§ 34-18-22.3 Nonresident landlord to
designate agent for service of process. –
A landlord who is not a resident of this state shall designate and continuously
maintain an agent upon whom service may be made of any process, notice, or
demand required or permitted by law to be served, including but not limited to
notices of minimum housing code violations. The agent shall be a resident of
this state or a corporation authorized to do business in this state. The
landlord's designation shall be in writing, shall include the name and address
of the agent, shall include the street address of each property designated to
said agent, and shall be filed with the secretary of state and with the clerk
of the city or town wherein the dwelling unit is located. If a landlord fails
to comply with the requirements of this section, rent for the dwelling unit
abates until designation of an agent is made and the landlord shall be subject
to a fine of up to five hundred ($500) dollars per violation, payable to the
municipality.
(P.L. 1996, ch. 336, § 1; P.L. 1998, ch. 444, § 1.)