Rhode Island 30-Day Notice of Termination of Periodic Tenancy (No-Cause)

THIRTY (30) DAY NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF PERIODIC TENANCY — RHODE ISLAND

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Notice Header and Recipient Information
2. Statement of Authority
3. Identification of Premises and Tenancy
4. Notice of Termination
5. Demand for Possession and Move-Out Logistics
6. Security Deposit Disclosures
7. Tenant Rights, Defenses, and Required Disclosures
8. Reservation of Rights
9. Service / Mailing Information
10. Signature Block
11. Certificate of Mailing
12. Rhode Island Practice Notes
13. Sources and References

1. NOTICE HEADER AND RECIPIENT INFORMATION

TO: [TENANT NAME(S) — INCLUDE EVERY PERSON NAMED ON THE LEASE AND EVERY ADULT OCCUPANT]
[Address Line 1]
[City], Rhode Island [Zip]

FROM: [LANDLORD / OWNER LEGAL NAME]
[Mailing Address]
[City], [State] [Zip]
Telephone: [____________________]

DATE OF MAILING / DELIVERY: [__/__/____]

EFFECTIVE TERMINATION DATE (NOT LESS THAN 30 DAYS AFTER DELIVERY; COINCIDING WITH A RENT-PERIOD END DATE): [__/__/____]

2. STATEMENT OF AUTHORITY

This Thirty (30) Day Notice of Termination of Periodic Tenancy ("Notice") is given pursuant to Rhode Island General Laws § 34-18-37 and is in substantially the form prescribed by R.I.G.L. § 34-18-56(c).

You are hereby formally notified as follows.

3. IDENTIFICATION OF PREMISES AND TENANCY

3.1. Premises. The dwelling unit subject to this Notice is located at:

[FULL STREET ADDRESS, INCLUDING UNIT / APARTMENT NUMBER]
[City], Rhode Island [Zip]
(the "Premises").

3.2. Tenancy. You occupy the Premises pursuant to a [☐ month-to-month tenancy ☐ week-to-week tenancy ☐ other periodic tenancy more than a month but less than a year] arising from a [☐ written lease dated __/__/____ that has expired and continued by holdover ☐ oral rental agreement ☐ holdover from a prior fixed term] (the "Rental Agreement").

3.3. Periodic Rent. The agreed periodic rent is $[__________] per [☐ month ☐ week ☐ other: __________], due on the [____] day of each [☐ month ☐ week].

4. NOTICE OF TERMINATION

4.1. Termination. Pursuant to R.I.G.L. § 34-18-37, you are hereby notified that the Rental Agreement and your tenancy of the Premises shall terminate on [__/__/____] (the "Termination Date"), which is not less than thirty (30) days after the date this Notice is delivered/mailed.

4.2. Statutory Form Language (R.I.G.L. § 34-18-56(c)). Notice is hereby given that your tenancy of the Premises shall terminate on the Termination Date set forth above. Unless you vacate the Premises on or before the Termination Date, the Landlord may commence an eviction action against you in the appropriate Rhode Island District Court.

4.3. No-Cause Termination. This Notice is given without specification of cause and is not predicated on any allegation of breach. The Landlord expressly disclaims any retaliatory or discriminatory motive for this Notice.

5. DEMAND FOR POSSESSION AND MOVE-OUT LOGISTICS

5.1. Surrender of Possession. On or before the Termination Date, you are required to:

• Vacate the Premises;
• Remove all personal property;
• Surrender all keys, garage door openers, mail keys, and access devices to the Landlord;
• Leave the Premises in clean and broom-swept condition (consistent with R.I.G.L. § 34-18-24).

5.2. Forwarding Address. Please provide a forwarding mailing address in writing to the Landlord on or before the Termination Date so that the security deposit accounting and any refund may be sent to you in compliance with R.I.G.L. § 34-18-19.

Forwarding Address: [____________________________________________]

5.3. Move-Out Inspection. The Landlord [☐ offers ☐ does not offer] a pre-move-out walk-through inspection. To schedule, contact: [_______________].

6. SECURITY DEPOSIT DISCLOSURES

6.1. Cap. R.I.G.L. § 34-18-19(b) caps the security deposit at one (1) month's periodic rent.

6.2. 20-Day Return. Within twenty (20) days after the later of (a) termination of the tenancy, (b) delivery of possession to the Landlord, or (c) the tenant's providing the Landlord with a forwarding address, the Landlord shall deliver to the tenant an itemized statement of any damage and the balance of the security deposit, if any.

6.3. Statutory Damages. If the Landlord fails to comply with the 20-day requirement, the tenant may recover the amount due plus damages equal to twice (2x) the amount wrongfully withheld plus reasonable attorney's fees.

6.4. Permitted Deductions. The Landlord may deduct from the deposit only for unpaid rent, damages caused by the tenant's noncompliance with R.I.G.L. § 34-18-24 (beyond ordinary wear and tear), and amounts otherwise authorized by R.I.G.L. § 34-18-19.

7. TENANT RIGHTS, DEFENSES, AND REQUIRED DISCLOSURES

7.1. No Self-Help (§ 34-18-44). The Landlord may NOT regain possession by lockout, removal of doors or windows, utility shutoff, removal of the tenant's possessions, or any other means outside of a District Court eviction proceeding. Unlawful ouster or willful diminution of services exposes the Landlord under § 34-18-34 to the greater of three (3) months' periodic rent or threefold actual damages, plus reasonable attorney's fees.

7.2. No Retaliation (§ 34-18-46). A complaint to a code official, complaint to the Landlord about housing-code or § 34-18-22 violations, organizing or joining a tenant union, or other protected activity within the six (6) months before this Notice creates a rebuttable presumption that this Notice was retaliatory. The presumption may be rebutted only by evidence of a non-retaliatory motive sufficient to support a finding to the contrary.

7.3. No Discrimination. The Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act, R.I.G.L. § 34-37 et seq., and the federal Fair Housing Act, 42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq., prohibit termination motivated by race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, lawful source of income (including Section 8 / HCV vouchers, SSI, SSDI, TANF, child support, alimony, and other public assistance), familial status, disability, age, ancestry, national origin, military or veteran status, or status as a victim of domestic abuse.

7.4. Subsidized-Housing Good Cause. If you receive Section 8 HCV/PBV, public housing, project-based Section 8, LIHTC, USDA RD, or other federal subsidy, federal regulations require GOOD CAUSE for termination and may render this no-cause notice inoperative. Consult counsel regarding 24 C.F.R. parts 247, 880, 882, 966, and program-specific regulations.

7.5. Right to Hearing. If the Landlord files an eviction action after the Termination Date, you are entitled to a hearing in Rhode Island District Court at which you may assert all defenses, including notice-defect, retaliation, discrimination, and warranty-of-habitability defenses.

7.6. Right to Counsel and Free Legal Assistance. Rhode Island Legal Services (1-800-662-5034), the Rhode Island Center for Justice, the Providence Eviction Defense Program, Operation Stand Down RI (for veterans), and HelpRILaw.org provide free or reduced-cost representation to qualifying tenants.

8. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

This Notice is given without prejudice to, and the Landlord expressly reserves, all rights and remedies available under the Rental Agreement, R.I.G.L. chapter 34-18, the Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act, the federal Fair Housing Act, and other applicable law, including the right to:

• Recover all rent and additional rent that accrues through the date possession is restored;
• Recover holdover damages, use-and-occupancy charges, and damages for waste;
• Recover court costs and statutory interest;
• Pursue separate actions for property damage and nuisance;
• Pursue any other remedy provided at law or in equity.

Acceptance of any payment after the Termination Date shall be applied to use and occupancy and shall not be construed as the creation of a new tenancy or as a waiver of this Notice, provided that the Landlord clearly communicates this characterization at the time of acceptance.

9. SERVICE / MAILING INFORMATION

This Notice is being delivered to you by:

• ☐ U.S. First-Class Mail to your last known address (date posted: [__/__/____])
• ☐ U.S. Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested, Article No. [____________________]
• ☐ Hand delivery to the Premises (received by: [____________________] on [__/__/____])
• ☐ Posting on a conspicuous part of the Premises (date posted: [__/__/____])

10. SIGNATURE BLOCK

Executed this [____] day of [___________], 20[____].

LANDLORD / AUTHORIZED AGENT

Signature: [____________________________________________]

Printed name: [____________________________________________]

Title / Capacity: ☐ Owner ☐ Property Manager ☐ Authorized Agent ☐ Attorney for Landlord

Address: [____________________________________________]

Telephone: [_______________] Email: [_______________________]

11. CERTIFICATE OF MAILING

I, [__________________________________], certify that on [__/__/____] I caused a true and correct copy of this Notice to be deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the Tenant(s) at the Premises and at any other last known address of the Tenant(s) listed below, by U.S. First-Class Mail and by Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested (Article No. [____________________]).

Tenant Mailing Address(es):

1. [____________________________________________]
2. [____________________________________________]

Signature: [____________________________________________]
Date: [__/__/____]

12. RHODE ISLAND PRACTICE NOTES

12.1. Periodic-Tenancy Only. § 34-18-37 applies to month-to-month tenancies, week-to-week tenancies, and any periodic tenancy of more than a month but less than a year. It does NOT terminate a fixed-term lease before its expiration; for that you need a § 34-18-36 notice (cure or quit) for cause.

12.2. Termination Date Alignment. Best practice is to terminate at the end of a rent period: for monthly tenancies, the last day of a calendar month; for weekly, the last day of a rent week. Mid-period termination is sometimes accepted but invites attack.

12.3. 30-Day Floor — Counting. Count from the date of mailing/delivery, not the date the tenant receives the notice. A notice mailed on April 26 with a Termination Date of May 26 is the bare minimum; landlords routinely build in extra days.

12.4. Pending Legislation Watch. The Rhode Island General Assembly has periodically introduced bills (e.g., 2026 H 7765) extending the periodic-tenancy notice to 60 days (or 120 days for tenants 62+). Check current law on webserver.rilegislature.gov before mailing.

12.5. Subsidized Housing — Good-Cause Required. Section 8 HCV/PBV, project-based Section 8, public housing, LIHTC, and USDA RD tenancies require good cause for termination under federal regulation. A bare § 34-18-37 no-cause notice is insufficient and HUD-compliant content is required.

12.6. Local Just-Cause Ordinances. Confirm whether the Premises is subject to a Providence rent-stabilization or eviction-protection ordinance, or any Pawtucket / Central Falls / Cranston / Warwick local protection. Ezel users should verify with the relevant municipal clerk.

12.7. Retaliation Presumption. § 34-18-46 creates a 6-month rebuttable presumption of retaliation. Document the legitimate business reason for termination contemporaneously (sale, owner move-in, removing unit from market, family member move-in, substantial renovation, etc.). The presumption shifts the burden of persuasion.

12.8. Discrimination Risk Even Without Cause. A no-cause termination is unlawful if motivated by a protected characteristic. Source-of-income discrimination (refusing Section 8 vouchers) is a frequent flashpoint in Rhode Island; the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights and HUD enforce both state and federal protections.

12.9. Acceptance of Rent After Termination Date. Unconditional acceptance of rent for any period after the Termination Date generally creates a new tenancy and waives the notice. Use clear "use and occupancy / without waiver" language at the time of acceptance.

12.10. Five-Day Appeal. A District Court eviction judgment is appealable to Superior Court for trial de novo on all questions of law and fact under R.I.G.L. § 9-12-10.1, with a strict 5 calendar-day appeal window. Rent must continue to be paid into the registry during appeal.

13. SOURCES AND REFERENCES

Statutes

• R.I.G.L. § 34-18-1 et seq. — Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
• R.I.G.L. § 34-18-15 — Terms and conditions of rental agreement
• R.I.G.L. § 34-18-19 — Security deposits
• R.I.G.L. § 34-18-22 — Landlord to maintain premises
• R.I.G.L. § 34-18-24 — Tenant to maintain dwelling unit
• R.I.G.L. § 34-18-34 — Tenant's remedies for landlord's unlawful ouster
• R.I.G.L. § 34-18-37 — Termination of periodic tenancy
• R.I.G.L. § 34-18-44 — Self-help recovery of possession prohibited
• R.I.G.L. § 34-18-46 — Retaliatory conduct prohibited
• R.I.G.L. § 34-18-47 — Appeals
• R.I.G.L. § 34-18-49 — Payment of rent on stay of execution
• R.I.G.L. § 34-18-56 — Notices and complaint forms
• R.I.G.L. § 34-37 et seq. — Rhode Island Fair Housing Practices Act
• R.I.G.L. § 31-44 — Mobile and Manufactured Homes Act
• R.I.G.L. § 9-12-10.1 — Claim of appeal in landlord-tenant actions
• 42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq. — Federal Fair Housing Act
• 24 C.F.R. Parts 247, 880, 882, 966 — HUD subsidized-housing regulations

Court Rules and Forms

• Rhode Island District Court Civil Rules
• District Court Form DC-53 — Answer (Defendant-Tenant)

Official and Authoritative Resources

• Rhode Island General Assembly — webserver.rilegislature.gov
• Rhode Island Judiciary, District Court — courts.ri.gov
• Rhode Island Landlord-Tenant Handbook — University of Rhode Island
• Rhode Island Legal Services (1-800-662-5034) — rils.org
• Rhode Island Center for Justice — centerforjustice.org
• Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights — richr.ri.gov
• HelpRILaw.org — eviction self-help materials
• Operation Stand Down RI (OSDRI) — eviction defense for veterans
• City of Providence — Tenant Bill of Rights / source-of-income protections

END OF NOTICE