2025 -- S 0058
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LC000199
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
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 1
Landlord and Tenant Act" is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
34-18-30. Self-help for limited repairs. 3
(a) If the landlord fails to comply with § 34-18-22(a)(1), (2), (4), (5), or (6), and the 4
reasonable cost of compliance is less than five hundred dollars ($500) in the aggregate per year, 5
the tenant may cause repairs to be done in a skilled manner, in compliance with applicable state 6
and local codes, and deduct from the tenant’s rent the actual and reasonable cost or the fair and 7
reasonable value of the repairs if: 8
(1) The tenant notifies the landlord of the tenant’s intention to correct the condition at the 9
landlord’s expense; and 10
(2) The landlord fails to comply within twenty (20) days, or fails to demonstrate ongoing, 11
good faith efforts to comply, after being notified by the tenant in writing; or, in the case of 12
emergency, the landlord either cannot be reached by the tenant, or the landlord fails to comply as 13
promptly as conditions require; and 14
(3) The tenant submits an itemized statement to the landlord of the cost or the fair and 15
reasonable value of the repairs made. 16
(b) A tenant may not repair at the landlord’s expense if the condition was caused by the 17
deliberate or negligent act or omission of the tenant, a member of the tenant’s family, or other 18
person on the premises with the tenant’s consent. 19
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(c) A tenant may, at tenant’s expense, implement energy conservation measures in any 1
dwelling or dwelling unit to include, but not limited to, removable weather-stripping around doors 2
and windows, removable interior storm windows, or insulation wrap around hot water heating 3
tanks. This section shall not apply to any group living unit, hotel unit or rooming unit. 4
(d) Subsection (c) of this section shall not be construed to authorize the tenant to make 5
structural changes to a building or otherwise restrict the availability to the tenant of other legal 6
remedies. 7
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 8
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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 1
measures to any dwelling or dwelling unit such as removable weather-stripping around doors and 2
windows, removable interior storm windows, or insulation wrap around hot water heating tanks. 3
This section would not permit a tenant to make structural changes to any building. 4
This act would take effect upon passage. 5
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