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H 7655Real Estate

Property - Residential Landlord and Tenant Act

This bill sets the limit a tenant can deduct from rent for self-help repairs at $500 per year.

Held for study
Population
Affected
25
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 11, 2026Committee House Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends the "Residential Landlord and Tenant Act" regarding the "self-help" repair process. Currently, if a landlord fails to make necessary repairs to keep a rental unit in a fit and habitable condition, a tenant may arrange for the repairs themselves and deduct the cost from their rent. This bill sets the maximum amount a tenant can deduct for these repairs at $500 per year. The tenant must still provide the landlord with written notice and allow time for the landlord to comply before taking action, and must provide an itemized statement of the costs.

For younger readers

When a family rents a home, the owner (landlord) is responsible for fixing things that break, like a window or a heater. Sometimes, a landlord might ignore the problem. This law allows the family living there to hire someone to fix the problem themselves if the landlord won't do it. They can then take the money they spent on the repair out of the rent payment they owe the landlord. This bill says the family is allowed to use up to $500 of rent money per year to pay for these kinds of repairs.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
TenantsLandlordsProperty ManagersRepair ContractorsHousing Courts
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Empowers tenants, particularly those with lower incomes, by providing a financial mechanism to address immediate health and safety issues in their homes without waiting for a negligent landlord.
  • Holds landlords accountable for their property maintenance obligations, ensuring that they cannot simply ignore code violations while continuing to collect full rent.
  • Improves the quality and safety of the housing supply in the community by facilitating necessary repairs that might otherwise be deferred indefinitely.
  • The five hundred dollar annual limit may be insufficient to cover the actual costs of many necessary repairs in the current economic climate, potentially leaving tenants with unresolved issues.
  • Places the burden of organizing repairs and fronting the money on the tenant, which may be difficult for the most economically disadvantaged individuals who lack upfront cash.
  • Does not strictly prevent informal retaliation from landlords, such as non-renewal of leases, against tenants who choose to exercise this right.
For Conservatives
  • Promotes a private sector solution to contract disputes, reducing the need for government intervention or taxpayer-funded code enforcement inspections.
  • Helps maintain the value of real estate assets by ensuring that maintenance issues are addressed promptly rather than allowing the property to deteriorate.
  • Establishes a firm cap on deductions, protecting property owners from facing excessive or unauthorized renovation costs imposed by tenants.
  • Infringes on the property rights of owners by allowing tenants to authorize modifications or work on the property without the owner's direct supervision or specific consent.
  • Interferes with the freedom of contract between private parties by dictating terms regarding repair remedies and rent withholding.
  • Creates a potential avenue for abuse where tenants might hire unqualified friends or inflate costs to reduce their rent obligations unfairly.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 8 additions

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 the tenant’s expense, implement energy conservation measures in any dwelling or dwelling unit to include, but not be 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.