R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18 § 34-18-20
Disclosure
Operative Text
(a) A landlord or any person authorized to enter into a rental agreement on his or her behalf shall disclose to the tenant in writing, at or before the commencement of the tenancy, the name, address and number of: (1) The person authorized to manage the premises; and (2) An owner of the premises or a person authorized to act for and on behalf of the owner for the purpose of service of process and receiving and receipting for notices and demands. (b) The information required to be furnished by this section shall be kept current. This section extends to and is enforceable against any successor landlord, owner, or manager. (c) A person who fails to comply with subsection (a) of this section becomes an agent of each person who is a landlord for: (1) Service of process and receiving and receipting for notices and demands; and (2) Performing the obligations of the landlord under this chapter and under the rental agreement and expending or making available for the purpose of all rent collected from the premises. (d) A landlord who becomes delinquent on a mortgage securing real estate upon which the dwelling unit is located for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days shall notify the tenant that the property may be subject to foreclosure; and until the foreclosure occurs the tenant must continue to pay rent to the landlord as provided under the rental agreement.
Rhode Island General Laws § 34-18-20 requires that before or at the start of a tenancy, landlords must provide tenants with written contact information for the property manager and for an owner or authorized agent who can receive legal notices. This information must be kept up to date and applies to any successor landlord, owner, or manager who takes over the property. Additionally, if a landlord falls 120 days behind on a mortgage tied to the rental property, the tenant must be notified that foreclosure may be possible, though rent continues to be owed to the landlord until an actual foreclosure takes place.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 34-18-20, compliant property owners and managers provide tenants with a written disclosure at or before move-in that includes the name, address, and contact number of both the property manager and the owner or designated agent authorized to receive legal notices and demands. Operators keep this information current throughout the tenancy and ensure that any new owner or manager who takes over the property carries forward the same disclosure obligations. If the mortgage on the rental property reaches 120 days of delinquency, landlords operating under this section notify affected tenants of the potential for foreclosure while continuing to collect rent as specified in the rental agreement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 34-18-20 gives tenants the right to receive written contact information for the property manager and a legally authorized owner representative before or at the start of their tenancy, and that information must remain current for the duration of the rental relationship. If a landlord or authorized person fails to provide this disclosure, that person is treated by law as the landlord's agent for purposes of receiving legal notices and carrying out landlord obligations — a status that can be relevant if a tenant needs to serve legal process or assert rights under the rental agreement. Tenants who believe this disclosure was not provided, or who receive a foreclosure notice under this section, may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with Rhode Island housing law to understand what options may be available to them.
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.
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