R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18.1 § 34-18.1-13
Apportionment of rent on termination of lease
Operative Text
When lands covered by this chapter are held by lease of a person who has an estate therein determinable on a life or on a contingency, and such estate determines before the end of a period for which rent is payable, or when an estate, created by a written lease or by operation of the provisions of this chapter, is determined before the end of such a period by surrender, either expressed or by operation of law, by notice to quit, or for nonpayment of rent, or by the death of any party, the landlord, or his or her executors and administrators, may recover a proportional part of such rent according to the time expired, at such determination, of the last period for which such rent was growing due.
Rhode Island General Laws § 34-18.1-13 addresses what happens to rent obligations when a lease ends before a full rental period is complete. Under this rule, if a tenancy is cut short — whether because a life estate ends, a contingency occurs, the tenant surrenders the property, a notice to quit is served, rent goes unpaid, or a party dies — the landlord is entitled to collect only the portion of rent that corresponds to the time the tenancy actually ran during that final period. The rule prevents a landlord from collecting a full period's rent when the tenancy ended partway through it, and it prevents a tenant from owing nothing simply because the period was incomplete.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under leases governed by § 34-18.1-13 generally calculate any final rent amount by prorating it based on the number of days the tenancy was in effect during the last billing period. Compliant operators document the exact date of termination — whether by surrender, notice to quit, nonpayment, or death — so that the proportional calculation can be clearly supported. Keeping clear records of lease start dates, rent periods, and termination events helps establish the basis for any prorated rent recovery.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 34-18.1-13 of Rhode Island's landlord-tenant law gives tenants a basis to expect that rent owed at the end of a tenancy will be prorated to reflect only the time actually occupied during the final rental period. If a tenancy ends mid-period for any of the reasons listed in the statute — including death of a party, surrender, or a notice to quit — a tenant or their estate would generally owe only a proportional share of that period's rent rather than the full amount. Tenants who believe they are being charged more than a prorated share may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or review the statute directly to understand 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.
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