Being Evicted
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35 — fifteen days late, a five day demand, and the right to pay and stay
When rent has been in arrears fifteen days, the landlord mails a written demand, and the lease ends unless the tenant cures within five days of mailing. The eviction complaint may be filed no earlier than the sixth day after mailing.
The right to cure. A tenant may cure by paying the full rent before suit is filed. A tenant who has not had a demand notice in the six months before the case may also cure at the hearing by paying the full arrears and court costs.
The summons sets a hearing date. A tenant who does not answer or appear is defaulted, and one who needs discovery may ask for a continuance, with interim rent possibly ordered.
For a breach other than rent, the demand gives twenty days to remedy and a termination date at least twenty-one days after mailing, and the tenant has twenty days after service to answer the complaint.
Only a court order ends a tenancy against the tenant's will. A particular case is a question for a licensed Rhode Island attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-35 — Eviction for nonpayment of rent
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-36 — Eviction for noncompliance with rental agreement
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Rhode Island attorney.