Bills affecting Renter in Rhode Island — 2026 session

Requires landlords who rent shoreline property to provide their tenants, before the start of the tenancy, with a detailed, written disclosure regarding their shoreline access rights.

Allows a tenant to pay an increased security deposit in monthly increments over the course of a twelve (12) month period.

Spells out the responsibilities of both the landlord and tenant with respect to the inspection and treatment of bed bugs in residential premises.

Increases the notification time about rent increases and termination of tenancy for month-to-month tenants.

Removes the five (5) year waiting period for filing a motion to seal an eviction court file. It also deletes the numerical limitation on filing seal requests.

Limits rent increases to 4% annually, but allows an additional increase for taxes, insurance, or health and safety costs if the landlord gets an exemption from the secretary of housing, and provides tenants civil remedies for violations.

Prohibits a landlord from removing a tenant from any housing accommodation, or attempt such removal or exclusion from possession.

Provides that landlords would pay interest on security deposits in residential landlord-tenant matters.

Grants tenants that are the victim of various forms of abuse including, but not limited to, sexual and domestic abuse and stalking, the right to terminate a lease agreement early without penalty or liability for rent.

Adds a provision that allows a tenant to pay the last month's rent or any other prepaid rent. It also increases the amount that a security deposit can be requested from one to two (2) months of rent.

Requires landlords to register certain information for residential properties constructed prior to 1978 with the department of health on a statewide registry and defines which information may be viewed on a public database.

Allows sealing of eviction records for defective complaint or lack of jurisdiction for individuals between the ages of eighteen (18) and twenty-one (21) who didn't sign the lease.

Requires landlords to provide a receipt upon receiving a cash payment for rent from a tenant.

Provides for the sealing of eviction records under certain circumstances.

Provides for just cause evictions for residential landlord tenancies.

Prohibits the use of algorithmic pricing by landlords to determine the amount of rent to charge a residential tenant.

Requires effective January 1, 2027, that upon the execution of a lease agreement for a mobile and manufactured homes in a mobile and manufactured home park, a complete copy of the lease be provided to the tenant within 10 days of execution.

Permits a tenant, at the tenant’s expense, to implement energy conservation measures to any dwelling or dwelling unit such as removable weather-stripping around doors and windows.

Creates the division of civil representation within the department of housing and require civil representation by a Designated Legal Organization to provide legal representation to all tenants who qualify in eviction proceedings.

Prohibits cities or towns that implement a rent control ordinance from raising property taxes and such prohibition would last for as long as the rent control ordinance is in effect.