Rhode Island Eviction Notice Requirements

In Rhode Island, once any part of the rent is 15 days in arrears, the landlord must mail a 5-day demand notice. If the tenant does not pay all rent in arrears within 5 days of the date the notice was mailed, the rental agreement ends and the landlord may file for eviction, but no earlier than the sixth day after mailing. For a material lease violation, the notice gives the tenant 20 days to fix the problem. A month-to-month tenancy ends with at least 30 days' written notice.

The 5-day demand should be substantially in the form set out in R.I.G.L. § 34-18-56, stating the amount of rent in arrears and that paying all of it within 5 days of mailing prevents the eviction. A lease-violation notice must describe the breach, say what the tenant must do to remedy it within 20 days of mailing, and give a termination date at least 21 days after mailing. If substantially the same breach recurs within six months, the landlord may end the tenancy on 20 days' written notice without a chance to cure.

If the tenant does not pay, cure, or leave, the landlord files a complaint for eviction in the district court or housing court, and the summons sets a hearing. The tenant can raise defenses at the hearing, including a legal reason for not paying. Rhode Island law prohibits a landlord from taking possession by self-help, including by cutting off heat, water, electricity, gas, or other essential services, and a tenant who is unlawfully removed can recover damages.