Security Deposit Return Deadlines & Deductions in Rhode Island
At a glance
| Governing law | R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19 (residential and furniture deposits) |
|---|---|
| Deadline to return the deposit | Notice and balance within 20 days after latest of termination, possession or forwarding address; same for furniture deposit (§ 34-18-19(b), (f)) |
| Itemized statement required? | Written itemization of ordinary deposit deductions with balance; furniture deposit requires notice with balance (§ 34-18-19(b), (f)) |
| What can be deducted | Ordinary: accrued rent, reasonable cleaning/trash and non-wear physical damage tied to § 34-18-24; furniture: cleaning, repair, non-wear damage (§ 34-18-19(b), (f)) |
| Maximum deposit amount | One month's periodic rent; qualifying furniture worth at least $5,000 permits separate one-month furniture deposit (§ 34-18-19(a), (e)) |
| Interest on the deposit? | No interest duty stated in § 34-18-19 |
| Penalty for a late/bad-faith withholding | Amount due plus twice amount wrongfully withheld and reasonable attorney fees for failure under subsection (b) (§ 34-18-19(c)) |
| Separate account or bond required? | No separate-account or bond duty stated in § 34-18-19 |
Requirements one by one
Return and itemization
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(b) requires the landlord to deliver a written notice itemizing deductions, together with the ordinary deposit balance, within 20 days after the latest of tenancy termination, delivery of possession or the tenant's provision of a forwarding address for the deposit. The statute also gives a qualifying furniture deposit its own notice-and-balance duty on the same timeline in § 34-18-19(f).
Deductions
For the ordinary deposit, § 34-18-19(b) allows unpaid accrued rent, reasonable cleaning and trash disposal expenses, and physical damage beyond ordinary wear and tear caused by noncompliance with the tenant duties in § 34-18-24. The furniture deposit may cover reasonable cleaning and repair and physical furniture damage beyond ordinary wear and tear under § 34-18-19(f).
Amount and remedy
Section 34-18-19(a) caps the ordinary deposit at one month's periodic rent. If furniture furnished with the apartment had a replacement value of at least $5,000 when the lease was executed, § 34-18-19(e) permits a separate furniture deposit of up to one month's periodic rent. R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(c) lets a tenant recover the amount due, damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld and reasonable attorney fees when the landlord fails to comply with subsection (b).
What trips people up
The forwarding address is one of three events in the deadline clause: the clock runs from whichever occurs last. Keep evidence of when the landlord received it. The separate furniture deposit has its own deduction categories; its money should not simply be treated as an extension of the ordinary deposit for rent or trash charges.
Common questions
Can a landlord deduct ordinary wear? No. Subsections (b) and (f) both exclude ordinary wear and tear from physical-damage deductions.
Does the landlord owe interest? Section 34-18-19 states no interest duty for either deposit.
Does the landlord have to keep the deposit in a separate account? Section 34-18-19 states no separate-account or bond duty.
Statutes and sources
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19(a)-(c), (e)-(f) — ordinary and furniture deposits, return, deductions and remedies. https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE34/34-18/34-18-19.htm (accessed 2026-10-07)
Source links
Every statute quoted above, linked, with the date we checked it.
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