When the Landlord Will Not Fix It
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-30 — repairs under $500 a year done and deducted after twenty days' written notice, or the lease ended after thirty
Among the landlord's duties under the act:
- Complying with building and housing codes affecting health and safety.
- Making all repairs needed to keep the premises fit and habitable, and keeping common areas clean and safe.
- Maintaining electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilating and other supplied facilities in good and safe working order.
- Providing trash receptacles and arranging for removal.
- Carrying liability insurance of at least $100,000 for injuries caused by the landlord's negligence, with the declaration page given to the tenant with the lease.
Repair and deduct. If a repair the landlord owes would cost less than $500 in a year, the tenant may have it done in a skilled manner and deduct the cost from rent, after written notice and the landlord's failure to act within twenty days, and with an itemized statement afterward.
For a breach materially affecting health and safety, the tenant may instead give written notice that the lease ends on a date at least thirty days after receipt unless the breach is remedied within twenty days. The tenant may also recover actual damages, and attorney's fees if the breach was willful.
None of these remedies covers a condition the tenant or the tenant's guests caused. A particular repair is a question for a licensed Rhode Island attorney.
Sources for this section (3)
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-22 — Landlord to maintain premises
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-30 — Self-help for limited repairs
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-28 — Noncompliance by the landlord in general
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.