R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18 § 34-18-54
Savings clause
Operative Text
Transactions entered into before January 1, 1987, and not extended or renewed on and after that date, and the rights, duties and interests flowing from them remain valid and may be terminated, completed, consummated, or enforced as required or permitted by any statute or other law amended or repealed by this chapter as though the repeal or amendment had not occurred.
Section 34-18-54 of Rhode Island's residential landlord-tenant law establishes a savings clause that preserves the legal standing of rental transactions that were entered into before January 1, 1987, and were not extended or renewed on or after that date. Under this provision, the rights, duties, and interests created by those older agreements continue to be governed by the laws that were in place at the time, even if those laws were later amended or repealed when the current chapter took effect. In practical terms, the repeal or amendment of prior statutes does not retroactively invalidate or alter obligations that arose under pre-1987 tenancies that were never renewed.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners or managers dealing with a tenancy that originated before January 1, 1987, and was never extended or renewed after that date should be aware that § 34-18-54 means the older statutory framework—not the current chapter—continues to govern the rights and obligations tied to that agreement. Compliant operators in such situations generally look to the pre-amendment statutes when determining how to terminate, complete, or enforce those legacy arrangements. Because such situations are uncommon today, consulting records carefully to confirm whether a tenancy was renewed on or after January 1, 1987, is a standard part of due diligence for any pre-1987 agreement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 34-18-54 means that if your tenancy began before January 1, 1987, and was never extended or renewed on or after that date, the rights you hold under that agreement are still valid and are measured against the laws that existed when the agreement was made. Tenants in this unusual circumstance may find that certain protections or obligations differ from those found in the current Rhode Island Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. Tenant-rights organizations or legal aid services familiar with Rhode Island housing law can help clarify which legal framework applies to a specific pre-1987 tenancy.
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.
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