Tenant Obligations

What are the tenant’s obligations under the Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act?

The tenant must:

• Comply with obligations imposed upon residents by applicable minimum standards of housing codes relating to health or safety;
• Keep the dwelling unit as clean and safe as the condition of the premises permit, and upon termination of the residency, place the dwelling unit in as clean a condition as when the residency commenced;
• Dispose of all ashes, rubbish, garbage and other waste in a clean and safe manner;
• Keep all plumbing fixtures in the dwelling unit or used by the tenant as clean as their condition permits;
• Use all electrical, plumbing, sanitary, heating, ventilating, air condition and other facilities and appliances in the premises in a reasonable manner;
• Not deliberately or negligently destroy, deface, damage, impair or remove any part of the premises or knowingly permit any person to do so;
• Conduct himself and require other persons on the premises with his or her consent to conduct themselves in a manner that will not disturb his neighbors’ peaceful enjoyment of the premises;
• Abide by all bylaws, covenants, rules or regulations of any applicable condominium regime, cooperative housing agreement or neighborhood association not inconsistent with the owner’s rights or duties; and
• Not knowingly commit or consent to any other person knowingly committing a substantial violation of the rental agreement.

§47-8-22.

Note that if a tenant is found by the court to have violated paragraph 6 above, the tenant is subject to a civil penalty in an amount equal to two times the monthly rent, in addition to whatever amount is awarded to the landlord in damages, attorney’s fees and court costs. §47-8-48(C).