R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 34-18.1 § 34-18.1-10
Liability of person in possession for rent on land held
Operative Text
Every person in possession of land covered by this chapter out of which rent is due shall be liable for the just amount or proportion of the rent due from the land in his or her possession, although it is only a part of what was originally demised.
Rhode Island General Laws § 34-18.1-10 establishes that anyone who physically holds or occupies land subject to this chapter is responsible for paying the fair share of rent attributable to the portion of land they possess, even if that portion is only part of a larger parcel that was originally leased as a whole. The rule prevents a person from avoiding rent obligations simply because they hold only a fraction of the originally demised property. The liability is proportional, meaning each possessor owes only the amount that corresponds to the land they actually hold.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 34-18.1-10, landlords and property managers dealing with land subject to this chapter can generally look to each person in possession for the proportionate share of rent tied to the land that person occupies, even when the original lease covered a larger combined parcel. Operators who have subdivided or partially transferred possession of demised land typically document the specific portions held by each party to support accurate rent apportionment. Maintaining clear records of who holds which portion of the land helps establish the just amount owed by each possessor under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 34-18.1-10 of Rhode Island General Laws means that a tenant or other person in possession of only part of an originally leased parcel is not automatically on the hook for the full rent of the entire original demise — only for the proportionate amount tied to the land they actually possess. If a dispute arises over how much rent is owed for a partial holding, this provision may be relevant to how liability is calculated. Tenants who believe they are being charged more than their just proportion under § 34-18.1-10 may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid service to understand available options.
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 Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation