Title 34
Property
Chapter 18
Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-59
§ 34-18-59. Fair limitation on rental application fees.
(a) A landlord, lessor, sub-lessor, real estate broker, property management company, or
designee shall not be allowed to require or demand any prospective tenant to pay for
a rental application fee.
(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a landlord, lessor, sub-lessor,
real estate broker, property management company, or designee from requiring an official
state criminal background check from the bureau of criminal identification (BCI),
department of attorney general, state police or local police department where the
prospective tenant resides or from requiring a credit check subject to the following
limitations:
(1) If a prospective tenant provides a required official state criminal background check
or credit report issued within ninety (90) days of the application for a rental unit,
no fee for such official state criminal background check and/or credit report may
be charged by the respective landlord, lessor, sub-lessor, real estate broker, property
management company, or designee;