R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18 § 34-18-23
Limitation of liability upon sale or change of management
Operative Text
(a)(1) A landlord who conveys premises that include a dwelling unit subject to a rental agreement in a good faith sale to a bona fide purchaser is relieved of liability under the rental agreement and this chapter as to events occurring after written notice to the tenant of the conveyance. In no event may the relief from liability predate the conveyance itself. (2) Written notice, for purposes of this section, must include the name(s), address, and telephone number of the person or persons purchasing the property and assuming liability. To be effective, the written notice must also certify compliance with § 45-24.3-17 that prohibits sale or lease of property until any outstanding housing code violations have been corrected or the seller or lessor has provided to the buyer or lessee, as well as to the enforcing officer, all notices regarding violations as required by the statute. (b) A manager of premises that include a dwelling unit is relieved of liability under the rental agreement and this chapter as to events occurring after written notice to the tenant of the termination of his or her management. The written notice must include the name(s), address, and telephone number of the person or persons assuming management and/or the person or persons within the state exercising ownership or responsibility over the property. (c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the tenant's rights and duties under an existing rental agreement, and the purchaser of property or any immediate successor in interest to a mortgagor, other than a third-party, bona fide purchaser, of a premises containing four (4) or fewer dwelling units takes title subject to the same rights and responsibilities toward the tenant that the seller or mortgagor had.
Rhode Island General Laws § 34-18-23 establishes how liability shifts when rental property is sold or changes management. A selling landlord is released from obligations under the rental agreement and Chapter 34-18 only after providing the tenant with written notice that includes the new owner's name, address, and phone number, and that certifies compliance with housing-code-violation disclosure rules under § 45-24.3-17; relief cannot take effect before the actual conveyance date. Similarly, a departing property manager is released from liability only after giving the tenant written notice identifying who is taking over management. Importantly, a new owner of a property with four or fewer units steps into the prior landlord's shoes and inherits the same rights and responsibilities toward existing tenants.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 34-18-23, property owners and managers who are transferring a rental property or ending a management relationship generally provide tenants with timely written notice that includes the successor's full name, address, and telephone number before expecting any release from ongoing liability. Sellers also typically certify in that notice that they have complied with § 45-24.3-17's requirements regarding outstanding housing code violations—either correcting them or providing the required disclosures to the buyer and the enforcing officer. Operators acquiring a property with four or fewer units should be aware that they take title subject to the existing tenants' rights and the prior owner's responsibilities, meaning existing rental agreements carry over.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 34-18-23 protects tenants by ensuring that a landlord's sale of a property or a manager's departure does not quietly erase accountability—liability only shifts after the tenant receives proper written notice identifying the new responsible party by name, address, and phone number. Tenants in properties with four or fewer units have the additional protection that a new owner inherits the prior landlord's obligations under any existing rental agreement, so a change in ownership does not alter the terms of that agreement. Tenants who believe they have not received the required notice, or that a new owner is not honoring the existing rental agreement, may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or review their options under Chapter 34-18 for addressing the situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation