Rhode Island Landlord Responsibility Statement

Effective Date: November 1, 2025
Jurisdiction: State of Rhode Island
Applies To: All landlords, property-managers, agents and listing entities using Tentunit to list residential rental properties (including student-housing, young-professional and conventional rentals) in Rhode Island.

1. Purpose

This Statement establishes the operational, legal and ethical obligations that landlords must meet when using the Tentunit platform in Rhode Island. Use of Tentunit constitutes the landlord’s acceptance of this Statement, the Tentunit Terms of Service and Payment Terms, the Fair Housing & Equal Access Policy, and all applicable federal, state and local laws. This document is not legal advice; landlords should consult qualified counsel for full compliance.

2. Listing Accuracy, Transparency & Advertising Standards

Landlords must ensure that all listings on Tentunit are truthful, up-to-date and accurately reflect the unit being offered and the terms.

Required Disclosures:

Disclose monthly rent, lease term (start/end or renewal/notice), earliest availability.
Disclose all one-time and recurring fees: application/screening fees, move-in or administrative fees, pet deposits/fees, parking/amenity fees, utility re-billing/allocation charges.
Disclose security deposit amount (or fee-in-lieu, if permitted) and conditions for withholding, timeframe and process.
Specify utility responsibilities: which utilities tenant pays vs landlord; if sub-metering or allocation is used, method must be described.
Photographs and description must reflect the actual unit being offered, not a model unit unless clearly disclosed and materially equivalent.
Provide screening criteria: income threshold, credit/rental history, guarantor/co-signer policy, student eligibility/roommate policy if applicable.
Availability: Ensure the listing reflects a unit genuinely available; if status changes (leased, held, unavailable) the listing must be promptly updated or removed.

Prohibited Practices:

Advertising units not genuinely available for lease without prompt updating of status.
Misrepresenting key facts: number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage, condition, finishes, view or amenities.
Using “starting at” or “from” pricing without full disclosure of eligibility, timing and unit availability.
Omitting material fees or hiding costs that would mislead a reasonable renter about total cost.
Bait-and-switch: Advertising one unit/terms and then offering materially different ones without full disclosure.

Legal/Regulatory Context:
Rhode Island’s landlord-tenant regime is principally governed by the Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, R.I. Gen. Laws Title 34, Chapter 34-18. Advertising and listing practices must likewise comply with federal truth-in-advertising rules and fair housing law.

3. Fair Housing & Equal Access

Landlords must comply with:

The federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.).
Rhode Island state non-discrimination laws and any applicable local ordinances.
Landlords must:
Apply neutral and consistently enforced screening criteria to all applicants, regardless of protected class (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, familial status).
Provide reasonable accommodations or modifications for persons with disabilities when required by law.
Avoid discriminatory or exclusionary language or practices in advertising, screening, communications or leasing decisions.
Maintain documentation of screening criteria used, decisions made, accommodations/modification requests and how they were addressed.

4. Communication Standards & Platform Responsiveness

To support Tentunit’s student/young-professional rental focus and maintain platform credibility, landlords must maintain documented, timely communication:

Acknowledge listing inquiries, application submissions, maintenance or repair requests via Tentunit (or another documented channel) within 24 hours, and provide a substantive follow-up within 48 hours.
Keep applicants informed of their status (approved, denied, wait-list) and keep tenants informed of scheduled entries, inspections, maintenance or changes in lease/house-rules.
Keep listing information up to date: if rent, fees, availability, utilities, amenities or policies change, update the listing promptly.
Communicate professionally, respectfully and nondiscriminatorily. Repeated failures to respond or abusive/discriminatory conduct may result in listing suspension or account termination by Tentunit.

5. Lease Execution, Legal Compliance & Contract Terms

All leases executed through Tentunit or for units listed on Tentunit in Rhode Island must comply with state law and reflect best-practice standards.

Required Lease Elements & Obligations:

Use a written lease (or properly documented electronic equivalent). While Rhode Island law allows certain periodic tenancy relationships, for platform integrity a written lease is strongly recommended.
Lease must identify the full legal name and address of the landlord/agent for notices and service of process (see R.I. Gen. L. § 34-18-20 et seq.)
Lease must clearly state: rent amount & due date; lease term (fixed or periodic); renewal/termination mechanics; security deposit amount and how it is held & returned; all recurring/one-time fees; utility responsibilities; screening criteria; if applicable student/young-professional provisions (roommate/shared-housing, sub-letting policy, early termination)
Include required disclosures: e.g., federal Lead-Based Paint hazard (for units built before 1978); any Rhode Island required disclosures.
Lease must not include terms that waive the tenant’s statutory rights or permit unlawful “self-help” eviction methods (lock-out, utility shut-off). Rhode Island law prohibits self-help eviction.
Termination/notice provisions must align with Rhode Island law for periodic tenancies (see § 34-18-37) and the statute governing eviction for non-payment or noncompliance.

6. Habitability, Maintenance & Repair Obligations

Landlords must ensure that leased premises are safe, habitable, clean and maintained in accordance with Rhode Island law and best practice.
Key obligations include:

Maintain structural components: roof, walls, floors, windows/doors, stairways/porches, handrails in safe and usable condition. (R.I. Gen. L. § 34-18-22)
Provide and maintain functioning utilities and systems if the lease or law requires: plumbing, electric, sanitation, locks/egress, heating, ventilation.
Respond in a reasonable timeframe to tenant-reported conditions that materially affect health or safety; relevant tenant remedies are provided in §§ 34-18-28 to 34-18-34.
Maintain documentation: repair request date/time, vendor/work-order, completion date/time, tenant notifications, before/after photographs.
Landlord must not retaliate against tenant for exercising legal rights (repair requests, deposit claims, code complaint). R.I. Gen. L. § 34-18-46 prohibits retaliatory conduct.

7. Entry, Inspections & Tenant Privacy

Landlords must respect tenants’ right to quiet enjoyment of the premises and ensure access/entry is lawful, documented and reasonable.

Under § 34-18-26 of the Act landlords may enter for legitimate purposes; while the statute doesn’t establish a fixed statewide notice period, best practice (and recommended) is to provide at least 24 hours’ written notice for non-emergency entry and to limit entry times to reasonable hours (for example 8 a.m.–8 p.m.).
Entry may occur for inspections, repairs, showing unit to prospective tenants/buyers, agreed improvements, or as provided in the lease.
Landlord should document: notice date/time of intent to enter, actual entry date/time, purpose of entry, persons present, condition observed, photographs where feasible.
At move-out, performing a walkthrough inspection with tenant (or documented inspection if tenant declines) and using a condition checklist with photos is strongly recommended to support deposit deduction decisions and avoid disputes.

8. Security Deposit Handling & Administration

Rhode Island law under R.I. Gen. L. § 34-18-19 governs security deposits.

Key Rules:

Maximum deposit amount: A landlord may not demand or receive a security deposit (however denominated) in an amount more than one (1) month’s periodic rent. § 34-18-19(a)
Return timeframe & itemization: Upon termination of tenancy and tenant’s forwarding address provided, landlord must deliver to tenant the remaining funds plus a written itemized list of deductions within 20 days. § 34-18-19(b)
Permissible deductions: Unpaid rent, reasonable cleaning/trash disposal expenses, physical damage beyond ordinary wear and tear caused by tenant’s non-compliance with § 34-18-24 (tenant’s obligations) itemised in writing. § 34-18-19(b)
Penalties for non-compliance: If landlord fails to comply with return provisions, tenant may recover amount due plus damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney’s fees. § 34-18-19(c)
Furnished unit exception: Landlord may charge a separate “furniture security deposit” if furnitures’ replacement value at lease execution exceeds $5,000, in which case that deposit may equal one month’s rent. § 34-18-19(e)-(f)

Tentunit Requirements for Landlords in Rhode Island:

Use a move-in condition checklist, signed by landlord/agent and tenant, with date-stamped photographs and tenant acknowledgement at the start of tenancy.
In listing and lease, clearly disclose: security deposit amount; conditions for deduction; timeframe for return; forwarding address requirement.
Maintain full ledger/documentation: deposit collected date/amount; forwarding address documentation; itemised deduction list (if any); refund date and proof of mail or transfer.
Ensure deposit is refunded (or itemised list + balance) within 20 days after lease termination and tenant provides forwarding address.
Avoid mis-labeling any portion of deposit as “non-refundable” unless lawful and clearly disclosed; ensure transparency in listing and lease.
If property ownership/management changes during tenancy: ensure deposit is either transferred appropriately or otherwise handled with tenant notice per statute. (§ 34-18-19(g))

9. Student-Housing & Young-Professional Specific Standards

Given Tentunit’s focus on student and young-professional rentals, landlords must adopt elevated standards:

In listings clearly disclose: proximity to campus/university, public-transport/parking policy/cost, sub-letting or early-lease release policy, roommate/shared-housing rules if applicable, renewal/non-renewal process.
Provide digital onboarding materials tailored for younger renters: move-in orientation, roommate/house-share rules, utilities-setup instructions, campus/transport orientation, emergency contact information.
Avoid practices that may be viewed as predatory toward students/young-professionals (excessive non-refundable fees, ambiguous early termination clauses, forced guarantor/co-signer without alternatives).
Maintain mobile/app-friendly communication channels expect quick responses, clear roommate/house-rule expectations.
House-rules (shared spaces cleaning, guest/noise policy, roommate obligations) must align with statutory tenant rights and lease; must be clearly disclosed in listing and lease, and enforced consistently and fairly.

10. Documentation, Audit, Compliance & Platform Enforcement

Landlords must maintain institutional-level documentation and operate with transparency; Tentunit retains strong enforcement rights.

Record-Keeping Requirements:
Landlords must maintain, for each unit/tenancy:

Listing metadata: upload date, version history of photos, fee schedule changes, availability updates.
Screening/application logs: inquiry date/time, screening criteria applied, applications received, approvals/denials and communications archived.
Executed lease file: signed lease (digital or paper), any amendments/renewals, disclosures, guarantor/co-signer documentation.
Maintenance/repair logs: tenant request date/time, vendor/work-order number, completion date/time, tenant notification, before/after photos.
Entry/inspection logs: notice sent date/time, actual entry date/time, purpose of entry, persons present, condition observed, photos where applicable.
Security deposit records: deposit amount & date collected; forwarding address documentation; itemised deduction statements (if any); refund date & proof of mailing/ transfer.
Communication logs: tenant-landlord messages via Tentunit portal or other documented channel: listing inquiries, application status updates, maintenance scheduling, entries/inspection notices, lease renewal/termination communications.

Enforcement Rights of Tentunit:
Tentunit may:

Audit landlord compliance (listing practices, lease documentation, maintenance/entry logs, deposit handling) at any time without prior notice.
Suspend or remove listings for material or repeated non-compliance with this Statement, Tentunit policies or Rhode Island/federal law.
Freeze or withhold landlord payouts tied to units flagged for unresolved compliance issues (e.g., deposit disputes, habitability complaints).
Terminate landlord’s platform account permanently for serious or repeated violations.
Report non-compliance or unlawful conduct to relevant regulatory agencies (e.g., Rhode Island Housing, state enforcement offices) if applicable.
Seek recovery of damages, attorney’s fees and enforcement costs where permitted by law.

11. Indemnification

Landlord shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Tentunit, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents and contractors from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to:

Landlord’s breach of this Statement or any Tentunit policy;
Landlord’s violation of federal, state or local housing or landlord-tenant laws/regulations;
Landlord’s mis-representation of listing, unit condition, availability, terms or fees;
Tenant claims or disputes arising from landlord’s acts or omissions;
Platform investigations or regulatory enforcement triggered by landlord non-compliance.

12. Governing Law & Reference Statutes

Rhode Island Statutory & Reference Materials:

R.I. Gen. L. § 34-18-19 – Security deposits: cap, return timeframe, deductions, penalties. Justia Law+1
Chapter 34-18 – Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Index) § 34-18-20 Disclosure; § 34-18-22 Landlord to maintain premises; § 34-18-26 Access; § 34-18-46 Retaliatory conduct. Rhode Island General Assembly+1
Practical guides: Rhode Island Landlord-Tenant Handbook (RI Judiciary, September 2024) Housing Rhode Island
Deposit rights summary: Rhode Island Legal Services “Your Security Deposit Rights” Rhode Island Legal Services

Federal Law Foundations:

Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.)
Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (for dwellings built before 1978)
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) for eligible tenants