Chapter 265

2018 -- S 2695 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 07/02/2018

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PROPERTY

Introduced By: Senator Erin Lynch Prata

Date Introduced: March 20, 2018

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 34-18-22.3 of the General Laws in Chapter 34-18 entitled

"Residential Landlord and Tenant Act" is hereby amended to read as follows:

34-18-22.3. Nonresident landlord to designate agent for service of process.

A landlord who is not a resident of this state shall designate and continuously maintain an

agent upon whom service may be made of any process, notice, or demand required or permitted

by law to be served, including, but not limited to, notices of minimum housing code violations.

The agent shall be a resident of this state or a corporation authorized to do business in this state.

The landlord's designation shall be in writing, shall include the name and address of the agent,

shall include the street address of each property designated to said the agent, and shall be filed

with the secretary of state and with the clerk of the city or town wherein the dwelling unit is

located. If a Any landlord who fails to comply with the requirements of this section, rent for the

dwelling unit abates until designation of an agent is made and the landlord shall be subject to a

civil fine of up to five hundred ($500) dollars per violation one hundred dollars ($100) per month

up to a maximum of one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) in a calendar year or if the

monthly rent exceeds one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200), the civil fine shall be one

month's rent for the calendar year, payable to the municipality.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on September 1, 2018.

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LC004123/SUB A

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