R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18 § 34-18-39
Failure to maintain
Operative Text
If there is noncompliance by tenant with § 34-18-24 materially affecting health and safety that can be remedied by repair, replacement of a damaged item, or cleaning, and the tenant fails to comply as promptly as conditions require in case of emergency or within twenty (20) days after written notice by the landlord specifying the breach and requesting that the tenant remedy it within that period of time, the landlord may enter the dwelling unit and cause the work to be done in a skilled manner and submit the itemized bill for the actual and reasonable cost or the fair and reasonable value thereof as rent on the next date periodic rent is due, or if the rental agreement has terminated, for immediate payment.
Rhode Island General Laws § 34-18-39 addresses situations where a tenant has failed to maintain the dwelling unit in a way that materially affects health and safety, as required under § 34-18-24. If the tenant does not fix the problem promptly in an emergency, or within 20 days of receiving written notice from the landlord specifying the issue, the landlord is permitted to enter the unit and have the work done professionally. The landlord may then bill the tenant for the actual and reasonable cost of that work, adding it to the next rent payment due or demanding immediate payment if the tenancy has ended.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 34-18-39, landlords who observe a tenant-caused health-and-safety maintenance failure generally document the specific breach in writing and deliver a notice that identifies the problem and sets a 20-day deadline for the tenant to remedy it (or act immediately in an emergency). If the tenant does not comply within that window, a compliant operator arranges for the repair to be completed in a skilled and workmanlike manner and keeps itemized records of all actual and reasonable costs. Those documented costs may then be submitted to the tenant as additional rent on the next due date, or as an immediate charge if the rental agreement has already ended.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 34-18-39 of Rhode Island law outlines the conditions under which a landlord may step in to make repairs that a tenant was obligated to make under § 34-18-24 and charge the tenant for those costs. Tenants who receive a written notice citing this provision should be aware that the 20-day response window is a key procedural element, and that costs billed under this section are treated as rent. Tenants who believe a landlord has improperly invoked § 34-18-39—for example, by billing for costs that were not actual and reasonable, or by failing to provide proper written notice—may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider to understand available 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
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation