Rhode Island’s New Lead Laws
Written by Robin Lake | Director of Client Services
The Rhode Island General Assembly has approved several new laws that will help enforce lead safety throughout rental properties in the state. These new laws affect both landlords and tenants. Below is a summary with active links for further information.
1. Landlords must now register their property into a registry with the Department of Health. If the property was built before 1978, the landlord is required to submit proof of a valid lead certificate to complete registration. https://www.rentalregistry.ri.gov/
2. Landlords who are owner-occupants of two- and three-unit properties are no longer exempt from the lead hazard mitigation law.
3. To obtain a lead certificate, the landlord must hire a licensed Lead Inspector to conduct a Lead Hazard Mitigation Inspection. If problems are found, they must be fixed within 30 days. If there are no problems, the landlord is issued a Certificate of Lead Conformance. These certificates need to be renewed at least every 2 years. https://health.ri.gov/publications/factsheets/About-Lead-Certificates-for-Landlords.pdf
4. There are several types of properties that are exempt and do not need to follow these new laws:
- Rental units with Full Lead-Safe Certificate from the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH)
- Rental units with a current Conditional Lead-Safe Certificate from RIDOH
- Rental units with Certifications of Lead-Free Status from RIDOH
- Housing specifically for residents aged 62 or older
- Temporary, seasonal housing rented to the same tenant for on more than 100 days in a calendar year
5. Penalties for violation of lead laws have increased.
6. Water authorities must inspect water service lines and notify the property owners and tenants if the property’s service line contains lead. If the landlord fails to cooperate with the water authority, a tenant can terminate the lease without penalty. (Funding is available for the water authorities to replace these lines!)
More information can also be found at http://lead1978.com.
The Blackstone Team has a few agents dealing with all of this for their own properties and have first-hand experience. We are also assisting many current clients with the process of obtaining lead certificates and getting the correct information for the rental registry. If you or someone you know needs guidance through this process, please reach out to [email protected].
