The bill amends the "Residential Landlord and Tenant Act" in Rhode Island to update notice requirements for terminating various types of tenancies and to enhance tenant protections during eviction proceedings. A new section, 34-18-37, establishes that week-to-week tenancies require a ten-day written notice for termination, while month-to-month tenancies will now require sixty days' notice, or one hundred twenty days for tenants aged sixty-two or older. The notice period for year-to-year tenancies remains at three months. Additionally, section 34-18-56 is modified to include standardized notices for nonpayment of rent, noncompliance with rental agreements, and termination of tenancy, while removing certain phrases about the end of the rental period and emphasizing the tenant's obligation to pay rent until the termination date.

The bill also introduces new legal language regarding eviction procedures, requiring landlords to include a "Proof of Service" and a "Certificate of Service" in eviction summonses, detailing how the complaint was delivered to tenants. It mandates that landlords provide tenants with a blank "TENANT'S ANSWER" form in eviction actions, allowing them to assert defenses and file a "COUNTERCLAIM" for damages. Furthermore, the notification period for rent increases and termination of tenancy for month-to-month tenants is increased, ensuring tenants have adequate time to respond to changes. Overall, these amendments aim to streamline the eviction process, enhance clarity, and promote fairness in landlord-tenant relationships in Rhode Island.

Statutes affected:
719: 34-18-37, 34-18-56