Can a tenant repair and deduct from rent in Rhode Island?
Yes, within limits. In Rhode Island, if a landlord does not make certain required repairs within twenty days after written notice, or show ongoing good-faith efforts, the tenant may have them done in a skilled manner and to code and deduct the cost, up to $500 in total a year, after giving the landlord an itemized statement. The $500 annual limit took effect on January 1, 2024. Each step has to be followed as the statute sets it out, including the written notice and the waiting period, or the deduction can be treated as unpaid rent. This is R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-30.
| What | Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Repair and deduct | Allowed by statute, within a cap |
| Limit | Up to $500 a year |
Source
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-30
Read the statute in the Rhode Island General Laws (Rhode Island General Assembly): webserver.rilegislature.gov.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 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
Every deadline on this page runs from the tenant’s notice. A repair request filed in Seayora keeps the date it was made and every update after it, on the website and both phone apps, so owner and tenant are working from the same date.
Guides on this rule
- How Long Does a Landlord Have to Make Repairs? Deadlines by State — Repair deadlines after a tenant’s notice in Washington, Texas, Arizona, Oregon, California and Florida, and what a tenant may do if the landlord misses one.
Compare this rule in every state
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