state which utility costs are included in the rent and which are the tenant's sole responsibility; this must appear in the same section as the rent disclosure.
For any dwelling built before 1978, the landlord must provide the EPA-approved lead warning statement, disclose any known lead-based paint or hazards, and attach any available inspection reports; tenants must sign a written acknowledgment, per 42 U.S.C. § 4852d.
If the landlord is 120 or more days delinquent on a mortgage secured by the rental property, the tenant must be notified in writing that the property may be subject to foreclosure, per R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-20.
General information, not legal advice. Governing statute: Rhode Island Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 34-18. Confirm current requirements or consult an attorney before finalizing a lease.
Rhode Island lease FAQ
Rhode Island landlords must disclose the landlord's name and management agent contact information, any known outstanding housing code violations, which utilities are included in rent, and for pre-1978 units, federal lead-based paint information. Landlords delinquent 120+ days on a mortgage must also notify tenants of potential foreclosure.
Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-17, clauses that waive tenant statutory rights, confess judgment against the tenant, impose landlord attorney's fees beyond what the Act allows, or exculpate the landlord from its own negligence are all void. Knowingly including them can expose the landlord to up to three months' rent in penalties.
Yes. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-58 requires all landlords to register rental units with the Rhode Island Department of Health. New owners or landlords must register within 30 days of acquiring or beginning to lease a property, and the registration number should appear in the lease.
Yes, but the requirement must be stated expressly in the written lease. For oral leases, the landlord must provide written notice of the renters insurance requirement separately before the tenancy begins, per R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15.
