Allows a tenant to pay an increased security deposit in monthly increments over the course of a twelve (12) month period.
Summary
H5127 amends Rhode Island’s Residential Landlord and Tenant Act to regulate security deposits and the handling of deposit increases. The bill keeps the general rule that a landlord may not require a security deposit greater than one month’s rent, but adds a new protection for existing tenants whose rent is increased: if the landlord also raises the security deposit, the tenant may pay the increase in prorated monthly installments over a 12-month period rather than all at once.
The bill also restates and organizes the rules for returning security deposits at the end of a tenancy. Landlords must provide an itemized written notice and return any balance within 20 days after the tenancy ends, possession is delivered, or the tenant provides a forwarding address, whichever is later. It preserves the landlord’s ability to deduct unpaid rent, reasonable cleaning and trash disposal costs, and damage beyond ordinary wear and tear, and it continues the existing penalty for wrongful withholding of deposits, including double damages and attorney’s fees. The bill also maintains special rules for furnished apartments, allowing a separate furniture security deposit in limited circumstances, and prohibits lease terms that waive these protections.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would amend § 34-18-19 of the Rhode Island General Laws and directly affect residential landlords and tenants statewide. Its main practical effect is to ease the financial burden on tenants facing rent increases by allowing any corresponding security deposit increase to be paid over time, while leaving the maximum deposit cap at one month’s rent and preserving existing landlord remedies for unpaid rent and property damage. It would also reaffirm the statutory procedures and deadlines governing deposit returns and penalties for noncompliance.
Sentiment
The available context suggests generally favorable treatment of the bill, with no recorded opposition, committee debate, or vote history in the materials provided. The caption and text indicate a tenant-protection measure aimed at reducing upfront housing costs, which typically aligns with consumer and renter advocacy interests. Because there are no transcripts or votes, there is no documented public controversy in the provided record.
Contention
The principal policy issue is the balance between tenant affordability and landlord cash-flow or risk management. Supporters would likely favor the installment option as a way to prevent sudden, large upfront costs when rents rise, while landlords may be concerned about delayed receipt of security deposit funds and the administrative complexity of tracking installment payments. The bill does not change the landlord’s ability to collect damages or withhold amounts for legitimate deductions, so any contention appears limited to the timing of payment rather than the underlying right to collect a security deposit.