Effective January 1, 2024, Rhode Island law will prohibit landlords, rental agents, and property managers from charging application fees to rental applications – with two exceptions. Landlords and their representatives will be able to charge applicants for the actual cost of conducting (1) a credit check or (2) a criminal background check unless the rental applicant has provided a credit report and BCI/police background check dated no more than 90 days before the day of the application. If the rental applicant is required to pay for a report, the applicant must be provided with a copy of it. Even if the rental applicant provides timely reports, landlords and their representatives will have the right to conduct these and other checks at the landlord’s expense.
The RI Association of REALTORS® recently revised their rental application form to include checkboxes for rental applicants to indicate whether they are providing copies of one or more reports. View this helpful resource Rentals: A guide to REALTOR® best practices produced for members.
