Lease or written no-lease disclosure must identify included versus tenant-paid utility costs.
Rhode Island charge guides
Security Deposit
Rhode Island one-month security deposit cap, 20-day return rule, itemized deductions, normal wear and remedies.
Open guide →1-Month Limit
Rhode Island generally limits the residential security deposit to one month’s periodic rent.
Open guide →20-Day Rule
Rhode Island requires the security-deposit balance and written itemization within 20 days after the latest statutory trigger.
Open guide →Forwarding Address
Providing a forwarding address is one of Rhode Island’s three statutory triggers for the 20-day security-deposit deadline.
Open guide →Cleaning & Trash
Rhode Island’s security-deposit statute expressly identifies reasonable cleaning and trash-disposal expenses among potential deductions.
Open guide →Normal Wear
Rhode Island excludes ordinary wear and tear from physical-damage deductions against the security deposit.
Open guide →Furniture Deposit
Rhode Island permits a separate furniture security deposit for qualifying furnished apartments with furniture worth at least $5,000.
Open guide →Deposit Remedy
Rhode Island allows recovery of the amount due, twice the amount wrongfully withheld and reasonable attorney fees for noncompliance with the deposit-disposition subsection.
Open guide →Utility Cost Disclosure
Rhode Island lease disclosure rules for tenant utility responsibility plus remedies for wrongful interruption of heat, water, electricity, gas and other essential services.
Open guide →Utility responsibility & essential services
If the dispute is about a utility charge, start by matching the lease disclosure to the statement and identifying whether the bill is direct, submetered, allocated or third-party billed. If the issue is loss of heat, water, electricity or gas, use the essential-service provisions instead.
Official sources
Official Rhode Island security-deposit statute covering the one-month cap, 20-day return/itemization rule, permissible deductions, furniture deposits and remedies.
Rhode Island General AssemblyRhode Island Law Revision Office ↗The General Assembly office responsible for maintaining and disseminating the most current Rhode Island General Laws.
Rhode Island General AssemblyR.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-15 — Terms and conditions of rental agreement ↗Official statute requiring the lease to disclose which utility costs are included in rent and which are the tenant’s responsibility; if there is no written lease, the disclosure must be provided in writing.
Rhode Island General AssemblyR.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-31 — Wrongful failure to supply essential services ↗Official tenant-remedy statute for a landlord’s willful or negligent failure to supply heat, running water, hot water, electric, gas or another essential service contrary to the rental agreement or statutory duty.
Rhode Island General AssemblyR.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-34 — Unlawful ouster or diminution of service ↗Official statute providing remedies when a landlord unlawfully removes/excludes a tenant or willfully diminishes essential services by interrupting heat, water, hot water, electric, gas or another essential service.