Rhode Island Mobile Home Park Lease Law: What Operators Need to Include

What must a mobile home lot lease include in Rhode Island?

If you operate a manufactured or mobile home community in Rhode Island, your lot leases are governed by R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 31-44. The core rule (Section 31-44-7) is that all terms and conditions of the occupancy must be fully disclosed in a written lease, given to a prospective resident 'at a reasonable time prior to the rental or occupancy' of the lot.

At a minimum, that written lease must set a term of not less than one year (unless the resident asks for a shorter term in writing, or states in writing that they do not want a written lease), clearly set forth the terms for payment of rent, and clearly state every action by the resident that could be grounds for eviction or termination.

One important caution: the older sections operators sometimes cite, Sections 31-44-1.1, 1.2, and 1.3, have been repealed. The live requirements for lease content and prohibited terms are in Section 31-44-7, and the rules-and-disclosure requirements are in Section 31-44-3.

The written lease and its required contents

Section 31-44-7 frames the lease as a disclosure document: 'All terms and conditions of the occupancy must be fully disclosed in a written lease.' You cannot leave rent, fees, or park obligations to an oral understanding.

The statute fixes a default one-year minimum term and requires that 'the terms for the payment of rent shall be clearly set forth.' It also requires that 'any action on the part of the resident which may be grounds for eviction ... or termination of the rental agreement shall be clearly stated in it', so your eviction grounds have to be written into the lease, not held in reserve.

Section 31-44-7 also lists owner maintenance obligations (for example, keeping common areas free of stagnant water and noxious growth), and it makes clear these duties bind you regardless of the paperwork: the licensee must abide by the section's terms 'notwithstanding the execution of written lease of any resident.' A signed lease cannot contract around the statute.

Rules, disclosures, and notice timelines

Under Section 31-44-3, you may 'promulgate reasonable rules and regulations,' but they must be reasonable and applied evenly. Any rule or rent change that does not apply uniformly to residents of a similar class carries 'a rebuttable presumption that the rule or change in rent is unreasonable.'

Disclosure is front-loaded: the rent for the lot and any charges or service charges must be disclosed in writing before the lease is signed (including the amounts for the three preceding years), so a prospective resident sees the real cost of the space before committing.

Timelines matter. A rule change requires furnishing all residents a new copy and filing it with the department at least 45 days before the effective date, signed by both owner and resident. Any rent or fee change requires at least 60 days' notice. A resident who thinks a change violates the chapter may file a complaint under Section 31-44-17 within 20 days of receiving written notice.

Prohibited provisions you cannot put in the lease

Section 31-44-7 voids several lease terms even if a resident signs them. You cannot impose a grace period of less than seven days before charging a late fee, and you cannot assess a late charge greater than five percent of the monthly rent due.

You cannot include a provision letting you raise the total rent during the lease term (the narrow exception is passing through a resident's prorated share of a documented property-tax increase), you cannot charge an entrance fee to a resident assuming occupancy, and you cannot include a provision waiving the security-deposit protections of Section 31-44-7.1.

A word of caution on scope: Rhode Island's Chapter 31-44 does not contain a broad standalone ban on requiring residents to buy a home or goods from the park. Section 31-44-15, despite its title 'Purchase requirement,' actually addresses HUD approval and home replacement. Do not assume a purchase-from-park prohibition exists in the statute, confirm any such policy with counsel.

Lease requirements at a glance in Rhode Island

• Written lease required
  All occupancy terms must be fully disclosed in a written lease before rental or occupancy of the lot (Section 31-44-7).
• Minimum one-year term
  Offer a term of not less than one year unless the resident requests a shorter term, or declines a written lease, in writing (Section 31-44-7).
• Rent terms stated
  The terms for payment of rent must be clearly set forth in the lease (Section 31-44-7).
• Eviction grounds stated
  Every action that may be grounds for eviction or termination must be clearly stated in the lease (Section 31-44-7).
• Grace period at least 7 days
  No late fee may be charged with a grace period of less than seven days (Section 31-44-7).
• Late charge capped at 5%
  A late charge may not exceed five percent of the monthly rent due (Section 31-44-7).
• No mid-term rent increase
  Rent cannot be raised during the lease term, except a prorated share of a documented property-tax increase (Section 31-44-7).
• No entrance fee
  You may not charge an entrance fee to a resident assuming occupancy (Section 31-44-7).
• Reasonable, uniform rules
  Rules must be reasonable; non-uniform rules or rent changes are presumed unreasonable (Section 31-44-3).
• Pre-signing fee disclosure
  Rent and all charges must be disclosed in writing before signing, including the three preceding years (Section 31-44-3).
• 45-day rule-change notice
  Rule changes require a new signed copy to residents and filing with the department at least 45 days before the effective date (Section 31-44-3).
• 60-day rent/fee notice
  Any change in rent or fees requires at least 60 days' advance written notice (Section 31-44-3).

Operator best practices in Rhode Island

• Use a compliant written lease for every lot
  Issue a written lease before occupancy with the one-year default term, itemized rent, disclosed fees, and a full list of eviction grounds baked in (Section 31-44-7).
• Audit your late-fee clauses
  Confirm every lease grants at least a seven-day grace period and caps late charges at five percent of monthly rent; fix any legacy leases that exceed these limits.
• Never build in mid-term rent hikes or entrance fees
  Strip out any clause raising rent during the term (except a prorated property-tax pass-through) or charging an entrance fee, these are void under Section 31-44-7.
• Calendar your notice timelines
  Track the 45-day rule-change, 60-day rent/fee, and 20-day complaint windows so every change is noticed, filed with the department, and dual-signed on time (Section 31-44-3).
• Keep rules reasonable and uniform
  Apply the same rules and rent structure to residents of a similar class; inconsistent treatment is presumptively unreasonable and invites complaints.
• Disclose all costs before signing
  Give prospective residents the full written rent-and-fee history (including the three preceding years) so disclosure is documented up front (Section 31-44-3).
• Do not assume a purchase-from-park ban exists
  Chapter 31-44 has no general prohibition on requiring purchases from the park; verify any such policy with counsel rather than relying on Section 31-44-15's title.
• Build a relationship with a Rhode Island MHP attorney
  Manufactured-home tenancy law is specialized and periodically amended (older Sections 31-44-1.1 to 1.3 are already repealed); have RI counsel review your lease and notice templates annually.