R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 31-44.2 § 31-44.2-5
Order for removal of an abandoned mobile or manufactured home
Operative Text
(a) An action for the removal of an abandoned mobile or manufactured home may be commenced by a landowner/licensee/municipality if a mobile or manufactured home has been abandoned and the following conditions have been met: (1) The mobile or manufactured home is not entitled to be situated on the property of the landowner/municipality/licensee; and (2) The mobile or manufactured home is: (i) Not connected to electricity or not connected to a source of safe potable water supply sufficient for normal residential needs, or both; or (ii) Not connected to an adequate wastewater disposal system; or (iii) Unoccupied for a period of at least one hundred twenty (120) days and for which there is clear and convincing evidence that the occupant does not intend to return; or (iv) So damaged, decayed, dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe, or vermin infested that it creates a hazard to the health and safety of the occupants or the public. (b) The action shall be commenced by filing a thirty-day (30) notice for removal of the mobile or manufactured home, which shall be filed in the appropriate court according to the form provided in § 31-44.2-8. (c) Prior to filing the complaint, the plaintiff shall send a notice in the form provided in § 31-4.2-8 and therein shall specify that the defendant has thirty (30) days from the date notice is mailed therein to remedy the allegations in the complaint and that if he or she fails to do so within that time, suit for possession shall be commenced in accordance with § 31-44.2-4. (d) If the court finds that the defendant failed to remedy the allegations contained in the complaint to the satisfaction of the court, the court shall issue an order for the removal of the abandoned mobile or manufactured home in accordance with this chapter.
Rhode Island General Laws § 31-44.2-5 establishes a legal process by which a landowner, licensee, or municipality may seek a court order to remove a mobile or manufactured home that has been abandoned. Abandonment can be established through several conditions, such as the home lacking utility connections, being unoccupied for at least 120 days with evidence the occupant does not intend to return, or posing a health or safety hazard. Before any court action proceeds, the party seeking removal must send a 30-day notice giving the home's owner an opportunity to remedy the identified problems. If the court finds the issues were not adequately resolved, it may issue a formal removal order.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 31-44.2-5, landowners and licensees who believe a mobile or manufactured home on their property qualifies as abandoned generally document the specific conditions that support that conclusion, such as disconnected utilities, extended vacancy, or structural hazards. Compliant operators send the required 30-day notice in the form specified by § 31-44.2-8 before filing any court complaint, giving the home's owner a chance to remedy the situation. If the matter proceeds to court and the judge finds the conditions unresolved, the court—not the landowner—issues the removal order, meaning self-help removal outside this process is not what the statute contemplates.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 31-44.2-5 provides mobile and manufactured home owners with a meaningful opportunity to respond before a removal order can be issued: the party seeking removal must first send a 30-day notice identifying the specific allegations, during which time the home owner may remedy those conditions. If a home owner receives such a notice, they have the right to address the stated deficiencies within that window and, if a court action is filed, to appear and contest whether the abandonment criteria have actually been met. Tenants or home owners facing this process may benefit from consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with Rhode Island manufactured housing law to understand the full range of options available under this chapter.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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