What happens if a tenant breaks a lease in Rhode Island?
In Rhode Island, when a tenant abandons the dwelling unit, the landlord must send a certified letter to the tenant’s last known address and, if the tenant does not reply within seven days, make reasonable efforts to rent the premises at a fair rental. The letter gives notice that the landlord will re-rent the premises unless a reply is received from the tenant within seven days. If the landlord does not use reasonable efforts to rent the unit at a fair rental, or accepts the abandonment as a surrender, the rental agreement is treated as terminated by the landlord on the date the landlord has notice of the abandonment. Separately, federal law lets a servicemember end a lease early after receiving qualifying military orders. This is R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-40.
| What | Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Landlord’s duty to re-rent | Required by statute |
| What it means | The landlord must make reasonable efforts to re-rent |
Source
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-40
Read the statute in the Rhode Island General Laws (Rhode Island General Assembly): webserver.rilegislature.gov.
Checked against the statute on November 13, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
Seayora keeps every lease’s term, rent and signers in one record and dates every change to it. This page states the state’s rule so a lease’s own early-termination and sublet clauses can be checked against it before the lease is signed.
Guides on this rule
- Breaking a Lease by State: What the Tenant Owes — What a tenant owes after leaving a lease early, and the 34 states whose statutes say whether the landlord must try to re-rent the home.
Compare this rule in every state
More Rhode Island rules
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- How much notice must a landlord give to end a tenancy in Rhode Island?
- How much can a landlord charge for a rental application fee in Rhode Island?
- What are squatters’ rights in Rhode Island?
- Can a landlord refuse a Section 8 voucher in Rhode Island?
- Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Rhode Island?
- Can a tenant repair and deduct from rent in Rhode Island?
- Do contractors charge sales tax in Rhode Island?
- Every Rhode Island rule on one page
The same question in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Kansas