R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 6-13.1 § 6-13.1-16
Disclosure of service contract agreements
Operative Text
(a) It shall be a deceptive trade practice in violation of this chapter for any service contractor to fail to disclose to any person who is a prospective customer, at the time that the person makes initial contact by any means with the service contractor, that a service call made by the service contractor to the home or business of the prospective customer will require the payment by the prospective customer of separate and distinct fees for the following: (1) Service charge — the fee charged by the service contractor to respond to the request for service. (2) Labor charge. (b) As used in this section: (1) "Service contractor" means a person engaged in the business of repairing, overhauling, adjusting, assembling, or disassembling consumer goods. (2) "Person" means a natural person, corporation, trust, partnership, incorporated or unincorporated association, and any other legal entity.
Under Rhode Island General Laws § 6-13.1-16, failing to disclose certain fee information at the outset of a service interaction is classified as a deceptive trade practice. Specifically, any business that repairs, overhauls, adjusts, assembles, or disassembles consumer goods must inform prospective customers—at the moment of first contact, by any means—that a service visit will involve two separate charges: a service charge (for responding to the request) and a labor charge. This rule applies regardless of how the initial contact is made, whether by phone, online, or in person.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers who hire service contractors to maintain or repair appliances and consumer goods on their properties should be aware that § 6-13.1-16 places the disclosure obligation on the service contractor, not the property owner. A compliant service contractor will proactively communicate, at the very first point of contact, that both a service charge and a labor charge will apply to any on-site visit. Landlords vetting contractors for ongoing maintenance work generally confirm that those contractors follow this upfront disclosure practice, as failure to do so constitutes a deceptive trade practice under Rhode Island law.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 6-13.1-16, tenants who contact a service contractor to repair or service consumer goods have a right to be told—immediately, at first contact—that the visit will carry both a separate service charge and a separate labor charge. If a contractor fails to make this disclosure and later bills for these fees without warning, that omission may constitute a deceptive trade practice under Rhode Island's consumer protection chapter (ch. 6-13.1). Tenants who believe this right was violated can explore options such as filing a complaint with Rhode Island's consumer protection authorities or consulting a tenant-rights or consumer-rights organization for guidance on available remedies.
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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