2025 -- S 0058

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT

     Introduced By: Senators Gu, DiMario, Murray, Mack, Kallman, Burke, and Bissaillon

     Date Introduced: January 23, 2025

     Referred To: Senate Housing & Municipal Government

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 34-18-30 of the General Laws in Chapter 34-18 entitled "Residential

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

     34-18-30. Self-help for limited repairs.

     (a) If the landlord fails to comply with § 34-18-22(a)(1), (2), (4), (5), or (6), and the

reasonable cost of compliance is less than five hundred dollars ($500) in the aggregate per year,

the tenant may cause repairs to be done in a skilled manner, in compliance with applicable state

and local codes, and deduct from the tenant’s rent the actual and reasonable cost or the fair and

reasonable value of the repairs if:

     (1) The tenant notifies the landlord of the tenant’s intention to correct the condition at the

landlord’s expense; and

     (2) The landlord fails to comply within twenty (20) days, or fails to demonstrate ongoing,

good faith efforts to comply, after being notified by the tenant in writing; or, in the case of

emergency, the landlord either cannot be reached by the tenant, or the landlord fails to comply as

promptly as conditions require; and

     (3) The tenant submits an itemized statement to the landlord of the cost or the fair and

reasonable value of the repairs made.

     (b) A tenant may not repair at the landlord’s expense if the condition was caused by the

deliberate or negligent act or omission of the tenant, a member of the tenant’s family, or other

person on the premises with the tenant’s consent.

     (c) A tenant may, at tenant’s expense, implement energy conservation measures in any

dwelling or dwelling unit to include, but not limited to, removable weather-stripping around doors

and windows, removable interior storm windows, or insulation wrap around hot water heating

tanks. This section shall not apply to any group living unit, hotel unit or rooming unit.

     (d) Subsection (c) of this section shall not be construed to authorize the tenant to make

structural changes to a building or otherwise restrict the availability to the tenant of other legal

remedies.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO PROPERTY -- RESIDENTIAL LANDLORD AND TENANT ACT

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     This act would permit 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, removable interior storm windows, or insulation wrap around hot water heating tanks.

This section would not permit a tenant to make structural changes to any building.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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