R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 42-128.1 § 42-128.1-14
Escrow account
Operative Text
(a) Notwithstanding any general law, public law, special law, or any agreement, whether written or oral, a tenant may file a petition to deposit the tenant's rent in an escrow account in the district court with jurisdiction of the leased property, whenever the leased property is not compliant with the risk reduction provisions of this chapter, including, but not limited to, the requirement for a valid certificate of conformance, any rules or regulations derived therefrom, or upon any licensed inspector's finding of the existence of lead hazards in the property. Upon the petition to the district court, and after notice to the owner of the premises and a hearing thereon, the district court shall order the deposit of the tenant's rent within the registry of the court, consistent with district court rules of procedure, upon a determination that the leased property is not compliant with the risk reduction provisions of this chapter, or upon any licensed inspector's finding of the existence of lead hazards in the property. (b) Other rights or remedies. The right of a tenant to deposit rent in the registry of the court does not preclude the tenant from pursuing any other right or remedy available to the tenant at law or equity. (c) Release of funds within the registry of the court. Money deposited within the registry of the court shall be released to the property owner, or designee, upon the court's determination of compliance by the property owner with the applicable risk reduction standard and state lead poisoning prevention laws. (d) Notwithstanding subsection (c), the court shall release money from the registry of the court to the tenant, or designee, if the tenant has incurred costs to comply with the applicable risk reduction standard and state lead poisoning prevention laws on presentation of a bill of the reasonable costs of complying with the applicable risk reduction standard or other state lead poisoning prevention laws. Any money to be released under this subsection shall be subtracted from the money to be released under subsection (c). (e) Retaliatory actions prohibited. A lessee may not be evicted, the tenancy may not be terminated, the rent may not be raised, or any services reduced, because a lessee in good faith elects to seek the remedies under this section.
Rhode Island General Laws § 42-128.1-14 establishes a rent escrow mechanism that allows tenants to petition a district court to deposit rent into the court's registry when a rental property fails to meet lead-hazard risk reduction standards or lacks a valid certificate of conformance. The court holds those funds until the property owner demonstrates compliance, at which point the money is released to the owner — though a tenant who personally paid for remediation costs may recover those expenses from the escrowed funds first. The provision also bars landlords from retaliating against tenants who use this remedy, prohibiting eviction, rent increases, tenancy termination, or service reductions in response to a good-faith petition.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 42-128.1-14, a compliant property owner maintains a valid certificate of conformance and addresses any lead-hazard findings promptly, since a tenant's petition to escrow rent can be triggered by either a lapse in certification or a licensed inspector's finding of lead hazards. Once rent is deposited into the court's registry, funds are released only after the court determines the property meets the applicable risk reduction standard and state lead poisoning prevention laws. Operators generally keep documentation of inspections, remediation work, and certificates current so they can demonstrate compliance efficiently if a court proceeding arises.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 42-128.1-14 gives Rhode Island tenants the right to petition the district court with jurisdiction over their rental property to place rent into an escrow account when the property is out of compliance with lead-hazard risk reduction rules or when a licensed inspector has identified lead hazards. Using this remedy does not waive any other legal or equitable rights a tenant may have, and the law explicitly prohibits a landlord from evicting, raising rent, terminating the tenancy, or cutting services in retaliation for a good-faith petition. Tenants who want to understand how this process works in practice may find it helpful to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with Rhode Island housing law.
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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