Mobile home eviction rules in Rhode Island

Rhode Island's Mobile and Manufactured Homes Act (R.I. Gen. Laws chapter 31-44) limits eviction to six listed grounds, requires long notice with a chance to cure, and strongly presumes retaliation. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone facing a specific notice should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Rhode Island.

What the statute says

Under R.I. Gen. Laws §31-44-2(a), a park may terminate a tenancy only for one of six reasons: "(1) Nonpayment of rent, utility charges, or reasonable incidental service charges" (with no action if the tenant pays all arrears plus a 5% late charge after the 7-day grace before the notice expires); "(2) Failure of the tenant to comply with ... laws or regulations" (after "written notice ... and a reasonable opportunity ... to comply"); "(3) Damage by the tenant"; "(4) Repeated conduct ... which disturbs the peace and quiet of other tenants"; "(5) Failure ... to comply with reasonable written rules" (after notice and an opportunity to comply, and rule changes require three months' notice); and "(6) Condemnation or change of use of the ... park."

Section 31-44-2(b) sets the notice: "No tenancy ... may be terminated ... except upon giving notice in writing ... to remove from the premises within a period of not less than sixty (60) days; provided that upon grounds of nonpayment of rent, a tenancy may be terminated upon giving thirty (30) days notice."

Section 31-44-5 bars reprisals: a rent increase, non-renewal, refusal to lease, or termination within six months of "any protected lawful action" creates "a rebuttable presumption" of an unlawful reprisal, with the remedies of §34-18-46.

How it works in general

A Rhode Island park can't evict for arbitrary reasons — only nonpayment, a violation of law or park rules (after a chance to fix it), damage, repeated disturbance of neighbors, or a change of use or condemnation. Most terminations require 60 days' written notice; nonpayment requires 30, and the resident can stop a nonpayment eviction by paying the arrears plus a capped late charge before the notice runs out. The eviction itself goes through the district court under the state landlord-tenant process — no self-help. And if the park raises rent or moves to evict within six months after a resident asserts their rights, the law presumes it's illegal retaliation.

Common scenarios

General examples Rhode Island park residents commonly encounter:

• A park serves a rule-violation notice. The resident must first get written notice and a reasonable chance to comply (§31-44-2(a)(2),(5)).
• Rent is overdue. The park must give 30 days' notice, and paying the arrears plus the 5% late charge before it expires stops the eviction (§31-44-2(a)(1),(b)).
• A park retaliates after a complaint. An eviction or rent increase within six months is presumed a reprisal (§31-44-5).

Other authorities that may apply

The eviction process runs through the residential landlord-tenant law (R.I. Gen. Laws chapter 34-18) in the district court; the park-specific grounds, notice, and anti-reprisal rules are in chapter 31-44 (§§31-44-2, 31-44-5). The Department of Business Regulation hears resident complaints. Federal protections such as the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act and the Fair Housing Act can also apply.