R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18 § 34-18-24

Tenant to maintain dwelling unit

In Force
Verified 10/26/2026 · Next check 11/2/2026
effective 10/15/2026Rhode IslandLease Requirements

Operative Text

R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18 § 34-18-24
A tenant shall:

(1) Comply with all obligations primarily imposed upon tenants by applicable provisions
of building and housing codes materially affecting health and safety;


(2) Keep that part of the premises that he or she occupies and uses as clean and safe
as the condition of the premises permit;


(3) Dispose from his or her dwelling unit all ashes, garbage, rubbish, and other waste
in a clean and safe manner;


(4) Keep all plumbing fixtures in the dwelling unit or used by the tenant as clean as
their condition permits;


(5) Use in a reasonable manner all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating,
air-conditioning, and other facilities and appliances, including elevators, in the
premises;


(6) Not deliberately or negligently destroy, deface, damage, impair, or remove any part
of the premises or knowingly permit any person to do so;


(7) Conduct himself or herself, and require other persons on the premises with his or
her consent to conduct themselves, in a manner that will not disturb his or her neighbors'
peaceful enjoyment of the premises;


(8) Refrain from using any part of the premises in a manner such as would constitute the
maintaining of a narcotics nuisance under the provisions of § 21-28-4.06;


(9) Refrain from using any part of the premises or any public property adjacent thereto
for the manufacture, sale, or delivery of a controlled substance or from possessing
on the premises or any public property adjacent thereto with the intent to manufacture,
sell, or deliver a controlled substance classified in schedule I or schedule II of
chapter 28 of title 21; and


(10) Refrain from any crime of violence on the premises or on any public property adjacent
to said premises. A "crime of violence" means and includes any of the following crimes
or an attempt to commit any of the following crimes; murder, manslaughter, arson,
rape, sexual assault, mayhem, kidnapping, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault
or battery involving grave bodily injury, and a felony assault with intent to commit
any offense.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Rhode Island General Laws § 34-18-24 establishes a set of affirmative duties that tenants must fulfill regarding the condition and use of their dwelling units. The provision requires tenants to keep their space clean and safe, properly dispose of waste, maintain plumbing fixtures, and use building systems responsibly. It also prohibits tenants from damaging the premises, disturbing neighbors, engaging in drug-related activity, or committing violent crimes on or adjacent to the property.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 15, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-24, compliant property operators typically document the condition of a unit at move-in and move-out to establish a baseline for evaluating whether tenants have met their maintenance obligations. Landlords generally keep records of any reported damage, disturbances, or lease violations that may correspond to the duties enumerated in this section, as such documentation can be relevant in disputes over security deposits or lease termination. Operators familiar with this provision also ensure that lease agreements reference these statutory tenant obligations so that residents are on notice of their responsibilities from the outset.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Section 34-18-24 of Rhode Island's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act outlines the responsibilities tenants carry for maintaining their unit and conduct on the premises, including keeping the space clean, avoiding damage, and refraining from drug-related or violent activity. Tenants should be aware that a landlord may cite violations of this section as grounds for lease termination or as a defense against security deposit claims. Tenants who believe a landlord is misapplying this provision—for example, by attributing normal wear and tear to tenant negligence—may wish to consult a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office for general information about their options.

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

Current
Oct 15, 2026
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-28-4.06
Not yet ingested
R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 21-28
Not yet ingested

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18
R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-46
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-56
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-36
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-20
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-25
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-24
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-38
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-39
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-21
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-28
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-30
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-56
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-50
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-34
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-28
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-6
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-49
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-2.4
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-24
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-24
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-24
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-24
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-11
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-24
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-56
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-56
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-56
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-36
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-38.2
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-36
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-37
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-24
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-52
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-36
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-24
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-37
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-38
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-10
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-8
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-24

Related Rules

§ 244.280
Tenant to be given copy of lease
§ 151.35
SEVERABILITY
§ 165.12
SEVERABILITY

Source Information

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Fetched:Oct 15, 2026, 04:44 PM UTC