Landlord kept your deposit in Rhode Island? Find your next step.
No refund, only part of your money back, or charges you disagree with? Start with what you received, then build a response using your records and Rhode Island law.
Analysis free · Full case package $29-$49, one time · mailing optional
The deadline check is optional. See what you get
What do you need help with?
Open the situation that fits. Each route gives you something to check, something to keep, and a next step.
I received nothingNo refund and no list of deductions.
Check the trigger, then the date. Itemized notice plus the amount due within 20 days after termination, delivery of possession, or the tenant's providing a forwarding address for receiving the deposit, whichever comes last.
Keep: your deposit payment, move-out or key-return record, forwarding-address notice and any earlier written request. These establish the timeline behind your demand.
Analyze my missing refund - free →I received part of my depositSome money came back. Find out what explains the difference.
Reconcile the refund. Compare the original deposit, what was returned and each deduction. Separate charges you accept from charges you dispute.
Check the amount they kept - free →Enter the refund and deductions in the case builder. You do not need a separate worksheet first.
The Rhode Island accounting rule: Deductions (unpaid rent, reasonable cleaning and trash-disposal expenses, damage beyond ordinary wear under § 34-18-24) must be itemized in a written notice delivered with the balance.
Keep: the refund record, deduction list and notice envelope or delivery record. If money is still unexplained, identify that gap in your written request.
I disagree with the deductionsYou have a charge list, whether or not a refund arrived.
Respond to the specific charges. Note each amount, why you dispute it, and which photo, message or record supports your position. Check the notice instructions above before choosing how and when to reply.
Check my deductions - free →The records rule in Rhode Island: No statutory receipt requirement; RI Legal Services recommends obtaining one as practical protection.
No move-in photos? Use an inventory checklist, inspection report, dated repair request, messages or witness accounts to explain the condition.
I already sent a demandThe landlord has not paid, or the dispute is still unresolved.
Use the latest triggering event when checking the response. Keep any partial refund separate from your unresolved objections.
See the Rhode Island court route →Keep: your sent demand, delivery record and any reply. Use the court guide to check where to file, which forms to use, and the filing and service costs.
Turn the dispute into a documented demand
- Free: understand your dispute
- Add your refund, charges and records. Get a charge-by-charge analysis of the deposit rules and potential remedies under R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19.
- Optional: your case documents, $29-$49
- Your demand letter, damages summary and evidence checklist, ready to review and send with your records. Mailing is optional and costs extra.
One charge, backed by a reason and records
Fictional Rhode Island example. Assumes coverage under the cited law; not a customer outcome.
- The charge
- Repainting ordinary wall scuffs: $900
- Records to attach
- move-in photos and move-out photos
Open PDF ↗In the generated letter
Ordinary wear and tear - not deductible. Repainting after a tenancy is ordinary wear and tear unless the walls were damaged beyond normal use (large holes, unauthorized colors). Dated move-in and move-out photos help distinguish ordinary wear from tenant-caused damage.
Prefer to write it yourself? Use the free Rhode Island letter template.
Before you call the refund late
Itemized notice plus the amount due within 20 days after termination, delivery of possession, or the tenant's providing a forwarding address for receiving the deposit, whichever comes last.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 34-18-19 ↗Deposit statute reviewed August 2026. Review dates refer to the cited rules.
Check the return timeline
Optional date estimate. Read the start conditions above; a passed date alone does not establish a violation. Your date and deposit amount carry into the free analysis.
Already know the dates? Go straight to the refund and charges.
Continue to my free analysis →Questions before your next step
What should I do first if my landlord kept my deposit in Rhode Island?
Check the statutory deadline. Itemized notice plus the amount due within 20 days after termination, delivery of possession, or the tenant's providing a forwarding address for receiving the deposit, whichever comes last. Save your move-out records, any refund and the itemized statement. Compare them with the deadline and deduction rules below.
Do I need a lawyer to get my deposit back in Rhode Island?
You can write a demand yourself. If you consider a court claim, small claims court (limit: $5,000) is designed for self-represented tenants - filing fees run about $75 plus service costs.
What happens if my landlord doesn't return my security deposit in 20 days in Rhode Island?
Noncompliance means the tenant recovers the amount due together with damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney fees (§ 34-18-19(c)); waiver clauses are void, and buyers of the property are bound.
What can I ask to recover in a Rhode Island deposit dispute?
The statute reads as the amount due together with damages equal to twice the amount wrongfully withheld, plus attorney fees (§ 34-18-19(c)) - textually a 3x exposure. Note: in the only Rhode Island Supreme Court application (Tambor v. Miller, 2002), the court recited liability for 'twice that amount' and approved a 2x total, so our estimates use the conservative 2x total.
Read the full Rhode Island deposit-law guide for the return, deduction and remedy rules.